JasonsGrooveMachine reviewed Wendigo by Algernon Blackwood
Greater than the sum of it's parts
4 stars
The Wendigo is one of those stories where the legend really could be greater than the reality. It's got that kind of aura surrounding it. But unlike a few other examples of said legends, this really can back it up.
The writing is very of it's day and time. Nothing flashy, nothing fancy. But there's a story there and it tells it efficiently and competently. The setting is well established, our cast of characters all have a reason to be there, though some are smaller than others, and the horror ramps up pretty steadily till we get the big reveal at the end.
What makes this story good and what gives it that legend status is that it really was one of the first of it's kind to tell such a story in such a way. It was a weird time when different types of horror were blazing new trails …
The Wendigo is one of those stories where the legend really could be greater than the reality. It's got that kind of aura surrounding it. But unlike a few other examples of said legends, this really can back it up.
The writing is very of it's day and time. Nothing flashy, nothing fancy. But there's a story there and it tells it efficiently and competently. The setting is well established, our cast of characters all have a reason to be there, though some are smaller than others, and the horror ramps up pretty steadily till we get the big reveal at the end.
What makes this story good and what gives it that legend status is that it really was one of the first of it's kind to tell such a story in such a way. It was a weird time when different types of horror were blazing new trails or holding firm to old traditions. I feel like The Wendigo does both.