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adam_z's review against another edition
3.0
(Spoiler-free review) Horns had me hooked from page 1 - a rare thing. Unfortunately it suffers from the same problem a lot of horror stories have - a great premise followed by a weak finish. Speaking of horror though, I wouldn't classify Horns as horror so much as a mashup of the paranormal thriller & murder-mystery genres, with a bit of revenge-story as an added bonus. The ending wasn't necessarily bad, but I just found it to be less satisfying than I would have hoped, and a little bit more ambiguous than I'd have liked. The first half was a lot of fun to read, as the reader gets to experience all of the wonders of Ig's horns and his powers along with him, but once the whodunit part of the plot is solved it becomes a total revenge story.
I enjoyed it, but not as much as I enjoyed Joe Hill's earlier novel [b:Heart-Shaped Box|153025|Heart-Shaped Box|Joe Hill|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328043955l/153025._SY75_.jpg|1412280]
I enjoyed it, but not as much as I enjoyed Joe Hill's earlier novel [b:Heart-Shaped Box|153025|Heart-Shaped Box|Joe Hill|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1328043955l/153025._SY75_.jpg|1412280]
katieloopy101's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Rape
aarnireads's review against another edition
3.0
My favourite books tend to be the ones with ~ordinary~ protagonists, those who end up tossed into all kinds of happenings. Ig Perrish is certainly one of those, a man more or less out of touch with how to act around people and the darkness so prevalent inside him. The horns make him break out of it.
Most of the book was A++ and held my interest but during the last couple of chapters my interest dropped rapidly and I ended up taking a long time to finish it. After the "revelation" of Merrin's true murderer and Ig coming in terms with his horns aka the devil that he truly was (he still wasn't evil, it was Lee, wasn't it?) the book's tension vanished. Too much time was spent with the flashbacks too that weren't too interesting.
Most of the book was A++ and held my interest but during the last couple of chapters my interest dropped rapidly and I ended up taking a long time to finish it. After the "revelation" of Merrin's true murderer and Ig coming in terms with his horns aka the devil that he truly was (he still wasn't evil, it was Lee, wasn't it?) the book's tension vanished. Too much time was spent with the flashbacks too that weren't too interesting.
adamisrael's review against another edition
4.0
In a way, I felt like this was more of a novella-sized idea. I love the concept. Some of the execution was a bit shaky for me.
The first flash back to Ig's past felt way too long for what it was, and by the time we returned to the present, the tension built up in the beginning was weakened.
The first flash back to Ig's past felt way too long for what it was, and by the time we returned to the present, the tension built up in the beginning was weakened.
linapuppet's review against another edition
mysterious
sad
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
3.25
heathergstl's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book! The author did inherit his father's talent, as well as the need for ridiculously long and unnecessary descriptive narrative!
lauraborkpower's review against another edition
3.0
First, an important note about the audiobook: I knew I was in a bit of trouble when the starting credits announced that the book was "performed" (not "narrated," not "read") by Fred Berman. And true to the "performance," Berman was frequently a bit of a ham. It made some of Hill's cheesier dialogue even cheesier. But I got used to rolling my eyes and by the end of it I was okay with the reading.
Now, I'd had this on my to-read shelf for a bit but inched it up once I found out from the Neil Gaiman interview with Stephen King (a really nice interview) that Hill is King's son. I think that even if I'd not known that I would have noticed the similarities in their styles, especially the way both writers overuse pop culture references (mostly musical) and the aforementioned cheesy dialogue. But I can't say that I didn't enjoy it, and don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of King. But he's not a perfect writer and neither is his son. But Hill has written a supernatural mystery crossed with a revenge story, and both are pretty successful.
My biggest beef is with the reason Lee Tourneau is impervious to Ig's horns at the start. The reason Hill gives is that Merrin's cross, which eventually becomes something Ig, himself, uses to hide his horns from others, has a kind of magic. But it would have been so much more interesting if Hill had gone with the more simple, logical, and real explanation: Lee doesn't react to the horns because Lee has no guilt. He's a textbook sociopath, free of a conscience. The devil's horns can't elicit something that is simply nonexistent. I think that in this setting and in this story a sociopath makes a really interesting character (and one I'd have liked explored just a bit further). But Hill didn't use the sociopathy for its obvious implications, and that disappointed me.
