The Lottery and Other Stories (FSG Classics) by Shirley Jackson <— ONE-CLICK SALE ALERT!!! Oooooh “The Lottery” is on sale right now & I just one-clicked it SO HARD. I no longer have my paperback copy and that story was jaw-dropping. An unforgettable favorite!!
I even asked our Facebook crew a few years ago:
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE, eerie, short story… one that you always think about? Like mine would be “The Lottery” (I LOVED that crazy, creepy, “HOLY MOLY what did I just read?!” story)
I remember EXACTLY where I was when I read it. Sitting on the floor, back up against the couch, and it was a slow rainy day and I had nothing better to but read (and isn’t that really the BEST thing one could have to do?). Yep, I found it at my grandmother’s house while I was in college and staying with her at the time. I have NO idea why she had that book since she didn’t speak English, LOL 😂, but for whatever reason, I found myself with an old ratty paperback copy one day, and decided to read it.
AND HOLY. MOLY!!!!!!!
I was sucked in from the start, intrigued, and chilled to the bone, in anticipation of… something. What? I didn’t know yet, and I didn’t know what was going on and why, but I knew it was going to be BIG. And it was even bigger than I could have imagined.
So what’s it about?
Okay I’m going back all the way to my college days trying so I don’t remember the minute details, but I remember the gist of it as a whole. In fact, as soon as I’m done posting this, I’m going to re-read it (yes, it’s THAT good!!)
Okay so… it’s about a village (I think back in the 1800s? Early 1900s?) that participates in a lottery every… 3 or 4 years? I can’t remember how frequent it is (maybe yearly… maybe once per decade) but anyway, this lottery is a BIG DEAL and everyone anticipates it and prepares for it, and I can’t remember the reason for the lottery but it’s important. And the whole story is the buildup to the winning moment, and WOW. Whoa. What a conclusion.
I think THIS is the story that got me hooked on jaw-dropping psych-thrillers with at least one BIG twist, and this one was ALL of that.
5 STARS!!! <— READ IT if you haven’t because 1.) you’re missing out on a classic, and 2.) If you want that fantastic GASP when the story comes full circle, and you realize what you’re reading… THIS IS IT!! Go in blind!!! But even knowing the end, I’m still excited to read it again. YAY ME!!
➔➔➔ Looking for more of my must-read recommendations? Browse my 5 star and 4.5 star and 4 starreviews. 😀
➔➔➔ Love this genre? Browse more psych-thriller features and reviews on my blog. 😀