review: Horns by Joe Hill

Horns by Joe Hill
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

My first Joe Hill book. The author is skilled, but I didn't find the characters engaging. The action felt a bit clumsy at the end, or maybe just too understated. As much as I enjoy certain kinds of horror, this was ugly *and* dreary, proceeding at a glacial pace. I'm not objecting to horror being ugly and dreary. Part of the reason I disliked it so was precisely because, horns notwithstanding, much of it felt possible and true to life in the ugliest of ways. I want to give the author credit for that, but I still can't personally rate it with even two stars. The story was meandering, and since I didn't engage with anyone, I didn't care to meander with them.

Things I did enjoy - the conversations between friends during the course of the book felt natural and real. The ugliness at the beginning with the compulsive conversations between Ig and loved ones was wicked sharp and hurtful, a terrible contrast. I was glad that even with the horrors Ig faced, in the end he found the truth of his relationship with Merrin. The Lee POV scenes and revelation of how he treated his mom were pure psychopathy, striking when juxtaposed with the kindness of his friends - a punch to the gut I hated, but appreciated the skill with which it was done. Loved Mom's last lucid, strangely dignified conversation with Lee.

Hated all the italics.

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