Review - Heartshaped Box by Joe Hill

Book Summary

I couldn't find a summary and it would take me far to long to try and write a good one.  A professional blogger and reviewer is not my goal, reading and having fun is. So on to my review.

My Review - 2 1/2 Not my Cup of Tea

A supernatural horror by Stephen King's son.  This is Joe Hill's debut book, which I felt at times you can tell, a few to many rephrasing or repeating of stories, 'Joe you already told me that'. 

Judas Coyne is a rock star that has a Gothic, scary collection so when his Assistant tells him a ghost is being sold he bids for it immediately, and then realises he can buy it out right for $1000 instead of the possible $100.  I had to shake my head, what kind of crazy fool will I be reading about.  Seriously who would do that without thinking possible consequences. 

I did like that the story started with a bang.  Once the ghost was delivered in the heartshaped box, a suit with the spirit of someone he knew, things started happening.  Jude actually considered sending it back but the seller said no returns, no exchanges, final sale is done.

You know when you see a horror and you are laughing through it because all the actors and actress's are just dumb. You don't care what happens to them.  Well, unfortunately for me this was the case, I just never cared about the characters, so much so I struggled to even finish this book.  Finally at half point I was interested enough to finish and was happy when it was over.

I don't mind ghost stories but everything about this one just was unbelievable so I couldn't invest myself.  Even the scene with the Ouija board, I rolled my eyes.  Are these even on the market anymore?

A few things that were interesting.  Revenge is a bitch, holy crap, that was hilarious to me, may be scary to others.  Overall this is what started the story, became the journey and was wrapped up nicely at the end.  I wondered if this book was one big hallucination.  Throughout the book you really did get the feeling that the dead pull the living down.

Jude called all his rock star groupies by the country he met them instead of their real name, so we had Georgia, Florida and Tennessee.  I thought this was cute and ridiculous as the same time.

A favourite quote:

His mind wanted away from death for a few moments.  He felt crowded by death, felt the promise of death all around, felt death on his chest, each death a stone heaped on top of him, driving the air out of him. 

I have read Horns which I enjoyed better.

My friend Paula, loved this book and I found to be one of my favourite reviews by her.  You can read it over at her blog Tome's Devotee.

I read this for the RIP Challenge and I Want More Challenge I host.

I am starting to realise I enjoy watching horrors but not so much reading them.