Jeff’s Reviews > Silent Nightmares: Haunting Stories to Be Told on the Longest Night of the Year > Status Update

"A Season for Reflection": 3/5 - another story about spouses and children mourning a loss and being driven apart and resenting each other, another haunting by said deceased. This one is admittedly extremely powerful and creative, a visceral perspective on an abusive marriage, but it's also hopeless and absent of progress or change for its character(s).

"Shine a Light" by Zoje Stage: 2/5 - a nearly incoherent, nihilistic look at a child's resentment for a parent. In this case, a man so stiff and inflexible that he literally becomes petrified wood. Oh, and his eyes breathe. So, if you hold a match to his eye sockets, his insides catch fire. Right.

"Tidings" by Ramsey Campbell: 2/5 - extremely atmospheric, but contentless story about a family caroling themselves into eternity or something like that.

"Always Winter" by Mari Ness: 2/5 - a barebones outline pretty much summarized by the fairly generic title and the first line of the story, which tells you that it's also always a particular holiday. Hint, it's not Groundhog Day, and Bill Murray would have made this more fun. Nothing changes and nothing is revealed once the core premise is presented. I guess that's implied in the title, too.

"Cause and Effect" by Alma Katsu: 2/5 - a pretty lousy John Wick story. Seriously, though, the premise is simplistic and cynical. I've come to expect more from this author.

Well written, of course. But I take points for dead dogs. Alma knows this.

Is this a dead puppy story, Alma? I refuse. I will skim.

This puppy better survive the next four pages.

"Father Christmas" by Brian Evenson: 4/5 - as you expect from Evenson, this story is engrossing for its very short length. It's funny and scary and stylish, but also, short enough to be a vignette. Good enough, too, that it might have been great with more room to work.