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A review by hdbblog
N0S4A2 by Joe Hill
5.0
Okay, how good is this book? Anyone who follows me knows that I love Stephen King, but I think Joe Hill is inching his way up into that eschelon of beloved authors. His writing is just so visceral. It takes the unassuming world, the humdrum place we live, and opens up all the hidden doors. Our nightmares, our dreams, they pour onto the page. NOS4A2 captivated me from beginning to end, with the thin line it walked between reality and something more. Is it possible that epic writing skills are transmitted through genes? Reading this book on the heels of It was a surreal experience. It's like Joe Hill is a carbon copy of his father. I don't mean that to say that he isn't original. That he isn't something different. Still, it's an amazing thing to ponder.
First off, let's talk characters. Vic McQueen was just the most perfect protagonist. I connected with her instantly. A young girl, with a huge love for her father, a troubled relationship with her mother, and an unnatural ability to "find" things. The first time that Vic drove across her bridge, and ended up just where she needed to be, I was sold. Her personality, her willingness to sacrifice for others, I was in love with Vic McQueen. And that only increased the more I read, and the older she got. Contrasted against the sinister and slimy Charlie Manx, a man who was so much more than he seemed, this set up the ultimate battle between good and evil.
Oh, and the plot. It's just beautiful how well-done it is. If the writing hadn't already sold me, the fact that this was a perfectly paced, expertly built book, would have. Every page unveiled something new. What started as a vague unease the instant that Charlie Manx came into the scene, turned into an all out stomach twisting horror. By the time the final showdown was presented, I was a blubbering mess. Once again, I was so committed to this book that my poor bookish brain could do nothing more than gape, and sob. I'm wrung out now, but it was worth it.
If you have the opportunity to listen to this on audio, please do. The narrator was absolutely fabulous. Her voices, her emotions, brought the story to life. Read this. Do it. You won't be sorry.
First off, let's talk characters. Vic McQueen was just the most perfect protagonist. I connected with her instantly. A young girl, with a huge love for her father, a troubled relationship with her mother, and an unnatural ability to "find" things. The first time that Vic drove across her bridge, and ended up just where she needed to be, I was sold. Her personality, her willingness to sacrifice for others, I was in love with Vic McQueen. And that only increased the more I read, and the older she got. Contrasted against the sinister and slimy Charlie Manx, a man who was so much more than he seemed, this set up the ultimate battle between good and evil.
Oh, and the plot. It's just beautiful how well-done it is. If the writing hadn't already sold me, the fact that this was a perfectly paced, expertly built book, would have. Every page unveiled something new. What started as a vague unease the instant that Charlie Manx came into the scene, turned into an all out stomach twisting horror. By the time the final showdown was presented, I was a blubbering mess. Once again, I was so committed to this book that my poor bookish brain could do nothing more than gape, and sob. I'm wrung out now, but it was worth it.
If you have the opportunity to listen to this on audio, please do. The narrator was absolutely fabulous. Her voices, her emotions, brought the story to life. Read this. Do it. You won't be sorry.