WeBuzz

Reader discussion: The Willows

Public reader discussion about The Willows in the WeRead Catalog by Algernon Blackwood.

A look at Algernon Blackwood's "The Willows" illustrated by Paul Pope (Beehive Books)

By shoreyoung7571

I can’t get this story out of my head—it’s been with me for years. So good!

Light, fluffy book to make me forget the world is a scary place

By weather-cup483

Looking for some light, fluffy reads to help me get away from doomscrolling while I’m up nursing at like… way too late. Something easy to keep up with and genuinely entertaining would be perfect so I don’t just pass out from boredom. I’m really into romcoms and fantasy—recently did a re-read of the Harry Potter books. Also, bonus points if it’s available on Kindle Unlimited.

Nature focused horror in the style of Blackwood (no T. Kingfisher please)

By footnote_cliff1986

Hey all. I’m about halfway through **The Willows** by Algernon Blackwood and I’m already trying to find more stuff with the same kind of vibe. I’ve heard he was really into being outdoors and that definitely comes through—especially with the whole canoeing/camping setup and how much the book just focuses on nature. I also really liked **The White People** by Arthur Machen. Quick sidenote: I’ve asked for recs before and a bunch of people suggested **T. Kingfisher**, but her books don’t click for me. I read **The Twisted Ones** and didn’t enjoy it much, and then I read **The White People** after that (and I guess *Twisted Ones* is basically a sequel/retelling situation), and I ended up disliking *that* even more. I also found out she does a lot of retellings of older classic stories, and that really turns me off. Anyway, excited to hear what you all recommend. Edit: I finished **The Willows** and I can say for sure it’s one of my all-time favorite weird stories—I’m definitely trying to read more Blackwood.

The Willows - Blackwood

By crimson_marble2006

I’ve got a question about this novella. I get the whole idea that the willows could be kind of standing in for the other world’s forces, but I can’t quite wrap my head around how that fits with the bronze-colored beings. None of the stuff I’ve read breaks it down at all, so I’m left guessing. What are the bronze figures that loom over the trees, and what’s their deal with the willows? In stories like this, it usually feels like one main being or one type of force is messing with the narrator, but here it feels like there are two separate forces—the willows and the bronze entities—and they both take up a lot of space. Are those bronze beings basically spirits of the willows? Something about their connection feels off to me. I think there was a part where the narrator sees the willows moving closer like they’re being ordered by gods—so are the gods the same thing as those towering figures? The novella was good, but I honestly think it’s a bit too vague for my taste. It feels like the plot is more about the beings than the willows, since they end up taking center stage in the climax. Also… what about the hollows in the sand and on the flesh?

Wolf Worm by T. Kingfisher – a brilliantly creepy, skin-crawling work of southern gothic fiction

By CarefulKey14

I usually enjoy Ursula Vernon (T. Kingfisher), but after reading a couple of the horror ones back to back, they started feeling a bit predictable to me. I’m curious though—does this one have that sort of odd neighbor who ends up helping the main character?

Week 10 What are you reading?

By Sunny_Stamp2001

Hi everyone!! I’m Bee and I’m on for this one week—welcome to March 😅 Kinda wild that we’re already in the third month. I missed a bit on my February reading goal, but I’m slowly catching up. This week I’m doing my usual 2 books: **Lion & Lamb** by James Patterson — I’ve only just started, but I’ve liked other stuff by him, so I’m not too worried I’ll enjoy this one too. **Red Side Story** by Jasper Fforde — honestly, like all of his books, this one is completely nuts (in the best way). Eddie and Jane are such good characters, and I really love the whole Chromatacia concept—the fact that the colors you can see basically decide your social status. I also keep noticing little nods to today’s world, and I swear almost every page has me laughing out loud. What are you guys reading?

The Willows & The Hollow Places

By bison-hardcover2000

I just picked up The Willows because it keeps getting recommended and I’m in the mood for something spooky and kind of unclear. I’m really excited to start it. I just finished Wylding Hall and I really liked that one too. Quick question though: I saw someone say The Hollow Places by T. Kingfisher is somehow an offshoot/expansion of The Willows? I don’t know if that’s accurate, but I’d love to hear what people think if they’ve read either of them. And yeah—if it turns out they’re connected, I also loved What Moves the Dead.

The Willows - Algernon Blackwood

By poppy

I know this isn’t quite fantasy, but I hope it’s okay to ask anyway. I’ve got a question about the novella. I get that the willows might be sort of a personification of whatever’s going on in the other world, but I can’t really figure out how they fit with the bronze-coloured figures. I haven’t seen any of the analysis I read mention them much, and it’s throwing me off. So who are the bronze beings that are up above the trees? Are they tied to the willows somehow, like spirits of the trees? There’s a part where the narrator seems to think the willows move in closer because they’re being marshalled by gods—so are those gods the towering bronze figures? The story was good, but it feels pretty vague for my taste. To me it ends up being more about the beings than the willows, since they take up more of the climax. Also, what’s up with the hollows in the sand and in the flesh? I might just be one of those readers who needs things explained, because I’m not sure I’m getting it.

