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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
Read this for October's #1book140.
Better than I thought when I first started it. Had a few false starts reading the first few chapters cos was too busy (and partly cos I was too scared to continue).
Better than I thought when I first started it. Had a few false starts reading the first few chapters cos was too busy (and partly cos I was too scared to continue).
I liked the characters, the action, and the ghost. A good read. Not what I was expecting.
I wasn't sure about this book because I'm not really a fan of Stephen King (don't kill me, please!!) and I didn't know how much of his dad's style would be on Hill's novel, however I was pleasantly surprised.
The fast-paced rhythm and originality of the story got me hooked from start to end. I didn't find it as terrorising as they told me it would be, but maybe because I was expecting to be scared every moment.
I still recommend it to any fan of suspense!
The fast-paced rhythm and originality of the story got me hooked from start to end. I didn't find it as terrorising as they told me it would be, but maybe because I was expecting to be scared every moment.
I still recommend it to any fan of suspense!
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I adore Joe Hill. This is not as good as Locke and Key or The Fireman but it was excellent, especially for a debut novel. Ironically, this felt more like what I thought Stephen King's books would be like before I started reading him (Joe is Stephen's son). This is definitely a horror novel and has a couple of things that felt like they were just there for shock value, but overall it had a solid, scary story and great characters. The main character is such an ass but you end up liking him anyway and rooting for him and his groupie girlfriend to defeat the ghost that's after them. I'm not sure if it was intentional but the scene wig the door reminded me of the Dark Tower. I know they've done some connections on purpose, which is one of the fun things about reading both of them. There was a little bit of animal violence. You can see it coming and skip over it though and it made sense as part of the story instead of being gratuitous.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
It started out bad but by the end I was rooting for the couple
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Death, Incest, Mental illness, Suicide, Violence, Injury/Injury detail
A fantastic story, I've been waiting for a book to grab me in AGES. Then along came Heart-Shaped Box. Not only is this beautifully written, it is just a fantastic concept. Horror lovers must dive in.
I highly suggest reading this before Hill's later books (particularly Nos4a2 and The Fireman), because this definitely reads like a debut novel--Hill has grown as a writer since this book. Which isn't to say that Heart Shaped Box isn't fun and engrossing. This is a good ghost story, and there are some genuinely creepy moments. But, the characters aren't as developed as I'd like them to be (except the dogs--the dogs are perfect) and the plot kind of peters out by the last 50 or so pages.
It makes for a good afternoon summer read.
It makes for a good afternoon summer read.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is one of the SCARIEST books I've read in a long time!!! I am honestly more frightened by books that are either psychological thrillers or deal with evil. (And I tend to avoid things that are too 'evil', per se.) I think this story really dabbled in the evil, and yet, I was able to get through it without feeling my OWN soul was in peril! LOL)
Despite the fact that the main character, Judas Coyne, is clearly an asshole and has treated a LOT of people in his past pretty shabbily, and he's still pretty gruff and abrasive through the majority of this story, he's still got something about him that made me really care for him and hope for him to succeed in his mission. The mission is, of course, to get rid of the ghost that he bought, once he realized the ghost had it in for him.
I love the way this book was written--Joe Hill has inherited his parents' flair for writing! He spins a tale so effortlessly, I'm inclined to drop everything else in favor of continuing on with reading.
Despite the fact that the main character, Judas Coyne, is clearly an asshole and has treated a LOT of people in his past pretty shabbily, and he's still pretty gruff and abrasive through the majority of this story, he's still got something about him that made me really care for him and hope for him to succeed in his mission. The mission is, of course, to get rid of the ghost that he bought, once he realized the ghost had it in for him.
I love the way this book was written--Joe Hill has inherited his parents' flair for writing! He spins a tale so effortlessly, I'm inclined to drop everything else in favor of continuing on with reading.