Reviews - Heart-Shaped Box

2.98k reviews for:

Heart-Shaped Box

Joe Hill

3.68 AVERAGE

bettynpiano's review against another edition

2.5

adventurous challenging dark tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

It started off as such a good and spooky book until it's riddled with misogyny. although I understand why some people might like this book, I am definitely NOT the target audience lol but I can appreciate a good spook. Thought it was ironic that Craddock is a pedophile when Jude is not that much further from being one himself.

klmz43's review against another edition

4.0

I truly enjoyed reading this book, start to finish. The beginning was so much creepier than I was prepared for, making it even more delightful to read. I enjoyed the characters and slowly putting together their back stories. And I enjoyed how it all culminated. For a first outing, this novel is damn near perfect. In fact, I originally gave it five stars. As I've stepped away from it, though, I've started to see some of the flaws that my initial infatuation with the story glossed over. It's not as over written as NOS4A2 or Horns, but is definitely wordy; I felt there were some parts that didn't need the in-depth descriptions, where other parts were beautifully done. Sometimes, Joe Hill provides the guide for his readers to figure out what's going on, like slowly opening a gift, but sometimes he explains the gift in painstaking detail before you're even allowed to see the wrapping paper. And also, there was intense momentum in the first half of the book. So intense, I felt like if I stopped reading, the book might actually go on without me. But the second half, while well written, entertaining, and engaging, didn't quite have the same pull. I certainly wanted to find out the ending, but I didn't feel drawn back into the story, didn't spend as much time thinking about it when I wasn't reading.

Overall, a strong 4.5 stars, well worth the time, and one helluva first novel. Just read the first half with all the lights on, huh?

biggge's review against another edition

3.5

adventurous dark tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

First JH book and a moderate SK fan. The main character’s issues were a product of his previous actions. Most of the characters minus the dogs have a mixed background with drugs, alcohol, and sex. The goal isn’t to sympathise with the main character though, this book consisted of well written flawed characters.
Noticed a few similarities between JH’s writing style with his father’s style, but the detail for horror sections are his own twists. The overall book drops the plot in the beginning, but accurately scaled pacing while the characters drove across several southern states. The plot at large felt like revealing the elephant in the room, and tied back to the main character’s personal flaws quite well. This isn’t the type of book to fix a person to be better, and I enjoyed learning more of his past trauma from his interactions. The reveal of the plot wasn’t the smoothest explanation in my opinion. The reveal did add depth to ongoing dark themes of conflicting relationships and past trauma.
Despite this book being a few years old, it still is a great horror/mystery read. Only complaint is the miscellaneous loud 90s rock music in the background of the audio version. Did not understand the purpose of this transition between chapters. If you like dark/ paranormal books with a hint of comedy I would recommend this book.

Content Warnings

adrianhurchin's review against another edition

4.0

'My stepfather was a lifelong spiritualist and I believe he is here now to teach my daughter that death is not the end. But she is eleven and needs a normal life and to sleep in her own room, not mine. The only thing I can think is to try and find "Pop" another home and of course the world is full of people who want to believe in the afterlife. Well, I have your proof right here.'

I really do enjoy a [a:Joe Hill|88506|Joe Hill|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1569331514p2/88506.jpg] and when I spotted this in a local charity shop I had to have it.

[b:Heart-Shaped Box|913454|Heart-Shaped Box|Joe Hill|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1324324921l/913454._SY75_.jpg|1412280] was [a:Joe Hill|88506|Joe Hill|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1569331514p2/88506.jpg]'s first horror novel and rightly won a basketful of awards (see what I did there...)

The story follows aging metal singer Judas Coyne who has a penchant for occult curiosities and young women. When the haunted suit of a dead man appears on an online auction site, he had to have it. When the suit arrives, ghost and all, he finds there was more to the deal than first seemed and his life is drastically turned upside down.

Fast paced with twists and turns galore; 4 1/2 stars.

qdbarclay1994's review against another edition

4.0

A great horror story by Stephen King's son with a somewhat similar writing style. The book's strength lies in it's main characters. The protagonist Jude is an old rocker who acts like a jerk and his much younger girlfriend Georgia initially comes off as a shallow goth bimbo. Then the haunting begins and it seems as though the ghost tormenting these two is rather justified in his motives. Hill's writing masterfully subverts these expectations by revealing the reasons why Jude and Georgia are the way the are and that their salvation lies in accepting that they're both damaged people who become better by trusting and loving one another. The ghost haunting the couple is gradually revealed to have utterly evil motivations and is a uncomfortably real life monster. "Heart-Shaped Box" is simultaneously a chilling horror story and a tale of personal redemption.

4/5

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