What do you think?
Rate this book
The Willowdale Handcar or The Return of the Black Doll
In this enigmatic, surreal, wonderfully entertaining tale, three mysterious figures set out from Willowdale, travelling by handcar. On the way to nowhere in particular they pass a number of odd characters and observe a series of baffling phenomena, from a house burning down in a field to a palatial mansion perched precariously on a bluff. At once deeply vexing and utterly hilarious, darkly mysterious and amusingly absurd, The Willowdale Handcar is vintage Edward Gorey.
64 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1962
2 people are currently reading
491 people want to read
About the author
Edward Gorey
488 books2,035 followersBorn in Chicago, Gorey came from a colourful family; his parents, Helen Dunham Garvey and Edward Lee Gorey, divorced in 1936 when he was 11, then remarried in 1952 when he was 27. One of his step-mothers was Corinna Mura, a cabaret singer who had a brief role in the classic film Casablanca. His father was briefly a journalist. Gorey's maternal great-grandmother, Helen St. John Garvey, was a popular 19th century greeting card writer/artist, from whom he claimed to have inherited his talents. He attended a variety of local grade schools and then the Francis W. Parker School. He spent 1944–1946 in the Army at Dugway Proving Ground in Utah, and then attended Harvard University from 1946 to 1950, where he studied French and roomed with future poet Frank O'Hara.
Although he would frequently state that his formal art training was "negligible", Gorey studied art for one semester at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago in 1943, eventually becoming a professional illustrator. From 1953 to 1960, he lived in New York City and worked for the Art Department of Doubleday Anchor, illustrating book covers and in some cases adding illustrations to the text. He has illustrated works as diverse as Dracula by Bram Stoker, The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, and Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. In later years he illustrated many children's books by John Bellairs, as well as books in several series begun by Bellairs and continued by other authors after his death.
Although he would frequently state that his formal art training was "negligible", Gorey studied art for one semester at The School of The Art Institute of Chicago in 1943, eventually becoming a professional illustrator. From 1953 to 1960, he lived in New York City and worked for the Art Department of Doubleday Anchor, illustrating book covers and in some cases adding illustrations to the text. He has illustrated works as diverse as Dracula by Bram Stoker, The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells, and Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot. In later years he illustrated many children's books by John Bellairs, as well as books in several series begun by Bellairs and continued by other authors after his death.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
January 22, 2019
deeply vexing, indeed!
anyone who tells you, in a review of this book or in smug cocktail party conversation, that the black doll "pops up" or "follows" the characters around portending doom is the worst kind of liar ever.
i thought i'd missed something so i dusted off my highlights magazine hidden pictures skills
(LOOK, a CANDLE!)
and spent half an afternoon where's waldoing each page looking for that damn doll only to come to the conclusion that either these people are goldang liars, or delusional, or have some special edition of this book that i do not have.
let me save you an afternoon. the black doll is on the cover
and on this page here, in plain sight.
period.
the fact that this book is subtitled "The Return of the Black Doll" is likely referring to the fact that this doll is in other gorey books like here:
and here:
and here:
and is the basis for other characters throughout his work and as part of the larger gorey legend:
A life long friend of Edward Gorey's made The Black Doll for him in 1942. Gorey visited her while she was making it and upon seeing it insisted on keeping it in its unfinished state, lacking a face, arms and clothing. In spite of her objection, Edward Gorey prevailed. It may be the first recorded instance of Gorey's enduring dedication to engaging the imagination. The incomplete Black Doll has remained a recurring enigma for almost 70 years appearing in many of Gorey's books and drawings as well as being the subject of his silent screenplay.
you can read all that and also buy yourself a stuffed black doll which you can staple onto any page of any book you want here:
http://www.goreystore.com/shop/access...
and yes, after being frustrated by not finding more damn dolls in this book, i did some research, which took up even more time and now i'm just playing right into gorey's fun-loving little hands.
