Take a photo of a barcode or cover
filmnvinyl 's review for:
NOS4A2
by Joe Hill
This was my very first Joe Hill read and I'm surprised I liked this book as much as I did. Without giving too much away, its basically a story about a girl named Vic who, by traveling on a bridge, encounters Charlie Manx, a crazy criminal who is the creator of his own personal Disneyland called "Christmasland". There he takes little kids and transforms them into monsters. The story begins with Vic's childhood and then progresses into adulthood. You also learn more about Charlie Manx and his accomplice and other child victims. I do not want to give too much way because this is a heavily detailed story but I think Joe Hill does a great job with blurring the lines between reality and fantasy between the sane (Vic) and the insane (Charlie Manx)
What I loved most was Hill's writing style. I'm used to reading classic horror stories (Poe, Lovecraft, Wilde, etc..)where the language is filled with heavy jargon, metaphors and the like, so reading Joe Hill's story was a breath of fresh air. His language is simple and witty which I think helps draw in a reader's attention quicker. His structure is unique. In some ways, it reminded me of Quentin Tarantino films because the time line of the story sort of jumps from present to past. This made the story more fascinating because it brings everything to full circle and learn a lot about the characters.
The cast of characters were great, let alone creepy. First, I love Vic as a female protagonist. I felt like I really got to know her. She isn't perfect but I felt like she had an arc in her personal development. Charlie Manx, as much as a sick person he is, was well written and really freaked me out. He reminded me of real-life serial killers, specifically Charles Manson. I would not want to meet him. EVER. The car itself also felt like it was a character in the story too.
If I ever see any Rolls Royce with a NOS4A2 license plate being driven around (even if that person was joking) I would stay away. I would like to think that because of this book Rolls Royces are the new "creepy" vans. You know, the ones that people stay away from because someone could be inside wanting to offer you candy but really want to kidnap you? Yeah those!!
Joking aside, this is a fantastic story! I would recommend it as a first read to new Joe Hill readers. Though the book is VERY long, the chapters are short so don't be intimidated. Like I said before, there is a lot of detail to this monster tale but it keeps the reader wondering what will happen next to the characters, or at least keep their interest up until the end if they are not emotionally invested in them. I also have to recommend it to those who like Vampires. Though this is not a traditional Vampire story, Joe Hill takes a creative and unique take on the vampire myth. So if you feel like you have been disappointed with the recent trends of the misrepresentation of the vampire due to the media *cough"Twilight"cough*, this can restore your faith. =D
I will definitely read more Joe Hill novels in the future. I think he's one of the best contemporary horror writers I've read thus far.
What I loved most was Hill's writing style. I'm used to reading classic horror stories (Poe, Lovecraft, Wilde, etc..)where the language is filled with heavy jargon, metaphors and the like, so reading Joe Hill's story was a breath of fresh air. His language is simple and witty which I think helps draw in a reader's attention quicker. His structure is unique. In some ways, it reminded me of Quentin Tarantino films because the time line of the story sort of jumps from present to past. This made the story more fascinating because it brings everything to full circle and learn a lot about the characters.
The cast of characters were great, let alone creepy. First, I love Vic as a female protagonist. I felt like I really got to know her. She isn't perfect but I felt like she had an arc in her personal development. Charlie Manx, as much as a sick person he is, was well written and really freaked me out. He reminded me of real-life serial killers, specifically Charles Manson. I would not want to meet him. EVER. The car itself also felt like it was a character in the story too.
If I ever see any Rolls Royce with a NOS4A2 license plate being driven around (even if that person was joking) I would stay away. I would like to think that because of this book Rolls Royces are the new "creepy" vans. You know, the ones that people stay away from because someone could be inside wanting to offer you candy but really want to kidnap you? Yeah those!!
Joking aside, this is a fantastic story! I would recommend it as a first read to new Joe Hill readers. Though the book is VERY long, the chapters are short so don't be intimidated. Like I said before, there is a lot of detail to this monster tale but it keeps the reader wondering what will happen next to the characters, or at least keep their interest up until the end if they are not emotionally invested in them. I also have to recommend it to those who like Vampires. Though this is not a traditional Vampire story, Joe Hill takes a creative and unique take on the vampire myth. So if you feel like you have been disappointed with the recent trends of the misrepresentation of the vampire due to the media *cough"Twilight"cough*, this can restore your faith. =D
I will definitely read more Joe Hill novels in the future. I think he's one of the best contemporary horror writers I've read thus far.