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    Horns: A Novel
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    Horns: A Novel
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    Horns: A Novel
    Ebook533 pages8 hours

    Horns: A Novel

    By Joe Hill

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    Joe Hill's critically acclaimed, New York Times bestselling, Bram Stoker Award-winning debut chiller, Heart-Shaped Box, heralded the arrival of new royalty onto the dark fantasy scene. With Horns, he polishes his well-deserved crown. A twisted, terrifying new novel of psychological and supernatural suspense, Horns is a devilishly original triumph for the Ray Bradbury Fellowship recipient whose story collection, 20th Century Ghosts, was also honored with a Bram Stoker Award—and whose emotionally powerful and macabre work has been praised by the New York Times as, "wild, mesmerizing, perversely witty…a Valentine from hell."

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateFeb 16, 2010
    ISBN9780061969461
    Author

    Joe Hill

    Joe Hill is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the novels The Fireman, NOS4A2, Horns, and Heart-Shaped Box; Strange Weather, a collection of novellas; and the acclaimed story collections Full Throttle and 20th Century Ghosts. He is also the Eisner Award–winning writer of a seven-volume comic book series, Locke & Key. Much of his work has been adapted for film and TV, including NOS4A2 (AMC), Locke & Key (Netflix), In the Tall Grass (Netflix), and The Black Phone (Blumhouse).