this is the kind of book that does that to you - whether you're looking for dolls or not. it tells just enough of a story to tantalize and make the reader so certain there is something there that they are missing, and that they are so close to understanding! and maybe there is. but maybe it's just gorey having a laugh and there isn't any "deeper meaning" beyond what readers themselves supply in order to do that whole nod-and-chuckle combo and look down on the dummies who just don't get it.
it's full of that great gorey atmosphere of sinister and surreal. there's the ostensible main, or foreground story in which very little happens:
and
and
and the gimmick is that these characters are really just the distracted observers to the real story, which is all happening in the background or speeding by their handcar roadtrip. there's enough to string together the guts of a story, but not enough to fill in all the gaps:
and later:
so, it's fun to try to figure it all out, especially when taunted by the back cover copy (which also features a black doll, so that's three)
maybe my close-reading skills are rusty and dusty, but i'm willing to bet that this book is intended not as "a puzzle that can be deciphered" but as a fun mental roadtrip exercise that, like most of gorey's work, is meant to be a little mysterious.
but wait - is this the black doll here??
i will closen it up for you:
because if it is, and if that's the scale and level of detail we're dealing with, then that quest is all yours - you go ahead and find alllll the black dolls i missed and come back here with your eyes red and half-closed from squinting and i will genially admit that i am wrong and you are right and i will continue drinking my tea cozily under a nice warm blankie while you do a triumphant little dance until you exhaust yourself and fall over.
come to my blog!
anyone who tells you, in a review of this book or in smug cocktail party conversation, that the black doll "pops up" or "follows" the characters around portending doom is the worst kind of liar ever.
i thought i'd missed something so i dusted off my highlights magazine hidden pictures skills
(LOOK, a CANDLE!)
and spent half an afternoon where's waldoing each page looking for that damn doll only to come to the conclusion that either these people are goldang liars, or delusional, or have some special edition of this book that i do not have.
let me save you an afternoon. the black doll is on the cover
and on this page here, in plain sight.
period.
the fact that this book is subtitled "The Return of the Black Doll" is likely referring to the fact that this doll is in other gorey books like here:
and here:
and here:
and is the basis for other characters throughout his work and as part of the larger gorey legend:
A life long friend of Edward Gorey's made The Black Doll for him in 1942. Gorey visited her while she was making it and upon seeing it insisted on keeping it in its unfinished state, lacking a face, arms and clothing. In spite of her objection, Edward Gorey prevailed. It may be the first recorded instance of Gorey's enduring dedication to engaging the imagination. The incomplete Black Doll has remained a recurring enigma for almost 70 years appearing in many of Gorey's books and drawings as well as being the subject of his silent screenplay.
you can read all that and also buy yourself a stuffed black doll which you can staple onto any page of any book you want here:
http://www.goreystore.com/shop/access...
and yes, after being frustrated by not finding more damn dolls in this book, i did some research, which took up even more time and now i'm just playing right into gorey's fun-loving little hands.
this is the kind of book that does that to you - whether you're looking for dolls or not. it tells just enough of a story to tantalize and make the reader so certain there is something there that they are missing, and that they are so close to understanding! and maybe there is. but maybe it's just gorey having a laugh and there isn't any "deeper meaning" beyond what readers themselves supply in order to do that whole nod-and-chuckle combo and look down on the dummies who just don't get it.
it's full of that great gorey atmosphere of sinister and surreal. there's the ostensible main, or foreground story in which very little happens:
and
and
and the gimmick is that these characters are really just the distracted observers to the real story, which is all happening in the background or speeding by their handcar roadtrip. there's enough to string together the guts of a story, but not enough to fill in all the gaps:
and later:
so, it's fun to try to figure it all out, especially when taunted by the back cover copy (which also features a black doll, so that's three)
maybe my close-reading skills are rusty and dusty, but i'm willing to bet that this book is intended not as "a puzzle that can be deciphered" but as a fun mental roadtrip exercise that, like most of gorey's work, is meant to be a little mysterious.
but wait - is this the black doll here??
i will closen it up for you:
because if it is, and if that's the scale and level of detail we're dealing with, then that quest is all yours - you go ahead and find alllll the black dolls i missed and come back here with your eyes red and half-closed from squinting and i will genially admit that i am wrong and you are right and i will continue drinking my tea cozily under a nice warm blankie while you do a triumphant little dance until you exhaust yourself and fall over.
come to my blog!
