So that's where Catfish McGee lives.
As I sit here writing this blog entry, it is a dark and stormy morning. When better to write a Lovecraft blog?
I hope that no one is thunderstruck when I say this, but I like “The Shadow Over Innsmouth”. It may just be my favorite Lovecraft story so far. There are some reasons why of course. One is that I fortunately don’t have to go mad from reading it. It’s always nice when madness doesn’t follow reading a short story. Also, Innsmouth is like so many creepy little places I’ve been to in my life, sans the fish people.
Lovecraft was a giant xenophobe and racist. I hope that doesn’t shock anyone; it’s all over his writing in case you haven’t noticed. This story seems to be the ultimate in his xenophobia (fear of strangers or foreigners for those not as familiar with phobias as I). Innsmouth is the ultimate creepy location of strangers.
Lovecraft’s art of brooding mood plays well in this story. His usual too thick description of putrid horror is just right for this tale. The people, the houses, the bus are all so well described that you can see them. You can almost smell the putrid smell of the town (I imagine fishy, like Bayou La Batre, AL in summer). This whole story for that part reminds me of Bayou La Batre set in New England. Maybe this is the reason I like it so much.
Anyway, this seems to be the best of Lovecraft’s stories so far. It’s an enjoyable mixture of his thick over description and xenophobic horror.
A plus HP A plus.
