Graven Images (book)

Graven Images is a collection of three interconnected ghost stories by British author Robert Aickman, published in 1968. These stories explore themes of obsession, the uncanny, and the blurred lines between reality and illusion. They are characterized by Aickman's signature style of understated horror and psychological ambiguity, leaving much to the reader's interpretation.

The three stories within Graven Images are:

• "The Trains": This story centers on a man who finds himself caught in a series of increasingly unsettling train journeys, with destinations and passengers that seem to defy logic.

• "The Choice": A tale of a young woman who makes a seemingly innocent choice that leads her down a path of unexpected and disturbing consequences.

• "Pages from a Young Girl's Journal": Presented as excerpts from a diary, this story gradually reveals a growing sense of unease and inexplicable phenomena experienced by the journal's author.

The stories in Graven Images are not traditional horror stories in that they rarely rely on explicit violence or jump scares. Instead, Aickman masterfully creates a creeping sense of dread and disorientation through subtle details, unsettling atmospheres, and unresolved narratives. The collection is highly regarded by critics and readers alike for its literary quality and its ability to evoke a profound sense of unease long after the reading is complete.