July 27, 2018
Mysteriously delicious and dark....
Wow.... absolutely out of this world, this story, wonderful black & white drawings, mysterious, weird, surreal, creepy....completely 'out of the box'... I'm revisiting all the drawings in the book as we speak, book next to me on the couch. Trying to find that black doll... outside on the cover, in the inside pages... What is this really about.... what's the story here... It doesn't matter really, every page is a gem and a story in itself. Analysis is useless... this is a wonderfully drawn story, full of wonders and mystery. There are so many questions! For example... what is the relationship between those three persons who take this handcar and just go around travelling for ages and ages....as we can witness from all the different scenes and the change from summer outfit to thick winter coats.... :-) What is their drive, what is their goal? and why?
The Willowdale handcar, or... the return of the black doll... in which three pilgrims find mystery, abort peril and partake of religious community. And the discerning Reader discovers Meaning in their Progress.
I think I definitely need to check out more of Edward Gorey's work.
Out of the box, this one, great graphic book. Beautifully illustrated book too.
In this enigmatic, surreal, wonderfully entertaining tale, three mysterious figures set out from Willowdale, traveling by handcar. On the way to nowhere in particular they pass a number of odd characters and observe a series of baffling phenomena, from a house burning down in a field to a palatial mansion perched precariously on a bluff....
Wow.... absolutely out of this world, this story, wonderful black & white drawings, mysterious, weird, surreal, creepy....completely 'out of the box'... I'm revisiting all the drawings in the book as we speak, book next to me on the couch. Trying to find that black doll... outside on the cover, in the inside pages... What is this really about.... what's the story here... It doesn't matter really, every page is a gem and a story in itself. Analysis is useless... this is a wonderfully drawn story, full of wonders and mystery. There are so many questions! For example... what is the relationship between those three persons who take this handcar and just go around travelling for ages and ages....as we can witness from all the different scenes and the change from summer outfit to thick winter coats.... :-) What is their drive, what is their goal? and why?
The Willowdale handcar, or... the return of the black doll... in which three pilgrims find mystery, abort peril and partake of religious community. And the discerning Reader discovers Meaning in their Progress.
I think I definitely need to check out more of Edward Gorey's work.
Out of the box, this one, great graphic book. Beautifully illustrated book too.
In this enigmatic, surreal, wonderfully entertaining tale, three mysterious figures set out from Willowdale, traveling by handcar. On the way to nowhere in particular they pass a number of odd characters and observe a series of baffling phenomena, from a house burning down in a field to a palatial mansion perched precariously on a bluff....
October 16, 2017
I like narrative; I like to read and tell stories, both fictional and non-fictional, and have even written a book about its uses (while acknowledging its possible limitations!). I also like artists and theoreticians that seriously and comically question the value of narrative. Think of the film Slackers, which shares anecdotes, but doesn't really create a narrative arc; like its characters, the film goes no where, it is a "slacker" structure, perfect form for its content. Reading these help me sharpen my case for the value of storytelling, but they also help me develop some skepticism for my own claims about stories.
Edward Gorey has said in some places that he isn't that interested in narrative; I think he's not quite telling the truth there, because I think even his non-narrative work raises questions about narrative. He also has said elsewhere that he carefully "plots out" the picture books he creates . . . which may not mean that he actually thinks of the "plotting out" as specifically narrative!
In any case, in this text Gorey creates something moody and a little creepy and mysterious, that would appear to be set up as an actual mystery story. That's what the cover and title seem to indicate. But I think it's a set-up. I think it's a prank. Countless readers wrestle over what the "point" of the story is, and I think the fact that we feel we have to have a "point" to every text we read is the very point of this story. It's a little manipulative, in that he playfully urges you to try to make a narrative about it. . . I mean, it's a picture book, those usually are also called "storybooks," so why not this?
