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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
Joe Hill has a flare for horrifying storytelling but the story lost momentum about 2/3 of the way through. Sometimes horror is so horrifying because it cannot be justified. The last 1/3 of the book seemed a forced exercise with a "happy ending" as a result. I am already creating my own ending in which there is no happy ending, because life is like that - horrifying things happen in this world, happy endings are rare and often miraculous.
Despite the all-encompassing mediocrity of the horror genre of literature, I had high hopes for this book based on the glowing reviews and ringing endorsement from Neil Gaiman himself. But this was more horror show than horror.
Firstly, it displayed the unforgivable cardinal sin of the horror genre - it just wasn't scary. The first few pages had some atmospheric momentum, but nothing ever came of it. I was longing to put it down and grab something by King or Blatty or Matheson after Chapter 5.
Secondly, the leering, paternalistic gender dynamics were almost unbearable. The New York Times Book Review's recent review, 'A Roundup of New Horror,' wrote that "all horror writers are cases of arrested development, stuck forever in the terrors and insecurities of adolescence. (Or is it just the guys?)" Hill is wildly guilty of such a charge. We are supposed to feel sympathetic and romantic towards the egotistical 53 year old hero and his exclusively 26 year-old girlfriends - yes, both of them. There is sexual predation and sordid abuse at every turn. The overlay of sexuality and violence is a fine line much literature (of terror, of dystopia, of fantasy) walks, but Hill doesn't walk it so much as barge right over it. Perhaps the novel would have been scarier if this hadn't distracted so much from the story, but it's impossible to say.
Firstly, it displayed the unforgivable cardinal sin of the horror genre - it just wasn't scary. The first few pages had some atmospheric momentum, but nothing ever came of it. I was longing to put it down and grab something by King or Blatty or Matheson after Chapter 5.
Secondly, the leering, paternalistic gender dynamics were almost unbearable. The New York Times Book Review's recent review, 'A Roundup of New Horror,' wrote that "all horror writers are cases of arrested development, stuck forever in the terrors and insecurities of adolescence. (Or is it just the guys?)" Hill is wildly guilty of such a charge. We are supposed to feel sympathetic and romantic towards the egotistical 53 year old hero and his exclusively 26 year-old girlfriends - yes, both of them. There is sexual predation and sordid abuse at every turn. The overlay of sexuality and violence is a fine line much literature (of terror, of dystopia, of fantasy) walks, but Hill doesn't walk it so much as barge right over it. Perhaps the novel would have been scarier if this hadn't distracted so much from the story, but it's impossible to say.
One of the scariest books I’ve ever read! The imagery really sticks with you.
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Heart-Shaped Box was a fun book and it contained a little more depth than I was expecting. Joe Hill managed to take 2 seemingly unsympathetic lead characters and develop them into people I cared about over the course of this novel.
There are a few chapters that are wonderfully tense and the story was original and well-written enough to keep me reading.
Joe Hill is the son of Stephen King, and he does seem to take at least one trait from his father: crappy endings. No spoilers, but I simply wasn't satisfied with the way this book concluded.
I've seen several movies with bad endings that seemed inspired by an audience poll of idealistic 13-year-old-girls and felt detached from the rest of the film. The ending of this book is no different.
There are a few chapters that are wonderfully tense and the story was original and well-written enough to keep me reading.
Joe Hill is the son of Stephen King, and he does seem to take at least one trait from his father: crappy endings. No spoilers, but I simply wasn't satisfied with the way this book concluded.
I've seen several movies with bad endings that seemed inspired by an audience poll of idealistic 13-year-old-girls and felt detached from the rest of the film. The ending of this book is no different.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Not as good as his father, which I understand is an unfair thing to say. But Stephen King is the author whom I compare all scary novels to. It had potential in the beginning, but kind of fell flat. I never really grew to care for the characters at all. Overall, meh.
I was so excited to read this book. It was recommended many times in my FB book groups whenever someone was searching for something creepy or disturbing. Honestly, it was boring and I rushed through the last few chapters just to finish it. I love a good unsettling book and this was not it at all.
adventurous
dark
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes