Monday, May 11, 2015

The Illustrated Man


Short stories?! Who could've guessed by the title?
I'm not big on short stories, not even by my favourite author. I rather have a story with a decent beginning, middle and ending, instead of just handful of sand, disappeared before you even realize it.

But not to be too biased, Ray Bradbury did pick a great topic to write 18 short stories about and what did he choose?


SPACE

He explored every theme, from invasion to exploring, to exile, to holiday destination. Mars was most often chosen as the planet of interest, but the others weren't forgotten. Some stories never left earth, while they still breathed space travel.

I liked the subject, especially in the innocent, soft spoken way Bradbury has with his words. He can write about gruesome acts of violence without making it uncomfortable, which lends it perfectly for young adults and even the more advanced children. I know I would've loved these kinds of stories when I was growing up, being 10 or 11 I was fascinated with the world beyond our blue sky. 

Among the short stories, there were good stories, mediocre stories, but none was bad. I never felt like I wanted to skip any, which is good in my case as I explained at the top. 

My most favourite was Zero Hour. It is a wonderful depiction of a childhood and how adults seem to children. 

What more can I say without spoilers? 
Well, beside the short stories, the introduction into the novel isn't bad at all. That's where the title comes from, but that's all I'm going to tell about it. 

Check out these other reviews!!!