Then there's the subtitle, "The Return of the Black Doll," that has appeared in other Gorey narratives (see Karen's superlative review for some of those citations; I pulled this book off my shelf after seeing Karen's review, actually). What is the doll about?! What's the point of it, of her? I don't think there is a point, in that traditional sense. I think the point is to raise a question about our point-seeking!
Handcar looks on the surface like a narrative, but finally it raises great issues about how and why we as humans need to construct narratives to make sense of books, and also our lives, when life doesn't generally work like that. We do that to life, tell stories about it, but that's our construction of events, our meaning-making. Stories are made-up meaning, that we make, they are not "inherent" in events. We put them together; events don't cohere "naturally." So Gorey creates a non-narrative book to make that point!
This is probably my favorite Gorey story. I've used it in teaching many times to discuss the nature of narrative, and of course not everyone agrees with me, and a lot of people resent the time they take trying to "make sense" out of it, and hate the joke it plays on them. Some will insist it makes a sense that Gorey intended, too. And they may be right. Check it out and tell me what you think.
Edward Gorey has said in some places that he isn't that interested in narrative; I think he's not quite telling the truth there, because I think even his non-narrative work raises questions about narrative. He also has said elsewhere that he carefully "plots out" the picture books he creates . . . which may not mean that he actually thinks of the "plotting out" as specifically narrative!
In any case, in this text Gorey creates something moody and a little creepy and mysterious, that would appear to be set up as an actual mystery story. That's what the cover and title seem to indicate. But I think it's a set-up. I think it's a prank. Countless readers wrestle over what the "point" of the story is, and I think the fact that we feel we have to have a "point" to every text we read is the very point of this story. It's a little manipulative, in that he playfully urges you to try to make a narrative about it. . . I mean, it's a picture book, those usually are also called "storybooks," so why not this?
Then there's the subtitle, "The Return of the Black Doll," that has appeared in other Gorey narratives (see Karen's superlative review for some of those citations; I pulled this book off my shelf after seeing Karen's review, actually). What is the doll about?! What's the point of it, of her? I don't think there is a point, in that traditional sense. I think the point is to raise a question about our point-seeking!
Handcar looks on the surface like a narrative, but finally it raises great issues about how and why we as humans need to construct narratives to make sense of books, and also our lives, when life doesn't generally work like that. We do that to life, tell stories about it, but that's our construction of events, our meaning-making. Stories are made-up meaning, that we make, they are not "inherent" in events. We put them together; events don't cohere "naturally." So Gorey creates a non-narrative book to make that point!
This is probably my favorite Gorey story. I've used it in teaching many times to discuss the nature of narrative, and of course not everyone agrees with me, and a lot of people resent the time they take trying to "make sense" out of it, and hate the joke it plays on them. Some will insist it makes a sense that Gorey intended, too. And they may be right. Check it out and tell me what you think.
April 25, 2018
I love the names Edward gives to his characters and his towns. Here comes up with the craziest stuff. He always finds just the right word. His stories are never usual and you never really know where they are going. Our 3 characters are bored and they find a handcar and they take off into the wild for adventure. This goes on for months. They must be very bored. They see all kinds of things from town to town and meet all kinds of people. It would actually make an interesting longer story. The whole point is the adventure.
The art is Gorey through and through and the story is pure Edward. This is a fun and unusual tale which we expect from our Edward. I am loving this anthology Amphigorey and all the stories I didn't even know about. What an imagination.
The art is Gorey through and through and the story is pure Edward. This is a fun and unusual tale which we expect from our Edward. I am loving this anthology Amphigorey and all the stories I didn't even know about. What an imagination.
February 29, 2016
Description: Three mysterious figures set out from Willowdale, travelling by handcar. On the way to nowhere in particular they pass a number of odd characters and observe a series of baffling phenomena, from a house burning down in a field to a palatial mansion perched precariously on a bluff.
