N.

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Sunlight Gardener

Well-Known Member
Jul 22, 2013
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1,273
This is probably my favorite in the collection. There were some other good ones as well, but I think N. is tops for me. Very Lovecraft-esque. And the fact that it deals with mental illness and OCD specifically also interested me a lot.

I felt sympathy for N. trying to imagine the torment of the OCD symptoms he was experiencing. I loved the descriptions of Ackerman's Field and how things got worse each time he visited. I like how the Psychiatrist's outlook changed as the story went on.
 

kingricefan

All-being, keeper of Space, Time & Dimension.
Jul 11, 2006
30,011
127,446
Spokane, WA
Welcome! Indeed, N. is a very unsettling story. Have you seen the animated version? It was available 1st in installments here on the SKMB and then later with a copy of the Just After Sunset hardback special edition with DVD inserted in a sleeve at the back of the book. Really a creepy little film!
 

Moderator

Ms. Mod
Administrator
Jul 10, 2006
52,243
157,324
Maine
This is probably my favorite in the collection. There were some other good ones as well, but I think N. is tops for me. Very Lovecraft-esque. And the fact that it deals with mental illness and OCD specifically also interested me a lot.

I felt sympathy for N. trying to imagine the torment of the OCD symptoms he was experiencing. I loved the descriptions of Ackerman's Field and how things got worse each time he visited. I like how the Psychiatrist's outlook changed as the story went on.


Many people do associate it with Lovecraft. Stephen was thinking of another piece, Arthur Machen's The Great God Pan, when he wrote "N." He was also influenced by Charlotte Perkins Gilman's story "The Yellow Wallpaper".
 

Haunted

This is my favorite place
Mar 26, 2008
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The woods are lovely dark and deep
542680~Welcome-Mat-on-Forest-Trail-Posters.jpg
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
Many people do associate it with Lovecraft. Stephen was thinking of another piece, Arthur Machen's The Great God Pan, when he wrote "N." He was also influenced by Charlotte Perkins Gilman's story "The Yellow Wallpaper".
...and I knew that, and see the parallel on Machen, just as a child who grew up-cutting his teeth on Lovecraft and Ambrose Bierce, Lovecraft was my first thought...
 

staropeace

Richard Bachman's love child
Nov 28, 2006
15,210
48,848
Alberta,Canada
Many people do associate it with Lovecraft. Stephen was thinking of another piece, Arthur Machen's The Great God Pan, when he wrote "N." He was also influenced by Charlotte Perkins Gilman's story "The Yellow Wallpaper".
Yep Gilman had the lady being very obsessive. N reminded me of the styles of some of the Victorian ghost story writers and of Edgar Allan with the letter writing. This is my favorite as well.
 

booklover72

very strange person
Jan 12, 2014
731
2,995
51
Dublin
yes i enjoyed it read it 3 times, had the comic version. but it does deal with obsession and ocd. i think for the moment i won't go into a field that says no treaspassers. it is a brillant tale
 
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Cristian M

Well-Known Member
Mar 2, 2014
184
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Bucharest, Romania
I was somewhat disappointed by the intrusion of supernatural. SK could have avoided that and focused on reality alone. There is enough magic around us, no need to come up with fairy tales monsters.
 
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