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    Reviews for Horns

    4/5

    1,862 ratings181 reviews

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    • 5/5
      Horns by Joe Hill is a stand alone novel about a young man, Ignatius Perrish, waking up after a night of drinking too much and discovering he has grown horns.I have to say that Joe Hill's writing definitely gives his father, Stephen King, a run for his money. Superb writing and great character development give this story depth. I highly recommend this book to any Stephen King lover.
    • 4/5
      Iggy Perrish wakes up on the one year anniversary of girlfriends rape and murder to find he has grown horns. Right there you know either this book is going to be phenomenal or just another pop lit, fast paced, fun read. Well, it was the former. I would not, however call it phenomenal. A great read and enjoying and I will probably read it again, but not out of this world great. The way Hill writes is addicting, he has a way with words that would make a lexicographer jealous.The plot kept changing and for me personally who can usually predict what will happen next in a book, I was surprised. I knew the eventual ending, but the twist and turns kept me guessing throughout. At times it caused me to consider if I was actually reading it right, but after another read of a paragraph yes, that is what was happening.I think the one thing which led me to like this book so much is the fact that it was not something which was whipped out in a couple of months and lauded by everyone as a great book, by an amazing author who has written scores of bestsellers. (I never read those. Too boring and predictable and most times not quite well written.)Overall, it was a good book and without giving away any details, definitely one to read again.
    • 4/5
      To hunt a monster do you have to become a monster?After Iggy's girlfriend and true love is raped and murdered everybody assumes he did it, though no charges were made against him. He lives for a year in his own lonely purgatory. One night he goes on a bender and wakes with no memory of what happened and a set of horns growing out of his forehead.I'd say the first part of the book is the hardest to read, because it shows a certain baseness of humanity as he tries to figure out why horns are growing out of his head, because with the horns comes the ability to influence people. And every person he meets suddenly feels compelled to tell him their worst fantasies and most grotesque desires, and ask him for permission to act on them. It's very disturbing to read, especially with how little we know the characters in the beginning.But this is where Hill's skill comes into play as he adds layers and layers to the story and the characters. He develops Iggy and Merrin's relationship beautifully, making what happens to them matter. And even as he's unearthing ugliness and raw hurt, he's also revealing the humanity beyond that, the compassion and love and forgiveness and bravery. This novel is morally ambiguous, a book in which the devil can be kind. It's sometimes funny, often disturbing, and well wrought. This isn't horror that focuses on chills up your spine, but it will make you squirm. I would recommend it, but with warnings. Some of the ugliness is hard to read and there is the rape, while not graphic (Hill leaves out much of it, instead of reveling, and what little he leaves in is purposeful and important for the story), is still disturbing. So keep that in mind before reading.
    • 3/5
      I looked at several reviews on LT before writing my own on Horns by Joe Hill. I thought that perhaps there was something I was missingPerhaps some literary connection to some classics involving the Devil. It doesn't appear that anybody made any connections either, though. And it seems that other than a few exceptions most people feel the same way that I did about the book. It has some great qualities, for instance, the main character is well-written and the reader feels sympathy for him, which I am sure was Hill's intention. Some of the other characters are just props for the story to move along, though. The love story between the main character, Ig Perrish and his girlfriend, Merrin Williams is touching and Hill adds a twist that was unexpected. Ig discovers something about her that explains her behavior and makes her less of the shrew she seems to become. The main storyline is the puzzle of who kills Merrin. Ig is a suspect without an alibi, but the police don't have enough evidence to convict him either. Mutual friends of Ig and Merrin seem to be obvious suspects, but the ending does not satisfy, in my opinion, and from other reviews I've read, other readers felt the same way. Some of what was lacking in the novel was cohesion. There were many flashbacks but they were scenes that had already been played out so they were repetitive. The relationships between characters were well defined and believable but the ending does not satisfy in terms of their comeuppance for prior behavior. The book is about choices we make in our life between good and evil, I think, and how they are not clearly defined. Ig Perrish discovers horns growing from his head and events lead to his realization that he is recreated in the form of the Devil, while being a good, kind, righteous person at heart. Hill points out the confusion between what are choices made for good or those made for evil, selfish purposes by bad people. And Ig should be representing evil but instead we see how evil and good can be confused, and also on occasion, one and the same. The Church makes an appearance here as the place that Ig and Merrin meet and Father Mould and Sister Bennett who should be representing good actually are no better or worse than any of the others Ig comes across with his special gift of touching people and finding out their deep, dark and always wicked secrets. So, ultimately, the book presents the reader with the balance of good and evil and portrays its characters in confusing ways that are not as clear-cut as we are used to. What I noticed though, was the failure to pull the book together into a cohesive ending that leaves the reader feeling as if we understand where the author meant to take us with his characters and story-line. It was an enjoyable read, though and I think it is worth trying out because there is a vast difference of opinion on whether readers loved it or hated it. And the writing itself is always well-done and closely edited for an enjoyable read.
    • 5/5
      Horns is a lovingly creepy book that deals with so much: love, loss, alienation, inner secrets, confession, hope and probably even more which I can't immediately determine. It's a book that I would happily spend a week in an English Literature class discussing all the symbolism and meaning. At the same time though, it's not a pompous book that comes with an attitude; you can absolutely enjoy the book as it is and simply be touched by the sentimental aspects while simultaneously spooked by the supernatural elements.After a night of being drunk and doing stupid things, Ig Perrish wakes up and notices that he has grown horns. Two curved horns out of his head like a devil or demon. When asking his roommate if she notices them, she confesses to some horrible things and is easily enticed to do more bad things, to her self this time. The story then follows Ig has he discovers the power behind the horns and the truth behind Merrin William's (his girlfriend) death the previous year.As I mentioned above, the book is rich with symbolism. With horns like a devil, Ig starts to act like one; people confess some dark secrets and when it interests him, Ig pushes them into acting on those secrets. A symbol made more vivid by Ig carrying a pitchfork for half the novel. To counter that evil though, Ig was previously a volunteer at the church and regularly donated his time to help others. A symbol that is easy to compare with Ig being in heaven when his girlfriend was alive but then in hell once she was dead. And that is only the most obvious one. There are too many to discuss in a brief book review! Most importantly though is how real all the characters are. I was able to easily identify with Ig as a young boy. And then again with many of his choices and actions when he got older. Plus when Ig falls for Merrin I could feel the butterflies in my stomach too. I'm not sure what else to say but go out and read the book already. And if you are like me, you'll feel misty and sad at the end but also hopefully happy.
    • 5/5
      Very readable and a great premise. Highly recommended.
    • 2/5
      Ig Perrish wakes up one morning with a hangover and discovers that he has grown horns on his head. He has become a (the?) devil, has powers and thus opportunities (but also downsides) he didn't have before, and within a short time, he knows just what he wants to do with them - take revenge for a hideous wrong. How best to do it?

      The subject of the book had me interested. The idea behind the book was great... but the execution? it got really boring, really fast and just felt like it took forever. Also, the whole backstory on how he got his horns... how confusing can you get with that? I had to re-read the explanation over and over again. Joe Hill can write. He has a great command of the language and can paint a stunning picture. The book started well and I thought I would really love it, but the further in I got the more convinced I was that this was a journey I had no interest in completing.