This is the opening page.
Dedication is:
For Lillian Gish
This is the opening page. 
January 2, 2026
A short and compact book featuring the unique drawings of Gorey and an enigmatic plot.
Not much more to say. If you enjoy his drawings, you will enjoy these. If you haven’t already made acquaintance with Gorey, this is as good a place as any to start. The plot, such as it is, has a black humorous vibe about three friends who decide to take a handcart (a human propelled vehicle for use on railroad tracks) and have enigmatic encounters over a period of many weeks.
Left unresolved is the fate of the three and the significance of the Black Doll in the subtitle.
Not much more to say. If you enjoy his drawings, you will enjoy these. If you haven’t already made acquaintance with Gorey, this is as good a place as any to start. The plot, such as it is, has a black humorous vibe about three friends who decide to take a handcart (a human propelled vehicle for use on railroad tracks) and have enigmatic encounters over a period of many weeks.
Left unresolved is the fate of the three and the significance of the Black Doll in the subtitle.
March 7, 2016
Three unobservant chums from the turn of the 20th century — Edna, Sam, and Harry — decide on a lark to leave their village of Willowdale and travel the surrounding countryside by handcar. Despite some pretty alarming things going on around them that the reader will pick up on, our clueless trio never becomes alarmed because they never catch on that some pretty nefarious doings are afoot. I guess their cluelessness is supposed to be part of the fun, but I was just befuddled by it all.
Still, the illustrations are wonderful — what did you expect? It’s Edward Gorey! Gorey poses that “the discerning Reader discovers Meaning in their Progress.” Well, that sure wasn’t me! Perhaps readers more clever than I can solve the mysteries involving their luckless friend Nellie Flim and the fabulously wealthy financier Titus W. Blotter.
Still, the illustrations are wonderful — what did you expect? It’s Edward Gorey! Gorey poses that “the discerning Reader discovers Meaning in their Progress.” Well, that sure wasn’t me! Perhaps readers more clever than I can solve the mysteries involving their luckless friend Nellie Flim and the fabulously wealthy financier Titus W. Blotter.
March 6, 2016
I loved this book. Creepy, weird, and utterly engaging. A short macabre story that is told along with black and white pencil drawings. I'm now hooked on reading many of the other Gorey stories.
October 15, 2025
What a unique and quirky story from one of my favorite illustrators! You can never go wrong with an Edward Gorey book, each so full of magic and charm—I’m immediately transported to my childhood as soon as I open the pages.
This one is darkly comical and peculiar in the best ways possible, entertaining us with the eventful journey of three friends with nothing better to do than take an endless ride in a handcar. It’s truly the kind of book that you get more out of each time you revisit it—a perfect mix of humor, wit, mystery, and charm.
This one is darkly comical and peculiar in the best ways possible, entertaining us with the eventful journey of three friends with nothing better to do than take an endless ride in a handcar. It’s truly the kind of book that you get more out of each time you revisit it—a perfect mix of humor, wit, mystery, and charm.
May 30, 2023
A tale about a group of 3 Edna, Harry, and Sam as they take a Handcar around the countryside. They seem to go a pretty far distance and see lots of interesting things along the way never returning to Willowdale.
March 11, 2020
A dark and ominous ride through the countryside on a railroad handcar.
You see a house burning in the distance, a mansion on a cliff, distressed figures passing you by, a dinner with strangers, a family cemetery — and you’re all the time wondering why am on this ride and how will it end?
Vintage and beautiful Gorey. Emblematic, it would seem, of what is happening to the world this very day.
You see a house burning in the distance, a mansion on a cliff, distressed figures passing you by, a dinner with strangers, a family cemetery — and you’re all the time wondering why am on this ride and how will it end?
Vintage and beautiful Gorey. Emblematic, it would seem, of what is happening to the world this very day.
September 26, 2013
I adore Edward Gorey's small books. I especially love how no attempt is made to explain the morbid bits of his stories and how the characters (usually kids) are delightfully nonplussed by them. His precious expletives (crumbs!) and curious, grotesque art are as delicious together as salty and sweet.
