Review: “20th Century Ghosts” by Joe Hill

​“20th Century Ghosts” by Joe Hill, with an introduction by Christopher Golden, is an excellent anthology of short stories. I’ve read a good amount of Hill’s books over the years, and he never disappoints. Just like his legendary father, Stephen King, I’ve noticed similar writing styles, but Hill is carving out his own legacy in the horror genre.

Before I dive into my review, here are all the trigger warnings I found while reading…

– Rape
– Necrophilia
– Religion
– Homophobia
– Homophobic slurs
– Bullying
– Violence against animals
– Physical parental abuse
– Kidnapping
– Violence against children
– Drugs
– Prisoners of War
– War casualties

If any of these trigger you, please do not read this book. Moving along, this anthology has everything horror readers look for in these kinds of collections. Everything from ghosts, killers, and supernatural, to weird, creepy, and bugs. Yes, bugs.

Here’s a list of my favorite stories…

Best New Horror
20th Century Ghost
Pop Art
You Will Hear the Locust Sing
Abraham’s Boys
The Black Phone
My Father’s Mask
Voluntary Committal​

“The Black Phone” was by far my favorite short story. It completely blew me away, and I immediately watched the Netflix movie adaptation, which took a different direction but was brilliantly done. This short story is so damn good, and it’s worth buying this anthology just to read it. I can see why they made a movie adaptation and the sequel. It’s phenomenal.

I made many weird faces while reading this collection, and enjoyed everything in stride. All the unique characters, horror, and genuine storytelling were top-notch. Every story had its place, and even though a few weren’t particularly scary, they were outstanding stories that dealt with family issues, trauma, grief, and other profound themes that I connected with.

I give “20th Century Ghosts” by Joe Hill a 5/5 for being a fantastic collection that I will highly recommend for years to come. If you’re new to Joe Hill, this is the perfect entry point to see what he’s about. “The Black Phone” will leave its scar on you in a way only Hill can scratch. Also, be sure to read past the acknowledgments for a secret. You have been warned.