A review by va1entine
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

this book was a series of ups and downs. at some parts, i was hooked, unable to stop reading; at others, it was a chore to keep going. while i enjoyed the dedication to detail, the book felt too long somehow, though i don’t know what would’ve been cut. i do think the author did a decent job tying up loose ends at the conclusion of the book. 
i found jude hard to root for at times, and i didn’t care one way or another what happened to him. i rooted for marybeth solely because i wanted her to be happy. everything else was sort of a crapshoot. there were a few poignant moments, and i enjoyed the moments where marybeth and jude actually were talking about their feelings—you can see the traces of genuine connection and affection for one another. the characters were given stories intended to give them depth but the stories did not really show beyond when they were mentioned. overall, 3.5/5. 

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