All Hallows

by Walter de la Mare

Genres: Short Stories, Horror, Gothic, Fantasy, Ghosts, Fiction

37 pages, Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1926

About the author

Walter John de la Mare was an English poet, short story writer and novelist. He is probably best remembered for his works for children, for his poem "The Listeners", and for his psychological horror short fiction, including "Seaton's Aunt" and "All Hallows". In 1921, his novel Memoirs of a Midget won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for fiction, and his post-war Collected Stories for Children won the 1947 Carnegie Medal for British children's books.

Reviews

[Yórgos St. · Rating 5 out of 5]

"All Hallows" hit me a full day after my initial reading. Most will argue that this story is amongst the best supernatural tales ever written. And I wholeheartedly agree. But it's so much more than that. It's a critique upon war (the great war), the evil of man and our responsibility against the forces of evil that inhabit man's heart. It is the evil that comes from within and not from an external source wanting to possess men and women. Just like Henry James, de la Mare is interested more in the internal and less in the external. And that's the biggest difference between de la Mare and writers like M.R. James.
Of course, there are other possible readings of "All Hallows". Here we may have unreliable narrators, people who for some reason are lying to us or people who can not differentiate reality from dream and vision. Then again it might just be a "plain" supernatural tale destined simply to enthral and entertain the reader. A story about the duality of good/evil. But for me, as I stated previously, it's so much more. Walter de la Mare is the master of subtle horror, implying terrifying things that comes from within one's self.

[Latasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this version on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pk06X21_6MY

Since no one has said what this story is about, I’m going to try to while not spoiling anything. A guy visits All Hallows and encounters something surprising & unholy.
The writing in this story is beautiful.

[Krodì80 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Riletto in italiano, gustando una rara edizione Theoria del 1986, dal suggestivo titolo "Ognissanti". Peccato che De la Mare non abbia la risonanza che merita. Un autore che sa inquietare e incuriosire, con una prosa ricca di sottili e oscure fascinazioni, attraverso un "macchinario dell'orrore" che (recita la quarta di copertina) "quando esiste, è sobrio e silenzioso; a volte si riduce a un puro contenuto mentale: un'idea fissa, un'ossessione che introduce con cautela nell'ordine del mondo, logorandolo in modo spesso irreversibile, fino a sbriciolarlo".

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfect tale for the start of October. If you enjoy place as character, you'll love this.

"'One doesn't repair in order to destroy.'

The old man met me without flinching. 'No, sir? Say you so? And why not? Are there not two kinds of change in this world?—a building-up and a breaking-down? To give strength and endurance for evil or misguided purposes, would that be power wasted, if such was your aim? Why, sir, isn't that true even of the human mind and heart?"

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to this as audiobook previously, yet reading in physical format this is a completely different experience.

A superb and thrillingly unique supernatural tale. Recommended if you enjoy short stories with a strange and chilling atmosphere of unease, the unexplained, and a impending sense of dread - this is an excellent read.

[Tom · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐

[Jo Berry ☀️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read this twice now and I still don’t ‘get it’? I love short ghost stories, and the more gothic the better, but this lacked focus. I felt like I was reading the opening chapter of a novel, because although it had two well drawn characters and plenty of atmosphere, nothing really happened. It felt as if the author was just introducing the protagonists and setting the scene for more to come. Perhaps it was all too subtle for me.

[Emma Glaisher · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe I shouldn’t have read this on my phone? I was underwhelmed, so many words, so little happened. Expected a chilling climax but if there was one I missed it! I’m usually a massive fan of wordy Victorian literature (yes I know this isn’t Victorian) but this didn’t really do it for me.

[Cory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Soul and the young Ego exploring the subconscious mind?

[Forked Radish · Rating 1 out of 5]

Imbibe some strong black coffee before you tackle this soporific story. It put me to sleep five times! Why use one word when you can use nine instead? Deserves the Henry James award for most boring ghost story ever written, since it’s even more boring than the incredibly boring: “The Turn of the Screw”. Normally, I eschew abridgment, but the abridged BBC radio version is far superior ⭐️⭐️⭐️.
A soporific sample: “Even now, in this remote candlelit room, immured between its massive stones, the vast edifice seemed to be gently and furtively fretting its impression on my mind.” 😴
BBC abridged version: Even now, in this remote candlelit room, the vast edifice seemed to be gently and furtively fretting its impression on my mind.” 🙂

[Keith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given the similar period of writing, this is similar in style to the peerless M F James (peerless except for Dickens of course). But it's not as good as M R James because of the verbosity of the over long introduction, But the story is redeemed by the originality of invention and the world building of All Hallows Cathedral - a sort of cross between the Notre Dame of the Hunchback and Canon Alberic's Scrapbook.

I didn't take the story itself to be allegorical but the philosophical musings of the old verger could well refer to WW1 or war more generally.

[ElleEm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty subtle on the horror but gave me a small chill. I'm not sure that I enjoy this type of horror...Gothic?

[Nomad nimrod · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just couldn't get into this one.