4.5 Stars

Ray Bradbury's Something Wicked This Way Comes could be the quintessential Halloween classic that readers of all ages can appreciate. The novel is buoyant enough on writing style alone, a dark and lyrical endeavor that might scare off the more casual reader. But those who option to follow Bradbury's two young protagonists into the midnight hours will feel just as heavily the sinister allure of the traveling carnival troupe that arrives like an apparition in their quiet Illinois town. As Will Halloway and Jim Nightshade encounter an odious panoply of unnatural occurrences during the carnival's stay, a narrative of good surmounting evil becomes clear. This relatively simple coming of age tale is nevertheless masterfully recorded, evoking an eerie, uncomfortable tone throughout. A perfect pick for the late October season, enlivening us before we slip forward into winter cold.

Here's someone else's review that encapsulates my misgivings near enough to exact:

"... the writing style is consistently one of the best things about this novel. I would perhaps question how appropriate it is in places. After all, if the book is intended for people the same age as Jim and Will (around 13-14) then why have a writing style that is so dense? On the other hand, if the book is meant for older readers, then why have such a contrived plot? There's a discrepancy there, between the story and the style, that severely hampers the book's effectiveness. It feels as though it's undergoing a mildly schizophrenic identity crisis, which can be off-putting." - http://strangehorizons.com/non-fiction/reviews/something-wicked-this-way-comes-by-ray-bradbury/

All in all, a great spooky read.