Completely Unexpected Tales: Tales of the Unexpected. More Tales of the Unexpected
Roald Dahl
Recommended for anyone who hasn’t read any of Dahl’s “grownup” stories. They are dark in the way you might expect from his children’s books. As the title of the collection suggests, the stories are generally structured with building tension that ultimately leads to an unexpected plot twist. In a way, they are a bit formulaic and the structure can feel repetitive. On the other hand, Dahl is very effective at building tension, and the plotlines are varied enough to keep it interesting. Most of the time, the “reversal” revolves around someone hatching a plan that relies on the assumption that they can outsmart everyone else, and then getting their comeuppance. Elise must have told me about the story “Umbrella Man” about 6 years ago, so I am glad I finally got around to reading it!