A review by elvenpanther
Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill

dark emotional medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

An interesting read, the end of the novel did tie everything together nicely. I wasn't a huge fan of the main character, Jude. While he had a little bit of character growth by the end, I felt he could have used a lot more. I didn't really get the sense that he fully healed and learned from his life's trauma. He treated the people in his life poorly and kept them at arm's length, but never came to a point of actually apologizing to them. 
Everyone has their own life traumas, but that doesn't excuse bad behavior towards others. It felt like Jude was given a pass on his mistreatment of others, simply because he was put through even more trauma. 
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