Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury, is perhaps one of the best books that I have ever read. The author uses very relate able characters to convey the themes of loss of innocence and the healing power of love. Perhaps my favorite thing about how Ray Bradbury wrote was that he didn’t give a definite background to all his characters. He gave clues and hints about their pasts, but did not specifically say where each came from and how they came to be the way they were. Moreover, he used a lot of symbols and imagery in the story. For Miss Foley, a woman unhappy with her life and wishing for the youth she left behind, found her demise in the Mirror Maze, surrounded by the reflection of all she had become. For the lightning rod salesman, he was lost when he stumbles upon “the most beautiful woman in the world.” He was the initial warning for Tom and Will of the storm that was coming, and so when he fell, it blurred the lines of the simple good vs. evil train of thought.
However, at times the story dragged a bit. Most of the time it was exciting and suspenseful, but occasionally, mostly when explaining things, the story tended to drag. But, what I said first still stands. This is one of my most favorite books of all time and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys stories about friendship, the supernatural, and anything exciting!