Review – Cursed Objects by J.W. Ocker (4/5 stars)
Reading Level: All Ages
Genre: Non-Fiction/History
Length: 272 pages
Publisher: Quirk Books
Release Date: September 15, 2020
ISBN-13 : 978-1683692362
Stand Alone or Series: Stand Alone
Source: Copy from Publisher for Review
Rating: 4/5 stars
“Beware…this book is cursed! These strange but true stories of the world’s most infamous items will appeal to true believers as well as history buffs, horror fans, and anyone who loves a good spine-tingling tale.
They’re lurking in museums, graveyards, and private homes. Their often tragic and always bizarre stories have inspired countless horror movies, reality TV shows, novels, and campfire tales. They’re cursed objects, and all they need to unleash a wave of misfortune is . . . you.”
Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got a copy of this from the publisher to review.
Content (4/5): I liked this; it was an easy and entertaining read. I loved learning about these cursed things and some of the history behind them. I was continually disappointed though that there weren’t any actual photographs in here, just cartoon drawn images of them. This would have been so much more interesting if we’d been able to see some old-time photos of these objects or at least of some of the newspaper articles and other things that were referenced.
Writing/Drawing Style (4/5): The articles on each object are only a few pages long, so this makes a good coffee table book. I’ve also been picking it up at night and reading a story or two to my teenage son when we have some downtime. It’s an easy and accessible read. Some of the topics are a bit on the mature side, so make sure to read through it yourself before reading to younger kids. I was disappointed in the drawings and would have loved photographs instead. The drawings were cartoonish and were mostly just distracting without adding anything to the book…I would have preferred they not be there at all.
My Summary (4/5): Overall this is well done and great for those who like reading about weird and curious history. I just kept having to stop and search for photos of the cursed objects being discussed online…would have been sooo much nicer to have them included in the book.
