Something Wicked This Way Comes – An Elegant and Dazzling Dark Fantasy

“For being good is a fearful occupation; men strain at it & sometimes break in two.”

Ray Bradbury is one of the most prolific and renowned fantasy fiction writer, who was best known for his dystopian narrative in Fahrenheit 451 (published in 1953). Mr. Bradbury never attended college, but his shining prose and depthful metaphors kept readers under a spell. Although he was known as a science-fiction writer, Bradbury’s works often defy easy classification (and he rejected ‘sci-fi author’ tag). The lyrical power of his writing and distinct weirdness of his stories’ setting could very well be termed ‘Bradburian’. While Bradbury’s tales set in Mars and dystopian future gained immense attention, he was as great in chronicling the enchantment of childhood and possibilities youth withholds. The author’s 1957 novel Dandelion Wine and 1963 dark fantasy Something Wicked This Way Comes brilliantly broached such themes – both set in fictional Green Town, Illinois in the tail-end of 1920s – and featured strongly influential nostalgic elements.

The young heroes of Something Wicked This Way Comes are 13-year-old Jim Nightshade and William Halloway, best friends/neighbors just born two minutes apart -- one a minute before the midnight stroke on Halloween, and one a minute after on All Saint's Day. Will is cautious and amiable; Jim is daring and boasts a fascination for the dark. Nevertheless, the pair is totally inseparable and remains unaware of the capricious nature of the outside world. The strength of their friendship is tested when a surprise carnival (‘Cooger & Dark's Pandemonium Shadow Show’) rolls into their small Midwestern town in October last week amidst warnings of thunderstorm. Jim and Will watch the carnival arriving on a glorious, old train with no one at the controls and no passengers in the cars.

The carnival’s main attraction is touted to be temptation. Jim and Will soon discover what it tempts and rewards: to offer people their darkest, unobtainable desires in exchange for their souls. After stumbling into the dark heart of the carnival, the boys are on the run, evading the strange group of freaks led by Mr. Dark. He is also known as ‘The Illustrated Man’, the sprawling collection of tattoos on his body has the power to control and seduce people. Unlike Jim, Will wants to resist the temptation and believes by exactly doing that he can save the town. But before going down that path, Will must redeem the relationship with his father Charles Halloway, a 54-year-old library janitor, from whom he had often felt alienated. Hence this tale isn’t just about winning over soul-swallowing carnival, but also about understanding how grown-ups are sometimes just as lost as kids and teens. The primary horror Will discovers is how his father is weak with fear and regrets. To dispel the bizarre evil, the bonds of friendship and fatherhood must be revitalized.

Jonathan Pryce plays Mr. Dark in the 1983 Disney Studios adaptation

The story might seem time-worn, repeatedly rehashed in novels and movies. But Bradbury’s novel still stays special and unique because of his bewitching writing style. The prose is perfectly balanced between nostalgic and sombre quality. He can kindle thoughts, raise our hair or make us chuckle with few fascinatingly interwoven passages. The author’s sense of evoking detailed imagery about the Midwestern small-town life (in the 1920s) is absolutely captivating; a time when carnivals still held a sense of wonder and obscurity. The mood and themes of the novel was taken to new, refreshing heights by authors like Stephen King. However, the rhythmic lyricism and romanticism found in Bradbury’s prose could never be reproduced.

The profundity of the novel lies in the manner it resonates human condition and its myriad fears about growing-up, loneliness, and death. The intensely personal conversation between Will and his father reflects the book’s robust emotional core that’s far removed from the superfluous light vs dark episodes. Bradbury also pays tribute to books, the library, and the joys of getting lost in the fictional worlds (“…..what a fine place the library was, the many rooms, the books. With luck, no one found you. How could they!--when you were off to Tanganyika in '98, Cairo in 1812, Florence in 1492!?....”). Something Wicked This Way Comes is often recommended as perfect autumn or October read. It may not be as spooky or psychologically dense as King or (Shirley) Jackson, but it does contain few terrifying imagery: for example, the description of mirror maze or the face-off between Mr. Dark and Charles Halloway at the library. Altogether, this heartwarming fireside tale of good vs evil shines with incredibly descriptive and enriching writing style and has stood the test of time.