The Willowdale Handcar is a great little story of adventure and scandal. Per the usual Gorey story, explanation is withheld, but in a way isn't annoying but fun, like secrets. This story had me imagining different scenarios for the characters long after I read it. I bought multiple copies to give away to adults as quirky gifts, but I keep a copy lying on the coffee table to amuse visitors of any age.
The Willowdale Handcar is a great little story of adventure and scandal. Per the usual Gorey story, explanation is withheld, but in a way isn't annoying but fun, like secrets. This story had me imagining different scenarios for the characters long after I read it. I bought multiple copies to give away to adults as quirky gifts, but I keep a copy lying on the coffee table to amuse visitors of any age.
September 19, 2014
What a ramblingly odd little story. I'm not sure that I see the point of it.
Three protagonists set off via handcar (how very Victorian), because they think that their lives in Willowdale are just too dull. Little do they realize, but dramatic things are happening all around them! A young woman has run away from her beau, a baby is left on a mail hook, a man is seen lurking at the scene of a previous explosion, and another is seen abandoning himself to the swamp. It is almost a relief when our protagonists enter a cave never to return; one can only assume that they have mistaken the endless darkness inside for the endless drearieness of their lives and not realized that they should exit their locale...
Three protagonists set off via handcar (how very Victorian), because they think that their lives in Willowdale are just too dull. Little do they realize, but dramatic things are happening all around them! A young woman has run away from her beau, a baby is left on a mail hook, a man is seen lurking at the scene of a previous explosion, and another is seen abandoning himself to the swamp. It is almost a relief when our protagonists enter a cave never to return; one can only assume that they have mistaken the endless darkness inside for the endless drearieness of their lives and not realized that they should exit their locale...
July 3, 2017
He's so perfectly weird. In the best sense.
September 19, 2020
I don't have a shelf for 'weird,' so this is on make-n-do because the reader has to figure out if Gorey is actually telling a 'story' or just amusing his readers.
The description includes adjectives that usually warn me away, but Gorey fans have urged me to pick up one of his books, so I did. One is enough.
- surreal
- 3 mysterious figures, odd characters
- enigmatic, baffling
- deeply vexing
- utterly hilarious
- darkly mysterious
- amusingly absurd
And from the cover:
In which three Pilgrims
find mystery
abort peril and
partake of religious community.
And the discerning Reader
discovers Meaning
in their Progress.
If anyone cares to enlighten me, please do so!
The description includes adjectives that usually warn me away, but Gorey fans have urged me to pick up one of his books, so I did. One is enough.
- surreal
- 3 mysterious figures, odd characters
- enigmatic, baffling
- deeply vexing
- utterly hilarious
- darkly mysterious
- amusingly absurd
And from the cover:
In which three Pilgrims
find mystery
abort peril and
partake of religious community.
And the discerning Reader
discovers Meaning
in their Progress.
If anyone cares to enlighten me, please do so!
January 8, 2023
Goodness, there seemed to be quite the mystery going on that our MCs did not take the time to unravel. And now…I have a feeling they never will.
April 13, 2008
I can't remember if my introduction to Edward Gorey's gothic humor was his animated opening to Mystery! or his illustrations in Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot (one of my cherished books of poetry). Anyway, I love his books and his art.
The back of the book describes The Willowdale Handcar or the Return of the Black Doll thusly:
In which three Pilgrims
find mystery
abort peril and
partake of religious community.
And the discerning Reader
discovers Meaning
in their Progress.
Who are the pilgrims and where are they going? The first part is easy; they are Edna, Harry and Sam. They are going wherever the Willowdale handcar will take them. The mystery comes in the form of a number of characters they meet along the way including Nellie Flim who apparently is missing.
Who then is Nellie Flim from Miss Underfoot's Seminary? She's the mystery and the pilgrims Edna, Harry and Sam keep on her trail throughout the short book.
