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A review by bookwormlukas
Horns by Joe Hill
5.0
The devil is in the details.
This was a very refreshing novel, not only for it's more original supernatural storyline, but also for the dark humour and overall mood that it created.
If you aren't aware of the story, this novel follows a character called 'Ig' whose girlfriend was brutally murdered, with the crime remaining unsolved. However, despite no real evidence, the people around him all believe him to be the murderer. The story picks up one year later when one day, for unknown reasons, he wakes up to find horns on his head, and a weird new power in which he can get people to divulge their inner most secrets.
I really, really enjoyed this novel. This is the second book I have read by Joe Hill (the first being N0S4R2) and I can say I definitely prefer this one. This is quite a focused story, with only three or four real stand out characters and as a result they are well drawn out, and the complexities of their relationships believable. 'Ig' is actually quite a likeable narrator considering some of the choices he makes in the novel and in a way, I found myself rooting for him, particularly towards the end of the novel when the shit really starts to hit the fan.
Another thing I enjoyed was that the majority of the novel takes place after the murder of Ig's girlfriend. I don't think the book would have been AS successful if we got to see their relationship from the beginning. It worked much better with little flashbacks to accentuate the change in Ig since the murder took place. I've read far too many 'beginning of the romance' books lately that I didn't want to see another one, especially if it was going to get ripped apart.
The main thing I liked about this novel though was the dark humour. Due to Ig's power, characters begin to divulge all their secrets to him in a sort of no holes barred, stream of consciousness manner and while some of it is indeed sick, it also feels rather comical. In one scene, Ig finds out his disabled grandmother has always hated him, so he pushes her down a huge hill in her wheelchair. It's that type of thing that shouldn't be funny, but is, that had me giggling inappropriately throughout this book. Dark humour is something that is hard to do well, but this book definitely succeeds.
Overall, this is a great book with an interesting premise and great characters. It has humour, and and enough emotional impact to leave it's mark. I'd say this would be one of my top ten books of the year.
This was a very refreshing novel, not only for it's more original supernatural storyline, but also for the dark humour and overall mood that it created.
If you aren't aware of the story, this novel follows a character called 'Ig' whose girlfriend was brutally murdered, with the crime remaining unsolved. However, despite no real evidence, the people around him all believe him to be the murderer. The story picks up one year later when one day, for unknown reasons, he wakes up to find horns on his head, and a weird new power in which he can get people to divulge their inner most secrets.
I really, really enjoyed this novel. This is the second book I have read by Joe Hill (the first being N0S4R2) and I can say I definitely prefer this one. This is quite a focused story, with only three or four real stand out characters and as a result they are well drawn out, and the complexities of their relationships believable. 'Ig' is actually quite a likeable narrator considering some of the choices he makes in the novel and in a way, I found myself rooting for him, particularly towards the end of the novel when the shit really starts to hit the fan.
Another thing I enjoyed was that the majority of the novel takes place after the murder of Ig's girlfriend. I don't think the book would have been AS successful if we got to see their relationship from the beginning. It worked much better with little flashbacks to accentuate the change in Ig since the murder took place. I've read far too many 'beginning of the romance' books lately that I didn't want to see another one, especially if it was going to get ripped apart.
The main thing I liked about this novel though was the dark humour. Due to Ig's power, characters begin to divulge all their secrets to him in a sort of no holes barred, stream of consciousness manner and while some of it is indeed sick, it also feels rather comical. In one scene, Ig finds out his disabled grandmother has always hated him, so he pushes her down a huge hill in her wheelchair. It's that type of thing that shouldn't be funny, but is, that had me giggling inappropriately throughout this book. Dark humour is something that is hard to do well, but this book definitely succeeds.
Overall, this is a great book with an interesting premise and great characters. It has humour, and and enough emotional impact to leave it's mark. I'd say this would be one of my top ten books of the year.