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brushyoureffingdog's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
slow-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? No
3.0
manikahemmerixh's review against another edition
3.5
Heart-Shaped Box tells the story of Jude, a now middle aged mostly former rockstar who buys a ghost off the internet. Sounds like a fun, spooky ghost story but that’s not what I’d call this.
Yes, there are ghosts but the plot at its core is a story of revenge, not an accidental haunting (which is what I had thought I was getting into from the summary). The main protagonists, Jude and his girlfriend Mary Beth grew on me a lot. They’re flawed but you don’t want to see harm come to them. I also really liked the voice of this story, the characters different accents and dialects come to life from the page.
I just wish I had had a more clear idea of what I was getting into. I think that Jessica Price could easily be introduced into the blurb without giving the intricacies of the story away. She’s introduced within the first 50 pages anyway. I had prepared to be spooked, but really only got a little chill here and there and a lot of heavy themes instead. That’s the ball you roll with adult horror novels though. I think, had I not been looking for a different kind of ghost story, I may have even rated this higher.
Yes, there are ghosts but the plot at its core is a story of revenge, not an accidental haunting (which is what I had thought I was getting into from the summary). The main protagonists, Jude and his girlfriend Mary Beth grew on me a lot. They’re flawed but you don’t want to see harm come to them. I also really liked the voice of this story, the characters different accents and dialects come to life from the page.
I just wish I had had a more clear idea of what I was getting into. I think that Jessica Price could easily be introduced into the blurb without giving the intricacies of the story away. She’s introduced within the first 50 pages anyway. I had prepared to be spooked, but really only got a little chill here and there and a lot of heavy themes instead. That’s the ball you roll with adult horror novels though. I think, had I not been looking for a different kind of ghost story, I may have even rated this higher.
kirsteen_mcc's review
4.0
Loved it. There were a few slow bits in it, but mostly I really enjoyed it. It's definitely a book that's hard to put down once you start reading. Also, the description of Judas Coyne immediately made me think of Nikki Sixx from Mötley Crüe.
tempus_edax_rerum's review against another edition
dark
emotional
tense
- Loveable characters? No
2.75
jess_mango's review against another edition
4.0
I first heard of this book when it was refernced in the final question one night at pub trivia. No one in my group had ever heard of the book and we are all avid readers. So, when I recently saw a used copy of the audio version for sale, I picked it up.
This weekend, the Heart-Shaped Box audio book kept me company on a very early morning solo drive to NYC. Maybe it wasn't the best choice, because driving in dark by myself at 3:30 AM with not too many other people on the highway...this book started to creep me out. But don't worry about me, I was brave and continued listening. The novel was written by Stephen King's son and is an modern-day, adult, ghost story populated by characters with very dysfunctional lives. It was a darkly entertaining read about rock & roll, ghosts, and revenge.
The narrator on the audio cd did a great job with the book. His delivery was both calm and chilling.
This weekend, the Heart-Shaped Box audio book kept me company on a very early morning solo drive to NYC. Maybe it wasn't the best choice, because driving in dark by myself at 3:30 AM with not too many other people on the highway...this book started to creep me out. But don't worry about me, I was brave and continued listening. The novel was written by Stephen King's son and is an modern-day, adult, ghost story populated by characters with very dysfunctional lives. It was a darkly entertaining read about rock & roll, ghosts, and revenge.
The narrator on the audio cd did a great job with the book. His delivery was both calm and chilling.
julia11's review
5.0
4.5 rounded up
Jude Coyne is a middle aged former rock star. Jude is obsessed with all things dark and twisted, including his women. So when his assistant finds a ghost haunting an old mans suit, he can’t pass it up. This starts a chain of events that leads him and his current live-in girlfriend, Georgia, down a long and creepy [night] road.
I really enjoyed this book. I did not find the main character likeable at first but he really grew on me. There’s a lot of heavy subject matter but I definitely found this book very creepy. Joe Hill does such a good job describing the scene without going overboard. It’s been awhile since I’ve read a spooky ghost story and I thought this one was so well done
Jude Coyne is a middle aged former rock star. Jude is obsessed with all things dark and twisted, including his women. So when his assistant finds a ghost haunting an old mans suit, he can’t pass it up. This starts a chain of events that leads him and his current live-in girlfriend, Georgia, down a long and creepy [night] road.
I really enjoyed this book. I did not find the main character likeable at first but he really grew on me. There’s a lot of heavy subject matter but I definitely found this book very creepy. Joe Hill does such a good job describing the scene without going overboard. It’s been awhile since I’ve read a spooky ghost story and I thought this one was so well done
rmacmillan92's review
dark
sad
tense
medium-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
the_morrigan's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25