The peril then comes in the form of a number of misadventures and misfortunes: falling rocks, unexplained explosions, crashing cars and bad weather.
The religious community comes in many forms: Sam's experience at the seminary, the abandoned cemetery and the Halfbath Methodist Church. None of these places are enough of a draw to stop the pilgrims' progress.
So what is the meaning of their progress? I think an entire essay could be written on deciphering this cryptic little book: it's place names, it's character names and the artwork itself probably all mean something. I think on the surface it's a story about the journey, not the destination. Beyond that, I don't know except that I have enjoyed reading and rereading it.
The back of the book describes The Willowdale Handcar or the Return of the Black Doll thusly:
In which three Pilgrims
find mystery
abort peril and
partake of religious community.
And the discerning Reader
discovers Meaning
in their Progress.
Who are the pilgrims and where are they going? The first part is easy; they are Edna, Harry and Sam. They are going wherever the Willowdale handcar will take them. The mystery comes in the form of a number of characters they meet along the way including Nellie Flim who apparently is missing.
Who then is Nellie Flim from Miss Underfoot's Seminary? She's the mystery and the pilgrims Edna, Harry and Sam keep on her trail throughout the short book.
The peril then comes in the form of a number of misadventures and misfortunes: falling rocks, unexplained explosions, crashing cars and bad weather.
The religious community comes in many forms: Sam's experience at the seminary, the abandoned cemetery and the Halfbath Methodist Church. None of these places are enough of a draw to stop the pilgrims' progress.
So what is the meaning of their progress? I think an entire essay could be written on deciphering this cryptic little book: it's place names, it's character names and the artwork itself probably all mean something. I think on the surface it's a story about the journey, not the destination. Beyond that, I don't know except that I have enjoyed reading and rereading it.
July 11, 2013
I've really been neglecting my Edward Gorey books lately. For shame.
Edna Harry and Same are out for a stroll one day when they decide to "borrow" an old handcar they find at the railway station.
What was supposed to be an afternoon excursion extends into a trip lasting months and months. Bad luck seems to accompany the crew along the way in the form of a mysterious black doll. They come across a house burning down. They hear of a person crushed by a boulder and they rescue a baby hanging from a mailbag hook!
At The End of the story the characters seem to disappear without a trace. What did you expect, it's Edward Gorey!
The moral of the story seems to be that we often ignore what goes on in the background of our lives and we shouldn't because they can often have a detrimental effect on our lives.
The illustrations are not a quirky as in previous stories but definitely still worth a read for any Edward Gorey fan.
January 8, 2016
This is a picture book about narrative itself. It was fated that I adore it. Proper review to come.
(Reread in Amphigorey; reviewing separately.)
(Reread in Amphigorey; reviewing separately.)
June 23, 2018
Well that was different. A bit creepy, a bit off kilter, a bit what the what? The illustrations are dark and intriguing, the writing both droll and disturbing in a dead pan kind of way. Not sure what I just read but I'd like more please!
February 22, 2010
Three people are bored of life in their town and so decide to take a handcar down the railroad track, unsure of when they will return. I feel like there were bits of the story I missed out on.
April 15, 2010
Just bought this at Books of Wonder in NYC. So puzzling and amusing.
February 8, 2013
An unsolvable mystery that will never be answered. Classic. Victorian. Gothic. Gorey.
September 29, 2014
Visited the Gorey House this weekend so I picked up a few of his books. He's awesomely strange and I love that. These are the kind of books Wednesday Addams would read as a child. :)
January 18, 2018
Classic Gorey: weird, seemingly random, with a hint of the sinister.
April 22, 2018
While looking for another book to start last night I noticed that I had a few Edward Gorey (or at least Gorey-illustrated) books on my TBR shelf instead of over where all the other Edward Gorey books are, and I figured that one would be about the right length that I could read the whole thing while feeding the cats. So I picked up The Willowdale Handcar, which did in fact take me almost exactly 15 minutes to read.
