Reviews with content warning for Sexual assault - The Hellbound Heart

I loved the hellraiser movies and I was very excited to finally read the book it was based on. I really love the details on the cenobites and kirsty’s character, she’s such a bad ass in the book compared to the movie. I also found the differences the movie made to the story interesting though they aren’t very big. Definitely recommend.

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jblago's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Very engaging for how short it is and dripping in macabre style. The creativity on display is also compelling and commendable even through the sort of morbid parts, of which there are plenty.
The plot does feel somewhat predictable even if you haven’t seen the film adaptation but admittedly the general premise is just… cool. The sort of subtle suggestion that there is a larger “lore” is also very tantalizing. The writing is detailed enough and focuses on what I would consider the more interesting parts of a gruesome and uncomfortable story.
Although, as not a big fan of sort of “erotic horror”, and the many possibilities that sub genre can lead to, there were some parts I liked less than other.

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hearth_hobbit's review

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challenging dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

Rating: 4 Stars - I liked it

Summary: A man named Frank summons sex demons called cenobites to show him the epitome of sadomasochism only to find out he’s bitten off more than he can chew. Frank’s brother, Rory, and his wife Julia move into the house where Frank first summoned the cenobites and accidently summon Frank’s spirit. Before his spiritual banishment, Frank and Julia carried on an affair under Rory’s nose. To become human again, Frank needs humans to feed on and calls on Julia to lure men to him so they can be together again.

What I Liked: For such troubling subject matter, the writing was actually very beautiful. Barker paints a very messed up picture well. The cenobites are such interesting creatures. I want to read the rest of the series just to learn more about them.

What I Didn’t Like: I did not like the characters but they’re definitely not written to be likable, so that is more a point in favor of the story.

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zeleya's review

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dark emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

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erizee666's review

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dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Loveable characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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monsterofidaho's review

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dark mysterious fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

In a way, reading The Hellbound Heart feels like a dissection. He peels apart layer after layer of skin, sometimes clinical, sometimes crazed, sometimes both at the same time. Piece by piece, Barker reveals one plane after another and raises the stakes each time until, if you're like me, you'll have to remind yourself to slow down and actually read the book instead of skimming in a panic to find out what is even going on. Spooky and surreal, this classic will haunt any reader until the bitter end -- and, depending on your perspective, for some time afterward.

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flowtjo's review

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4.5

Harlan Ellison WISHES he could write short horror like this. Just a nasty lil book - and I LOVE it. The writing is excellent and the plot is great. Straight to the point and didn't overstay its welcome. Author managed to put sex in as a plot device, and not just to gratify but with actual purpose?? Oh my.
More, MORE!!

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