A review by siriuschico
The Great God Pan by Arthur Machen

dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.5

I spent 2024 diving back into Lovecraft's stories, and guess what? I've finally reached "The Dunwich Horror." I have some mixed feelings about it, but hey, this isn't the spot to spill the beans on that. What's interesting is that I found out this story is heavily inspired by "The Great God Pan," so I downloaded it for free on Project Gutenberg and dove into the reading.
Let me tell you, it's a wild ride from the get-go. It kicks off with a researcher slicing into poor Mary's brain, saying something like, "I rescued Mary from the gutter, ... I think her life is mine, to use as I see fit..." And from there, it's a rollercoaster of murders, mysteries, and one massive Poe-like revelation.
Now, I won't lie, it's not the most finely crafted piece. It gets a bit too wordy in places, and the main characters seem to be stumbling around clueless for longer than necessary. But you know what? I quite enjoy it. It's got this dark and atmospheric vibe that I'm really into. Recommended, especially for Lovecraft fan