      I kept hoping I would start to make some sense of what was happening. But the characters did not touch me at all, and finally realizing I didn't care enough about any of them to keep reading, I stopped about three quarters of the way through the book. In the end this dark story did not grab me. Joe, you can and have done so much better.
    • 4/5
      Accused murderer/rapist wakes up after a bender with horns sprouting from his head. Sign of guilt, or a means to find the truth?Ig Perrish has spent most of his young life loving the girl of his dreams, Merrin. The agony of losing her in such a horrific and dramatic murder is only compounded by the fact that most people in his small town think Ig did it. One year after Merrin's brutal murder, Ig wakes up with the worst hangover on record. The pain in his head is intense, and when he looks in the mirror, he sees why: horns are growing out of his temples.With the horns come some pretty interesting powers: when he touches people, he can see the worst things they have ever done. When people speak to him, they disclose their worst urges without shame or guilt. When Ig speaks to them, he can push them into committing those acts. A lot of carnage could be done with these powers.Yet Ig realizes he might be able to use them to his advantage. Over the course of two days, Ig puts himself on the path to remembering the events from a year ago, and finding all the players involved on the night of Merrin's death. I found it so interesting that even "The Devil" could make a sacrifice in the name of what is right. All who were affected by Merrin's death ultimately find peace through Ig's actions. The memories of Merrin are no longer tainted by her ugly death. I also had to chuckle at Joe Hill's homage to my favorite book, The Exorcist by naming the Williams sisters Regan and Merrin. Joe Hill is an excellent writer, and I was so happy that he was able to bring together seemingly random ideas and tie things up. It is refreshing these days to read something that doesn't have an ambiguous ending. It may not be the ending you expect, but it is still satisfying. Kudos, Joe Hill! I will be reading more!
    • 4/5
      First of all, I hope this doesn’t happen to any of my friends here, but Ig Perrish is a depressed young man, who wakes up one morning after a particularly rough night of drinking and finds that he has grown horns. They are about finger length and the tips are very sensitive. He, of course, rushes to the doctor’s office for a consultation and quickly realizes he can read the dark thoughts of anyone he encounters. This is mostly, very unsettling! Ig’s depression was brought on by the brutal murder of his true-love, a couple years earlier and to make matters worse, he was the main suspect. He is eventually exonerated and spends his time moping and grieving. Now with his “Horns” and their eerie power, he decides to hunt down the killer. This is a twisted and wicked read! It is funny, disturbing, and at it’s heart, a love story.
    • 4/5
      I liked Joe Hill's previous book - Heart-shaped Box - and I was in the middle of a week of vacation, so this seemed like a nice light read. It starts off with Joe's strength - likeable characters in an instantly weird situation - and turns into a character study of a few good friends and relatives whose lives were changed by the events of one horrible night. Actually, it turns out that the one night is the culmination of a lifetime of little events that build on top of one another, and culminate in the terrible tragedy that links the characters. OK, per the title, the protagonist wakes up one morning with horns growing out of his head, and the ability to make people confess to or do things they're thinking but would never say out loud. Except to this newly developing devil guy. The only drag of the story is that most of the tale is flashbacks about the same events from the point of view of different characters, and that becomes a bit ... long. This is more a tragic character study than straight up bloody horror, which is what makes Hill's books so much fun to read. Intense, but mainly character-driven supernatural stuff. And, best of all, no vampires
    • 4/5
      Somewhat a horror novel but mostly a relationship novel. Well written with interesting perspective on the devil for instance: (reasons why Satan is like a superhero) - "In his (Satan) first adventure, he took the form of a snake to free two prisoners being held naked in a Third World jungle prison by an all-powerful megalomaniac. At the same time, he broadened their diet and introduce them to their own sexuality. Sounds kind of like a cross between Animal Man and Dr. Phil to me." Also liked the way Horns was used throughout the book--very imaginative. Would have liked to see a different ending with Ig getting what is really due to him. Will definitely read more by this author.
    • 4/5
      Iggy wakes up after a night of drunken carousing with a pair of horns coming from his foreheard. As he encounters people, he figures out the horns encourage people to tell their darkest fears, hates, secrets, and feelings about everything, especially himself (as he was never cleared in the murder of his long-time girlfriend). When someone close to him lets slip who really did commit the crime, he uses his devil persona to wreak revenge.It's an interesting book, quite often - many religions actually feature Satan as a good guy and though he's not quite good here, he's not purely evil either. As another reviewer said, he's more a "tragic hero". Some humorous moments are included (ie he loses his clothes and finds an old blue skirt to don - calls himself "devil in a blue dress") and there is a very interesting synergy between the devil's horns and "playing the horn" musically (his brother and father are both well known for it). Best of all, I didn't feel like I was reading Stephen King under a pen name, as I somewhat did when I read "Heart-Shaped Box". Good stuff.
    • 4/5
      Effectively mixing humor and brutal honesty, "Horns" is a diabolically good read from the son of the King himself, Joe Hill.
    • 5/5
      A very powerful and superlative addition to Joe Hill's growing talent. I thoroughly enjoyed HORNS. Again, he rates a rare 5-stars
    • 4/5
      Joe Hill is a very talented writer. He proved it with his first Novel and his collection of Ghost Stories...and now with HORNS, there is no doubt about his talent for weaving the supernatural into every day life. This is an interesting tale, crazy, creepy and all in all, a very entertaining book. I think Mr. Hill has a long, long career ahead of him. I cannot wait for his next novel and look forward to his future works.
    • 4/5
      Not as strong as Heart Shaped Box. In his first novel, Hill drew fantastic characters, we really beleived in them and cared for them. In Horns, that level of caring for the people is lacking. The protaganist Ig is wonderful, and the plot concept is original and well thought out. But the remaining cast does not draw us in very well. Everyone else seems like a one dimensional prop. Overall though the novel was good, it's strengths were Ig and the clever plot. But because he did not draw the rest of his actors anywhere near as well as he did in Heart Shaped Box, we are left a tad disappointed. I like Hill and very eagerly await his next book. But hope that he can return to the character driven prose that he struck so well before.
    • 5/5
      Got to start this one up twice before I could dedicate the time it deserves (once upon a time I would have dropped Everything & read it straight thru!).
      Joe Hill has earned his spurs, come into his own.

