Tony's Review of The Tree

The Tree tells the story of two Greek sculptors whose friendship seems strong enough to survive a competition for a prestigious commission. During the story one falls ill.

I like how Lovecraft lets us grow suspicious without telling us outright what happened. Everyone sees the healthy one as a devoted friend, but the tree suggests there is more to the story. Its growth becomes increasingly unsettling, and the final line gives the whole friendship a different meaning.

The prose is formal, and the characters feel distant. This reads more like an old legend than a story that puts you in the room with them. At this length, I think it works. Lovecraft gives us enough to draw our own conclusion and leaves it there.

The horror comes from what one person may have done to another, and the possibility that the dead know the truth.