I also could have done without the "treehouse of the mind." It felt a bit unnecessary, needlessly complicated. But Hill's take on and exploration of the devil and evil is original and interesting, so I was okay with some of my minor issues.
Now, I'd had this on my to-read shelf for a bit but inched it up once I found out from the Neil Gaiman interview with Stephen King (a really nice interview) that Hill is King's son. I think that even if I'd not known that I would have noticed the similarities in their styles, especially the way both writers overuse pop culture references (mostly musical) and the aforementioned cheesy dialogue. But I can't say that I didn't enjoy it, and don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of King. But he's not a perfect writer and neither is his son. But Hill has written a supernatural mystery crossed with a revenge story, and both are pretty successful.
My biggest beef is with the reason Lee Tourneau is impervious to Ig's horns at the start. The reason Hill gives is that Merrin's cross, which eventually becomes something Ig, himself, uses to hide his horns from others, has a kind of magic. But it would have been so much more interesting if Hill had gone with the more simple, logical, and real explanation: Lee doesn't react to the horns because Lee has no guilt. He's a textbook sociopath, free of a conscience. The devil's horns can't elicit something that is simply nonexistent. I think that in this setting and in this story a sociopath makes a really interesting character (and one I'd have liked explored just a bit further). But Hill didn't use the sociopathy for its obvious implications, and that disappointed me.
I also could have done without the "treehouse of the mind." It felt a bit unnecessary, needlessly complicated. But Hill's take on and exploration of the devil and evil is original and interesting, so I was okay with some of my minor issues.
ellipsiscool's review against another edition
4.0
I will admit that the reason I wanted to read this book is because Daniel Radcliff is starring in the film adaptation. I picked up the book and read the first paragraph and knew I was going to like the writing style, so I checked it out at the library.
I found myself really enjoying this book! I almost didn't expect it. Generally, I don't read horror, but I'm not sure I would call this book horror. Sure horrific things happen, (murder, rape, human beings confessing their sins and inner thoughts) but I would probably call it fantasy, even fantastic realism perhaps.
Ig is a likeable devil seeking revenge while at the same time holding on to his humanity and defending those who deserve it. The real villain is absolutely disgusting. He has no redeeming qualities and has done unspeakable things in his life. The question is really, who is the devil? Perhaps, the devil is really the most debase side of humanity. The side the commits sex murders and slow roasts their elderly mothers. While Satan is another thing entirely.
"I guess Satan was the first superhero."
"Don't you mean supervillain?"
"Nah. Hero, for sure. Think about it. In his first adventure, he took the form of a snake to free two prisoners being held naked in a Third World jungle prison by an all powerful megalomaniac. At that same time, he broadened their diet and introduced them to their own sexuality. Sounds like a cross between Animal Man and Dr. Phil."
I found myself really enjoying this book! I almost didn't expect it. Generally, I don't read horror, but I'm not sure I would call this book horror. Sure horrific things happen, (murder, rape, human beings confessing their sins and inner thoughts) but I would probably call it fantasy, even fantastic realism perhaps.
Ig is a likeable devil seeking revenge while at the same time holding on to his humanity and defending those who deserve it. The real villain is absolutely disgusting. He has no redeeming qualities and has done unspeakable things in his life. The question is really, who is the devil? Perhaps, the devil is really the most debase side of humanity. The side the commits sex murders and slow roasts their elderly mothers. While Satan is another thing entirely.
"I guess Satan was the first superhero."
"Don't you mean supervillain?"
"Nah. Hero, for sure. Think about it. In his first adventure, he took the form of a snake to free two prisoners being held naked in a Third World jungle prison by an all powerful megalomaniac. At that same time, he broadened their diet and introduced them to their own sexuality. Sounds like a cross between Animal Man and Dr. Phil."
izzy222x's review against another edition
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75