      This was a Good vs. Evil story - brought to mind The Stand, but much less black & white, Serious shades of gray. Which makes it more true! And with many tributary "plotlets" that again reflects life.

      Favorite quotes:
      "I see God now as an unimaginative writer of popular fiction, someone who builds stories around sadistic and graceless plots, narratives that exist only to express His terror of a woman's power to choose who and how to love, to redefine love as she sees fit, not as God thinks it ought to be. The author is unworthy of His own characters. The devil is first a literary critic, who delivers this untalented scribbler the public flaying He deserves."

      He paused, considering the law in Deuteronomy that forbade clothes with mixed fibers. A problematic bit of Scripture. A matter that required thought.
      "Only the devil wants man to have a wide range of lightweight and comfortable styles to choose from," he murmured at last, trying out a new proverb. "Although there may be no forgiveness for polyester. On this one matter, Satan and the Lord are in agreement."

      "I remember the teacher... said that Satan turns up in a lot of other religions as the good guy. He's usually the guy who tricks the fertility goddess into bed, and after a bit of fiddling around they bring the world into being. Or the crops. Something. He comes into the story to bamboozle the unworthy or tempt them into ruination, or at least out of their liquor. Even Christians can't really decide what to do with him. I mean, think about it. Him and God are supposed to be at war with each other. But if God hates sin and Satan punishes sinners, aren't they working the same side of the street? .... I think the Romantics liked Satan. I don't really remember why. Maybe because he had a good beard and was into girls and sex and knew how to throw a party...."
    • 4/5
      This book definitely had a very different and interesting concept. What I did not expect was the comedy that went along with it. Ig’s new found power (which took me a bit to figure out what it was) is an interesting gift, and could potentially be either; very dangerous, hurtful, or downright hilarious. Throughout the first bits of the book I couldn’t stop laughing. The moments of Ig’s childhood years (the shopping cart incident) and the situation with the two policemen made me laugh, and kept me reading the book. Yet there were serious moments too, with Ig finding out the truth about Merrin and her death, who was really behind it, and the real true feelings of people close to him (like his parents). It’s a bit shocking, to read how his parents really felt of the situation surrounding Ig and at a certain point of the book I really felt sorry for him. The first half of the book was really enjoyable to read. The middle part where it focuses on Ig, Merrin, and Lee wasn’t so bad. Lee’s a jerk. A real jealous one. I never really liked him to begin with and when you see his true colors, I hated him even more. Ig was such a nice guy and Lee just took advantage of that and stepped all over him. I liked Ig as a character although throughout the second half of the book he just got really strange and started behaving rather odd. This is where I thought the book was rather stuck in a rut and it suddenly dragged. I felt the pace of the book just stopped all of a sudden and started to crawl.The ending was good and after that rut, the pace starting picking up a bit. I was definitely unprepared for the ending and it caught me by surprise. When I finished this book, I wasn’t sure how I felt. I had an empty feeling, I guess because the ending wasn’t what I expected, but also because I thought perhaps it could have ended differently. For a book that had such a promising start, the ending lacked the punch to finish it.I would still say, give this book a chance. The idea and concept is really entertaining and interesting. If you don’t mind reading through the little stall in the middle of the book you’ll find the book isn’t so bad after all. Even though to me, it had a disappointing ending, but read it to be entertained and to have a laugh. It’s certainly worth a look through.
    • 3/5
      This book grew on me a lot, and I ended up enjoying it at the end!

