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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Child death, Death, Miscarriage, Violence, Murder
Moderate: Gore, Cannibalism
Quick and eerie. Typical Stephen King. This is a novella about tall grass that traps you in it's midst. It plays with your minds and tricks you, while holding any who dare wander into it captive. I enjoyed it, but I felt the end was lacking a little bit.
dark
mysterious
In the Tall Grass was a very quick, yet incredibly haunting, read. There are many gruesome scenes (which is expected because this IS a Stephen King & Joe Hill story). If you like King or Hill and aren't turned away by gore, I think you'd enjoy this story. I also recommend checking out the Netflix movie - the book and movie are very different from one another, so I think you will be able to enjoy both in their own right (note: the movie does contain some of the gory parts).
For those of you who don't know, Joe Hill is the pen name of Stephen King's horror writing son. I was first introduced to Joe Hill's work when I saw his book "Heart Shaped Box" on an "alternative valentines day" display at Borders (remember those?) and I picked up the paper back and devoured it in two days without knowing Hill's connection to my favorite horror author. Now that I do know the connection I have to admit I'm a little disappointed because it means I can never read another book by Joe Hill without comparing it to King's work and I'll never go back to enjoying his work like I enjoyed "Heart Shaped Box". But when I saw the father-son duo had come together to create a novella I knew I had to buy it for myself.
The title "In the Tall Grass" is such because the story takes place...you guessed it, in tall grass. A brother and sister are driving home from school and decide to stop when they hear the voice of a lost child in the tall grass. Of course, it wouldn't be King if these were just any ordinary brother and sister. They're irish-twins with a psychic connection. Oh, and our heroine is pregnant.
As you could assume (and probably are assuming already, without the book even in your hand or on your e-reader) the kid in danger isn't actually in danger at all, and while the unsuspecting tourist go into the grass to save the not-so-endangered child the locals come out to pick the spoils from the soon to be abandoned forever car. The story picks up pace as you discover there is more than just a child in the tall grass, and then our heroine goes into labour and things get weird, with an ending that will make you wish you read this one on an empty stomach.
I have to admit I came to this novella with expectations a little too high and walked away disappointed. The plot just seems to be rehashing several older King plots (especially Children of the Corn) and nothing about it felt purely original. I also didn't see a lot of Hill's voice in this piece and I was disappointed by that as well. I was hoping for a melding of the two writing styles and instead came away with stale King.
Don't get me wrong, I still read the whole thing in one sitting and couldn't wait to make it to the end, but it didn't give me the thrills or chills the way King (and Hill)'s other writing has done. The novella is only $2.99 on kindle so I'd still give it a try if you're a diehard fan, but I think I'm going to take my expectations and hang on to them until July when King's new novel "Joyland" comes out.
The title "In the Tall Grass" is such because the story takes place...you guessed it, in tall grass. A brother and sister are driving home from school and decide to stop when they hear the voice of a lost child in the tall grass. Of course, it wouldn't be King if these were just any ordinary brother and sister. They're irish-twins with a psychic connection. Oh, and our heroine is pregnant.
As you could assume (and probably are assuming already, without the book even in your hand or on your e-reader) the kid in danger isn't actually in danger at all, and while the unsuspecting tourist go into the grass to save the not-so-endangered child the locals come out to pick the spoils from the soon to be abandoned forever car. The story picks up pace as you discover there is more than just a child in the tall grass, and then our heroine goes into labour and things get weird, with an ending that will make you wish you read this one on an empty stomach.
I have to admit I came to this novella with expectations a little too high and walked away disappointed. The plot just seems to be rehashing several older King plots (especially Children of the Corn) and nothing about it felt purely original. I also didn't see a lot of Hill's voice in this piece and I was disappointed by that as well. I was hoping for a melding of the two writing styles and instead came away with stale King.
Don't get me wrong, I still read the whole thing in one sitting and couldn't wait to make it to the end, but it didn't give me the thrills or chills the way King (and Hill)'s other writing has done. The novella is only $2.99 on kindle so I'd still give it a try if you're a diehard fan, but I think I'm going to take my expectations and hang on to them until July when King's new novel "Joyland" comes out.
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
#1: Un libro que se convierte en película en 2019
4,5/5.
Este es mi primer acercamiento a Joe Hill y un reencuentro con Stephen King y me encantó la química y coherencia que hubo en la historia, fue un trabajo bastante armonioso en lo que a estructura se trata.
La historia es bastante simple en un inicio y uno cree que se las sabe todas hasta que empiezan las locuras y eso fue lo mejor. Para mí mientras más desagradable (pero coherente) sea mucho mejor y vaya que ellos saben hacer las cosas desagradables e incómodas. La relación con N. me encanta...
Tenía tiempo tratando de acercarme a Joe Hill y no sabía cómo pero el momento ha llegado. Un trabajo excelente que hace pensar que a veces el talento viene en la sangre.
4,5/5.
Este es mi primer acercamiento a Joe Hill y un reencuentro con Stephen King y me encantó la química y coherencia que hubo en la historia, fue un trabajo bastante armonioso en lo que a estructura se trata.
La historia es bastante simple en un inicio y uno cree que se las sabe todas hasta que empiezan las locuras y eso fue lo mejor. Para mí mientras más desagradable (pero coherente) sea mucho mejor y vaya que ellos saben hacer las cosas desagradables e incómodas. La relación con N. me encanta...
Tenía tiempo tratando de acercarme a Joe Hill y no sabía cómo pero el momento ha llegado. Un trabajo excelente que hace pensar que a veces el talento viene en la sangre.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Blood, Cannibalism, Murder
This novella was a quick easy read. I found it interesting to read a collaboration of King and his son, Joe Hill, but there were definitely moments where you could see the King shining through (which I do not consider a bad thing). This story accomplished what it was meant to do, but I would have loved a full length novel that explored more adventures in the grass. Some action-packed parts felt a little rushed, but that is to be expected in a story so short.
There is an incident in the latter portion of the book that I felt was done really well. This incident was disturbing and rather gory, but it was done so well. King and Hill gave just the right amount for the reader to figure out what was going on without having to blatantly say it.
In the Tall Grass is worth the quick read. The novella has a way of messing with the readers mind and bringing forth a sense of dread for the characters stuck in this situation. I think the novella could have been expanded to a full size novel by exploring more of the "rock" and Becky's decisions regarding her unborn child. This is the reason this novella receives four stars instead of the perfect five stars from me.
There is an incident in the latter portion of the book that I felt was done really well. This incident was disturbing and rather gory, but it was done so well. King and Hill gave just the right amount for the reader to figure out what was going on without having to blatantly say it.
In the Tall Grass is worth the quick read. The novella has a way of messing with the readers mind and bringing forth a sense of dread for the characters stuck in this situation. I think the novella could have been expanded to a full size novel by exploring more of the "rock" and Becky's decisions regarding her unborn child. This is the reason this novella receives four stars instead of the perfect five stars from me.