“Pumpkin Kids” by Robert Shearman
The Mammoth Book of Halloween Stories (2018) edited by Stephen Jones
Readers unfamiliar with The Mammoth Book of Halloween Stories may prefer to read these notes only after reading the anthology.
A distasteful, compelling sociological mystery: mystery in the pseudo-Christological sense. In a world where Pumpkin Kids are revered as sacred beings, a boy born on the wrong side of midnight struggles with his identity and the expectations placed upon him, ultimately leading to a shocking act of defiance and a chilling revelation.
Setting: An unspecified town, likely in the United States, with a focus on a house, a church, and the surrounding streets.
Characters: The narrator, a teenage boy; his mother; Pastor Lewis; the Pumpkin Kid.
Halloween seen as: A time of religious sacrifice and societal control, exploring themes of faith, conformity, and the potential for darkness lurking beneath the surface of seemingly idyllic communities.
Style: Dystopian, darkly satirical, with a focus on the potential dangers of arbitrary parental – faith and the consequences of challenging societal norms.
Point of view: First person, from the narrator's perspective.
Jay
