I haven’t read a ton of Ray Bradbury’s work (other than “Fahrenheit 451”), so I was excited to read this newer edition of “Something Wicked This Way Comes.” It did take me a little bit of time to get used to the writing style, but I think that’s because I don’t often read classic books anymore. But this novel served as a solid reminder to me of why Bradbury is one of the greats.

The novel centers around two 13-year-old boys, Will and Jim, who are the best of friends. They’re more than thrilled when a carnival comes to their small Illinois town. But they quickly discover that this is no ordinary carnival – Cooger and Dark’s Pandemonium Shadow Show can make the impossible happen. But as magical as their rides and sideshows seem, they also have an undercurrent of darkness. The boys must escape the carnival’s clutches in a true battle of good vs. evil.

I’m sure there was a ton of symbolism that went over my head, but what I enjoyed was Bradbury’s ability to capture how the journey into adulthood can tear childhood friends apart. Growing up is never easy, and Bradbury used elements of fantasy, sci-fi, and horror to bring that experience to life in a heart-wrenching way. I also really appreciated how the theme of good vs. evil was illustrated – we must lean on the people in our lives that we trust to push away the forces that are trying to bring us down.

There were a few aspects that held me back from rating this 5 stars. There is some evident racism and sexism (which is not surprising for the time period in which it was written), and the female characters were far from heroic. I also felt like the pacing was a bit off, especially towards the beginning – it felt like I had to push through to get to the exciting bits.

However, it’s evident that this book is a classic because it truly stands the test of time. Even though it was first published in 1962, it completely holds up. Bradbury was a master at crafting wild, imaginative worlds and characters, and so many contemporary fantasy/sci-fi writers owe their careers to the road he paved for them. I’m so glad I took some time away from recent works to dive into this classic!

4 stars

*Free copy provided by Simon Books in exchange for an honest review*