The other

Tryon was one of the pioneers of modern horror, and this book is his masterpiece. Lyrical, gorgeous prose and a detailed evocation of a long-lost America propel the story of twin brothers and their toxic psychic link. The suspense mounts and mounts and the final horrific scene can never be forgotten. An absolute classic.

This is a period piece set in a small rural town of the 1930s. While on the surface it may appear as a “bad seed” story about two pre-pubescent teen boys, much like several of Stephen King's novels, it weaves horror with nostalgic memories of what it was like to be young in a final summer before the reality of adulthood intervenes. Horrible things are done, but the reader is left with the impression that something more, perhaps supernatural, has also taken place. It's these sorts of lingering questions that make such stories so memorable.

Superb writing and packed with the trappings that have now underscored so many of my favorites in the horror-literature genre. A foundation-setting effort. Very good, indeed.

I've seen reviews that describe this book as a quiet horror and they were right. Throughout I had a sense that something was not quite right, but didn't know what it was. Tryon's description of the area and the characters brings the reader into a very insular world where not everything is as it seems.