This enigmatic and darkly humorous short work by Edward Gorey exemplifies his signature blend of macabre whimsy and minimalist storytelling. Told through his distinctive crosshatched illustrations and deadpan prose, Category follows a group of unrelated characters—each facing bizarre and often grim fates—linked only by their shared participation in an unspecified “category.”
True to Gorey’s style, the book unfolds with Victorian-esque absurdity: a woman is devoured by wolves, a man vanishes into thin air, and another is crushed by a falling object, all rendered with eerie precision. The title’s meaning remains tantalizingly ambiguous, inviting readers to ponder whether the “category” is mortality, misfortune, or simply the arbitrary nature of existence.
A prime example of Gorey’s gothic minimalism, Category distills his genius for finding the sinister in the mundane. Clocking in at just a few dozen pages, it’s a bite-sized masterpiece for fans of unsettling wit and pen-and-ink artistry.
