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casualshino's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I came into this wanting something to get me into the Christmas Spirit, while sticking to my love child of a genre; horror. This did not disappoint.
An action packed and deeply emotional experience about the loss of innocence and what it means to be a parent. The way Joe constructs these characters is astonishing, they are all equally flawed but lovable.
There where some ass pulls in the narrative that bothered me and a few jokes that didn’t hit home, but all in all I loved the ride I took in the back seat of The Wraith.
bldownunder's review against another edition
5.0
Joe is a masterful writer, moving in the same literary circles as his father but forging his own creative path. Vic, Lou, Wayne and Manx are some of the most interesting, well fleshed out characters and the story - riveting! I’d recommend this as a first read for those wanting to dive into Joe Hill’s works.
birdiaaaa's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
songwind's review against another edition
5.0
This book has everything I want in a horror novel. Characters that are easy to relate to, even when they're flawed. Villains that are scary but human. A real sense of danger to the characters that lasts right up until the last handful of pages.
I found NOS4A2's Charlie Manx even more horrifying because I'm a father. Any threat to children hits me particularly hard, but Hill's treatment of it kept it horrifying and sickening to the end. I also found something to identify with in most of the characters, even the sickening Gasmask Man.
Like other beloved horror books, I never felt "safe" on behalf of any of the characters. Horror maintains its tension in large part because it's the only genre where there's no reasonable expectation of a positive ending. The heroes may lose or victories may be Pyrrhic. Hill keeps you guessing until the end of the book.
Buy it. Read it. Shiver.
I found NOS4A2's Charlie Manx even more horrifying because I'm a father. Any threat to children hits me particularly hard, but Hill's treatment of it kept it horrifying and sickening to the end. I also found something to identify with in most of the characters, even the sickening Gasmask Man.
Like other beloved horror books, I never felt "safe" on behalf of any of the characters. Horror maintains its tension in large part because it's the only genre where there's no reasonable expectation of a positive ending. The heroes may lose or victories may be Pyrrhic. Hill keeps you guessing until the end of the book.
Buy it. Read it. Shiver.
emcaps16's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
medium-paced
4.25
devansbooklife's review against another edition
4.0
This was fantastic!! The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I appreciated the nod at The True Knot. Creepy, unique, and disturbing. I loved the ending!
sydsmith23's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
moreglittermorefur's review against another edition
4.0
What an incredibly fun and creepy storyline! It was a great book regardless of the problematic descriptors and length. Good example of how middle aged white men could get away with more in 2013 for shock/disgust value than they can now (Milky mommy tits, Tagalog/Klingon comparison, and excessive emphasis on fatness as a negative trait- justice for our sweet baby angel Lou). Humor was on point though with both Manx and Vic and agree with others that Maggie Leigh needed more screen time.
I was mild on the ending/wrap up.
Preferred the audio performance over the physical book as I split my reading times
*without knowing the family lineage, I described it ‘reminds me of Stephen King’ to a friend.
I was mild on the ending/wrap up.
Preferred the audio performance over the physical book as I split my reading times
*without knowing the family lineage, I described it ‘reminds me of Stephen King’ to a friend.
icantcontroltheweather's review against another edition
2.0
I don't know, I felt in no way lived up to the hype that accompanied it. It was lackluster and didn't compare to how much I loved Horns. Honestly it was a struggle to finish and it seemed to draggy through out most of it. I wanted to like it, even the idea of it sounded awesome, but it just wasn't.