In the weird fiction novel The Dunwich Horror, H.P. Lovecraft details the blasphemous
occurrences that resulted in an incident known as The Dunwich Horror. The travesty began with
“hideous screams” that signaled the birth of Wilbur Whateley, a brilliant but grotesque child
(Lovecraft 143). Wilbur, alongside his grandfather, took part in strange rituals that caused the
hills to shake and inspired hatred and fear in living. However, his search for blasphemous
knowledge, the Necronomicon, alerted the knowledgable Henry Armitage, who sought to stop
whatever heresy Wilber hoped to accomplish. The horrors Armitage uncovers and releases in
his quest to amend what has occurred are the main contributors to what is known as The
Dunwich Horror.
This novel, The Dunwich Horror, was a well-paced, intriguing book that contained all the
compelling mystery and immersive details that Lovecraft is well-known for. However, as it shares
his other book's boons, the demerits are also shared. The towns peoples dialogue is nearly
impossible to interpret, while unique to this book is the abruptness in which the climax occurs,
leaving a feeling of dissatisfaction. All in all, I would give this novel a four out of five and
recommend it to anyone interested in classic literature or the horror subgenre weird fiction.