21st Century Dead vs Growing Things and Other Stories: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: American Short stories, American Horror tales, Fiction
21st Century Dead
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The Stoker-award winning editor of the acclaimed, eclectic anthology The New Dead returns with 21st Century Dead, and an all-new lineup of authors from all corners of the fiction world, shining a dark light on our…
Growing Things and Other Stories
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A New York Times Notable BookWinner of the Bram Stoker Award"One of the best collections of the 21st century." — Stephen KingA chilling collection of psychological suspense and literary horror from the multiple…
Side by side
The verdict
- Ratings are close across the board — any is a safe pick by score.
- 21st Century Dead has the widest readership — 809 ratings behind its score.
- 21st Century Dead runs the darker storyline; Growing Things and Other Stories stays the lighter read.
How to choose
Scores by source
| 21st Century Dead | Growing Things and Other Stories | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 3.5 (809) | — |
| Hardcover | 3.0 (4) | 3.2 (31) |
| Apple Books | — | 3.5 (48) |
Reception
| 21st Century Dead | Growing Things and Other Stories | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 809 | 48 |
| Editions | 4 | 5 |
| Want to read | 941 | — |
| Reading it now | 36 | — |
| Written reviews | 135 | — |
| Pages | 352 | 368 |
Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: 21st Century Dead or Growing Things and Other Stories?
Growing Things and Other Stories has the higher combined reader rating across sources (Growing Things and Other Stories 3.5/5, 21st Century Dead 3.5/5).
Which is shorter to read: 21st Century Dead or Growing Things and Other Stories?
21st Century Dead is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: 21st Century Dead (352 pages, ≈ 6 h 31 m); Growing Things and Other Stories (368 pages, ≈ 6 h 49 m).
Which is harder to read: 21st Century Dead or Growing Things and Other Stories?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — 21st Century Dead: Moderate; Growing Things and Other Stories: Moderate.