Well, what did I expect from a book whose main plot device is a dead bird floating in a jar of gin- aka, the Bluebird of Unhappiness?Said bird has the power to grant tempting wishes but always exacts a terrible price. This has all been done better in "The Monkey's Paw".The same B. of U. is also involved in resolving the main conflict, though as far as I can tell, things wouldn't really have worked out that way. Indeed, there were several jarring instances when characters said or did things that didn't make good sense- unless they were just there to move the plot where the author wanted it to go.The author had his characters spend considerable time considering the moral aspects of their acts, but he likewise twisted those to suit his purposes. Finally, although the setting in Suburbia was meant to contrast normality with strange, evil incursions, I found so much of the plot bland and boring. It was a pot-boiler.For all these reasons and at great personal risk, I wish the author had written a better book.
What do You think about All The Bells On Earth (1997)?