The Willows, by Algernon Blackwood is scaring the hell out of me

By heatherkey1989

I’m almost done with this book, and honestly it’s exactly what I was hoping for. If you’ve ever spent any time outside, you’ve probably felt that weird sudden dread—or that slow creeping “nope, can’t stay here” feeling. Like your whole body is just like, “I need to get out of here right now, and I’m not going to stick around long enough to figure out why.” I can’t tell if it’s something primal we’re wired to pick up from nature, or if it’s just your brain getting overstimulated from modern life and panicking when things get quiet. Or maybe some places really are just hostile. Either way, once that feeling hits, it’s like you start noticing/imagining all kinds of stuff—shadows that shouldn’t be there, voices, even calling your name. I don’t know where the ending is going, but I’d love more stories that get that same dread across. Also, this is my first Blackwood book, so if you’ve got other favorites by him, I’d love to hear them.

Your favorite horror books with strong nature themes

By red_hare56

Hey everyone, just wanted to say thanks for all the comments on here. I’ve picked up some really creepy books just from people’s suggestions, and it’s also helped me avoid ones that look like they’d be way too gory for me. So yeah, appreciate it. I’m reading *The Ritual* by Adam Nevill right now and I’m really enjoying it. I’m already hunting for what to read next. I’m super into horror (especially folk horror) when it leans hard into nature and the elements—stuff like extreme cold, a sketchy forest that feels like it’s calling you in, caves, the ocean, all that. I love when the setting gets described in detail and really shows how brutal the environment is on people who are not prepared. As far as themes go, I’m into supernatural stuff, ancient gods/artifacts, folklore and mythology, isolation, survival, getting lost, group dynamics going sideways, characters unraveling, that whole vibe. I really wanted to like *The Terror*, but I just couldn’t handle the really gross/sexual descriptions of teenage Lady Silence. I’m not looking for books that go there. I don’t mind some gore, but if body horror or torture/gory stuff is basically the main focus, I struggle to get through it. Thanks in advance, and happy reading!

What Algernon Blackwood stories should I read?

By ProudEnvelope6414

I’ve read “The Wendigo” and I’m planning to start “The Willows” next. What other Blackwood stories would people recommend? I’m especially interested in the more outdoor, wild-location type, and ones that feel focused on traveling around, like the ones I just mentioned.

Seminal Weird Fiction Classic - The Willows by Algernon Blackwood

By poppy

I don’t think I’ll ever forget the “otter.” ; _ ;

I need a book to help me see the beauty in life.

By RainPage1993

Honestly, I’ve been having a rough time for a couple years now—so rough that even taking care of myself feels like a chore, and I barely have the energy to read anything that isn’t required for school. It kinda hurts, because I’ve always loved books, ever since I was little. I just want something that’ll make me remember that things can still be beautiful. I’m not picky about the type: a kind of love story, a classic, something more philosophical… whatever, as long as it actually hits me emotionally. Only thing I don’t want is that constant, overly sweet “everything ends happily” vibe. I need it to feel real. If anyone has suggestions, I’d really appreciate it. Also, genres-wise, I usually end up in literary fiction stuff (DFW, Pynchon) and classics like Vonnegut and Faulkner. I haven’t finished any Cormac McCarthy yet, but I really like his writing. I don’t mind a challenging book, but it doesn’t have to be one either.

Algernon Blackwood

By Reed_Shadow

This is an easy prompt: thoughts on Algernon Blackwood? I feel like some people only know him as the guy who spooked Lovecraft. Do you think he actually gets enough credit, and do his stories still hold up today? Also, what do you like or not like about him? And with older horror writers getting more attention lately, is there still space for Blackwood’s kind of creepy stuff in modern horror? What are you thinking?

What's your opinion on Algernon Blackwood?

By Brush_Reason

I’m just getting into Blackwood’s stuff and honestly it’s pretty extraordinary. I keep noticing some similarities to Lovecraft and Poe, but I think both of those are stronger overall than Blackwood. Still, I’ve run into a few Blackwood short stories that, in my own opinion, are better than some of Lovecraft’s. Not sure how others feel—what do you think?

The Willows by Blackwood - holy moly

By Drizzle-Sun58

The writing in this one is honestly wild, especially for a book that came out in 1907. It feels way more tight and efficient than I’d expect, with not much dialogue and fewer of those super packed passages, so it still reads pretty timeless. Lovecraft nailed it with that whole “restraint” idea (kinda funny that he said it), because this story really doesn’t waste anything. And that bit with the spirits stretching up between the willows into the night sky was weirdly touching. It’s the first time any weird fiction has actually given me real wonder/ awe without trying too hard. Blackwood manages to make it fantastic in the old-school sense too, not just scary or bleak—there’s actually some emotion in it. Minor complaint though: I couldn’t find a decent cover for the story anywhere. My copy is one of those cheap paperbacks with terrible artwork, so I ended up making my own just to get something I liked: http://i.imgur.com/AZZUQ9c.png

Wind in the willows?