This story concerns three friends--I assume they are friends; they are hanging out together--named Edna, Harry, and Sam, who find a handcar at the railroad station in Willowdale and decide to ride it around to other towns, seeing whatever they can see. Most of what they see is random, rather boring stuff, touched up with that very dry Gorey sense of whimsical absurdity, such as visiting a man with a collection of telephone pole insulators. A handful of events hint at another, much more exciting story, involving Edna's friend Nellie, her beau Dick, a friend of Dick's who is driving around frantically, and a financier named Titus W. Blotter, and an abandoned baby that looks like Nellie. The three traveling friends never quite figure out what the story there is, even when they rescue Nellie from being tied to the train tracks, and neither does the reader.
The book is subtitled The Return of the Black Doll, which... doesn't feature in the story at all. It is pictured on the cover and in one illustration. It is never mentioned in the text. These are the sort of odd little things you get when you read Gorey books.
I am also reminded that I have lived in Massachusetts since 2006 and have not yet been to the Gorey House. Who wants to organize a day trip with me before Cape season kicks off too much?
Originally posted at Pseudo-Victorian Gothic joyriding.
This story concerns three friends--I assume they are friends; they are hanging out together--named Edna, Harry, and Sam, who find a handcar at the railroad station in Willowdale and decide to ride it around to other towns, seeing whatever they can see. Most of what they see is random, rather boring stuff, touched up with that very dry Gorey sense of whimsical absurdity, such as visiting a man with a collection of telephone pole insulators. A handful of events hint at another, much more exciting story, involving Edna's friend Nellie, her beau Dick, a friend of Dick's who is driving around frantically, and a financier named Titus W. Blotter, and an abandoned baby that looks like Nellie. The three traveling friends never quite figure out what the story there is, even when they rescue Nellie from being tied to the train tracks, and neither does the reader.
The book is subtitled The Return of the Black Doll, which... doesn't feature in the story at all. It is pictured on the cover and in one illustration. It is never mentioned in the text. These are the sort of odd little things you get when you read Gorey books.
I am also reminded that I have lived in Massachusetts since 2006 and have not yet been to the Gorey House. Who wants to organize a day trip with me before Cape season kicks off too much?
Originally posted at Pseudo-Victorian Gothic joyriding.
May 14, 2020
For all readers who seek to touch the small dark unknown, really feel it and revel in how confusing and interesting it is, The Willowdale Handcar offers the easiest, as well as enjoyable, path. As a teenager, my first reading of this short, illustrated Edward Gorey book convinced me that there was some hidden meaning, but not in the way of symbolism or suggestion. It struck me that the book was written not so much to tell a story, but to hide a code. I spent hours trying to massage out clues to what was really being said by the nonsensical tale of three pilgrims as they progress through mystery, peril, and religious community. Now that I'm aware of the late author's reputation (he passed in 2000), it seems I am not the only one intrigued and baffled by Gorey's writing and illustrations. Reading the book as an adult, I'm astonished at the leaps and twists of the story, the unanswered questions, and how the illustrations connect (or do not) with the ideas described by the words on the page. For Gorey fans the world over, there are two more works you must read: first, the biography of Gorey titled Born to be Posthumous by Mark Dery; and second, the critique of the biography by Karen Wilkin published in the WSJ on the weekend of Dec 22-23, 2018.
July 29, 2018
I like Gorey’s art but the books just don’t seem to be for me. I really like the Ghastly Crumb Tinies but the others just aren’t my thing. I know this is by unpopular opinion but oh well. Sometimes you have to go against the grain.
January 1, 2021
LOVE, love, love Edward Gorey!
March 10, 2025
- this was a ride. (pun intended)
- the side story of nellie was horrifying
- that last line is haunting
we follow three people who find a handcar and out of their boredom go on a ride across the country with various stops and weird things seen on their way. as usual, it's filled with grim details and dark atmosphere
- the side story of nellie was horrifying
- that last line is haunting
we follow three people who find a handcar and out of their boredom go on a ride across the country with various stops and weird things seen on their way. as usual, it's filled with grim details and dark atmosphere
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews