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Joe Hill: Horns

Libra6Poe

Libra6Poe

New Member
My boyfriend and I read Hill's Heart Shaped Box last June and loved it. Spooky stuff.
Two chapters in to Horns, I told him, "You know what I like about Joe Hill? He doesn't f-ck around. He's like, 'Chapter One. Here's some really weird shit.'"
I'm only eight chapters in at the moment. The characters and stories are all interesting. But it's such a downer so far. It makes me wonder why
the main character hasn't killed himself yet (aside from the obvious reason - it would be a very short book)
. I just need something awesome or happy to happen very soon.
 
At some point while reading Horns I started to wonder why Joe Hill had chosen to go in that direction. I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and it was worth it. It wasn't what I was expecting but it felt oddly satisfying.
 
I finished this earlier in the week. The whole time while I was reading, I was thinking, "I'm not sure if Paul [my boyfriend] will like it." I mean, it's not exactly horrifying (imo). But it was a great read. It's just very different and unexpected. I absolutely could not stop reading it and it was what I looked forward to the most during the day. It's been awhile since I've sat down to read a book during my lunch break at work.
I didn't like it as much as I liked Heart Shaped Box however.
Maybe :star4:?

(Summer semester just started. I plan on returning to this thread to discuss this book further.)
 
I'm currently reading this book. I'm on chapter seventeen and it's interesting. Although I find this depth of backstory concerning how Ig meets Mirren and Lee to be boring and wish to return to the present.
 
So I was trying to be proactive and get out in front of the favorite for the September BOTM. Went to the library to get 20th century ghosts, got there and drew a total blank on which Joe Hill book I was supposed to be checking out. :confused:
I ended up with Horns. Started it today............. very weird..... but intriguing. I could see this going in a lot of different directions. It seems everyone in this thread liked it so I think I'll try to finish it anyway.
 
I finished it just over an hour ago.
I liked it, but I felt like the revenge was kind of a let down. As for the ending, all things considered, would anyone say it could be described as a happy ending?
 
I thought the ending fit the story very well, though I wouldn't go as far as to call it a happy ending.
Maybe a "there's still a glimmer of hope" ending.
At first I was a bit put off by the backstory but once I started to figure out why it was important that we know those things, I was happy to go along with it. It's a heartbreaking story, I had a hard time finishing it I was crying so hard. It's very different from Heart Shaped Box, which I feel was lighter and maybe even cheekier. But I love how in the end the supernatural stuff is never even half as scary as regular people who turn out to be evil beyond belief...
 
I just finished Horns. I'm giving it :star4:

This book had me laughing in one chapter and bumming out in the next. It certainly will take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions. A very good read.
 
Started this aloooonng time ago, put it down after a couple chapters and never finished it. Fast forward to a few months ago, I was stuck in a hospital for about 8 hours and there happened to be a copy of "Heart Shaped Box" on a book cart. I was a captive audience and I read the whole book while I was there. Liked it a lot, so went back to this one and really enjoyed it.
Hill is a first rate storyteller for sure. Don't know if I would call either of these "Horror" stories, but maybe something like creepy fantasy. Anyway Horns was full of well developed characters and the premise was certainly unique. Kept me turning those pages...
:star3:
 
I thought Horns was the opposite of Heart Shaped Box. Where Heart Shaped Box started out great, it falls apart in the second half with glaring plot holes and forced motivations. I would have preferred if it was just a guy accidently buying a ghost. Horns, however, held a genuinely surprising turn toward the second half that I found more satisfying. No doubt about it, though, Hill definitely has his father’s talent for spinning a tale.
 
I don't know... I though in Heart Shaped Box, there had to be some reason this was happening to him. I did feel that the second half was a little bit weaker. In Horns though, the second half was better than the first. Especially when the POV switched to Lee. That was good stuff.
 
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