A Short Stay in HellA Short Stay in Hell
Score Modern
What it's about
Soren Johansson, a geologist, family man and Mormon, always believed he'd be reunited with his loved ones after death. Then he dies, and wakes in a Hell run by a God he's never heard of: a vast library he can only escape by finding the one book that tells the story of his life.
Why it's worth reading
It's a cult favorite, a tiny novella about eternity that readers say they can't stop thinking about.
You'll love it if you liked
The Midnight Library
Exhalation
PiranesiGood to know
It's very short, readable in an hour or two. It's existential and unsettling.
By the numbers
- Readers73 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller34 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #26 of the 86 horror books we rank
- #184 of the 459 fantasy books we rank
- #675 of the 1,573 modern books we rank
- #1270 of the 2,816 books we rank
Reads as
Thought-provoking, Dark, Adventurous
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Quick answers
Is A Short Stay in Hell worth reading?
Yes. It's a cult favorite, a tiny novella about eternity that readers say they can't stop thinking about. It ranks #1,270 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 70.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is A Short Stay in Hell about?
Soren Johansson, a geologist, family man and Mormon, always believed he'd be reunited with his loved ones after death. Then he dies, and wakes in a Hell run by a God he's never heard of: a vast library he can only escape by finding the one book that tells the story of his life.
How long does it take to read A Short Stay in Hell?
About 3 hours (110 pages), or about 6 days at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after A Short Stay in Hell?
If you liked it, try The Midnight Library by Matt Haig, Exhalation by Ted Chiang or Piranesi by Susanna Clarke.