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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JOYLAND review

Joyland by Stephen King
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

First, the cover: I loved it. A callback to pulp fiction at its finest. There's a hardcover edition, but I far prefer this art.

I like King when he writes small (small is less than 300 pages - for King, anyway). No huge cast, just Devin Jones and the people he interacts with. It's a coming of age novel, which I'm always interested in (or writing about). It's got an amusement park, which I'm always fascinated by (strange, considering I don't ride rides, never have). And it's horror, King style.

Except it's not that horrific. No, it is, but it's not in your face monsters-aliens-supernatural horror. No spaceships here. It's quieter. Matured, the same as Mr. King. It's the monsters that adults recognize - the ones that come for little kids and adults in the form of disease, that comes for others in the form of a psychopath.

Sure, the story has a hint of other-worldness, ghosts flitting around the edges of the frame, but mostly it's life and death and courage, lost love and growing up. It's not fast-moving, but it's good, fascinating characterization.

As for the ending - my guess was correct well before the reveal. It didn't hamper my enjoyment.

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new book reviews

Book Robot Reviews: Beneath the Neon Moon by Theda Black
"Emotional bonding from extreme fear leads to sex attraction to chance for love and you can't help feeling for these guys."

Top 2 Bottom Reviews: The Vampire's Boy by Theda Black
"Theda managed to make a coming of age story mix well with that supernatural suspense."

new review for BENEATH THE NEON MOON from Elisa

Very pleased with this one, and thanks to Elisa -

It’s not the first time Theda Black surprised me with her complex characters.