By CoastPlanet18

Hey, quick question—would this be something kids would usually read, or is it actually enjoyable for adults too? Has anyone tried it for the first time as an adult and liked it? I’m thinking about ordering it and wanted to hear what other people think. Thanks!

Books That Shaped Jane Goodall’s View of Nature, Science, and the Human Spirit

By driftsPocket93

The article’s okay, but the site itself is pretty awful, so I’ll just toss out the books I’d actually check out: - The Bible - Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs - Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë - Silent Spring by Rachel Carson - The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge - The Essential Collection by Charles Dickens - One Pair of Hands by Monica Dickens - The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame - The Complete Poems by Thomas Hardy - All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot - Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill - Etre the Cow by Sean Kenniff - The Story of Dr. Dolittle by Hugh Lofting - The Complete Works by William Shakespeare - Animal Liberation by Peter Singer - The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith - The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien - The Chimps of Fauna Sanctuary by Andrew Westoll - The Miracle of Life by Harold Wheeler

I am trying to help my six year old to like reading more. What were someone your favorite books as early readers?

By page_card11100

Thanks for the ideas—also, quick note: my 6-year-old is kind of a smarty pants, and she’s obsessed with stories. Her go-tos right now are *Matilda* and *James and the Giant Peach*, so finding the books would be awesome. Last summer we did *Charlotte’s Web*, and we’re also big Narnia people in this house. She’s definitely a fantasy fan, which feels very on-brand for her and us. Also I’m sorry, my phone has been editing my words like crazy. 😅 But seriously, thank you for all the feedback. She actually picked out *Mary Poppins* on Audible and she’s listening to it right now. I’m already adding a bunch of these to our reading list. What I really like is hearing why certain books hit people so hard or helped them think differently—it’s honestly inspiring, and I hope I can pass that same love of reading to her (and my younger kid too). And it doesn’t even matter if she’s a girl or a boy—good books are good books, right? So far our library list looks like: *The Phantom Toll Booth *Magic Tree House series *Redwall *Roald Dahl stuff (especially *Matilda* and *Fantastic Mr. Fox*) *Calvin and Hobbes *The Bernstein Bears (they go over so well here) *The Little Prince *How to Eat Fried Worms *The Boxcar Children *Judy Blume *Anastasia and Sam *The Hobbit + LOTR (maybe later in bits) *Shel Silverstein (the *Giving Tree* makes me cry every time) *Bunnicula *James Herriot *The Indian in the Cupboard series *My Teacher Is an Alien *Harry Potter (we’ll space it out since it gets more mature as it goes—she could do the first two but probably not the rest yet) *Hank the Cowdog *The Magic Porridge Pot *101 Dalmatians *Dr. Seuss (especially *Oh, the Places You’ll Go*) *The Borrowers series *Where the Wild Things Are *The Secret Garden *Wind in the Willows *The Door in the Wall *Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH *Doctor Doolittle series *The Chronicles of Narnia *Gordon Korman *Harold and the Purple Crayon *Assorted age-appropriate comic books *The Trumpet of the Swan *A Series of Unfortunate Events *The Hungry Caterpillar *Little Bear *The Nancy Drew series *Enid Blyton *A Wrinkle in Time + the rest *Wilson Rawls *The Education of Little Tree *Little House series *Gregory, the Terrible Eater *Flap Your Wings *The Babysitters Club series *Encyclopedia Brown *Heidi *Pollyanna *Babar *Betsy-Tacy & Tib *From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler *D’Aulaire’s Greek myths *Ferdinand the Bull *Dear America series *Anastasia Krupnik series *Sideways Stories *The Shiloh series *Black Beauty *Nate the Great *The Black Cauldron series *Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books *The Stinky Cheese Man Okay wow though—there are still like 100 more comments to go through. I’m sure a bunch of these are amazing, and some might be a little too much for her right now. But as she grows, we can totally come back to stuff like *The Hobbit* and other bigger reads. I really appreciate everyone throwing ideas at me, especially other educators—this stuff is helping a lot. We’re homeschooling, and this is our first summer break after our first semester doing first grade reading. She’s doing second grade math, and honestly one of the best parts of homeschooling is I can adjust everything to fit her. This list will probably carry us through elementary school at least 😂 thanks again, everyone!

Anyone read The Willows?

By ClearOrchid

I read this before I ever got into Lovecraft, and it felt like this neat early setup for a bunch of the ideas he later leaned on. But even without that, it’s just a pretty fast, fun read on its own, so I’d say it’s worth picking up. Edit: Thanks for all the suggestions for other Algernon Blackwood stuff! I’m definitely gonna read *The Wendigo*.