      Not your usual story!
    • 4/5
      Quick review
      The ending left me wanting ...
      I really enjoyed the whole story and considering I'm not such a horror fan that is a feat. I liked how the effect of the horns grew and were really subtle.
      The ending left me a bit fizzled, I kind of expected it to be more of a grand finale. It was a good ending though not very spectacular.

      A very good read, interested in reading more by him.
    • 4/5
      In Horns by Joe Hill Ignatius Perrish wakes up from a night of drunkenness with a pair of horns growing from his head. People start telling him their darkest and meanest desires and asking him for permission to do them. Even the doctor he visits for assistance only wants permission to snort Oxycontin during his work day.One year before, the love of his life Merrin Williams was raped and murdered on the same night that Ig was leaving the country for a 6-month job. Ig is the only suspect, but he is never charged or tried for the crime due to lack of evidence, but everyone in town, including his own family, believes he is guilty.This is a great book and an easy read. You can hear some of Hill's father's (Stephen King) influence in his writing, but he definitely has his own style. He's got his own quirkiness.Took me a minute to get used to Fred Berman's voice, but I ended up liking it.
    • 4/5
      Ignatius William Perrish is miserable. His girlfriend was murdered and he is the prime suspect. His name will never be cleared due to the lab with the evidence catching fire, so his life remains a torment. One day, he wakes up groggy and hung over after a not-quite-remembered night of drinking, blasphemy, and wallowing in his own misery. He notices he now has horns growing out of his head. Wondering if their a hallucination, he goes in public to see others' reactions and finds that everyone suddenly confides in him their deepest and darkest desires. Plus he can convince them to give in to those horrific desires. Ig decides to use his new found power to find the real murderer and enact revenge.From page one, Horns is an addicting read. I didn't have any idea what it was about before I read except some guy randomly sprouted horns, but I couldn't put the book down after I started. The situations were so bizarre. People would just start spouting off their deepest, darkest, most sinful desires and secrets as if they talked about them all the time. These are the types of secrets people would never say out loud to anyone and were often disturbing. It was amusing at first, but grew quite serious as Ig encountered the people closest to him and heard their real opinions about him, namely that they all think he's guilty and hate spending time with him except his brother. His power is not easy to control and leaves him vulnerable when faced with his family. With the horns came other powers that showed themselves later on in the book that made it clear he was a modern adaptation of the devil complete with horns, a pitchfork, and snake minions. Despite all this new power, the villain of the novel is formidable, much stronger than anticipated, and also supernatural. I personally think a lot of Ig's bad decision making leads to the villain being so difficult. I like and dislike the way the story is told. It starts in present day after the murder and goes until he discovers the identity of the true murderer. It's then interrupted by flashbacks to Ig's childhood for a long portion and then hopscotches back and forth from past to present. I like that clues and revelations are doled out slowly and carefully instead of in a rush all at once. However, the fast tempo the book started with was completely destroyed. It took me a long while to warm up to the new story and just as it got really interesting, the narrative again switched to the present. I would have liked it if it started a little slower and built up momentum instead of starting crazy and slamming on the breaks. The only other complaint I have is the ending. Compared to the epicness of the story, it was a little underwhelming and odd.Horns is a wonderful novel about guilt, love, good and evil, and revenge. My favorite part of the story is the love between Merrin and Ig. We get to see her through past memories and other people's view of her. Their story is beautiful, heartbreaking, and felt the most real among all the supernatural aspects. I am eager to read more books by Joe Hill because his writing is beautifully written and sticks with you long after you've read it.
    • 5/5
      One reviewer aptly characterized "Horns" as a horror story for readers who don't like horror. I'm one of them, and I genuinely enjoyed Hill's imaginative romp through the twisted psyches of some memorable characters. The audio book's overall presentation was especially conducive to the mood and material. Hill is a skilled writer, but the story gets a bit "bogged down" toward the end. Still, this book offers a fresh spin on some weighty themes, including evil and redemption. I didn't read Hill's first book, but "Horns" will spur me to check it out.
    • 4/5
      Horns is a really good book. Annoyingly there are a few things which prevented me from loving it, but don't get me wrong. It's a really good book.The premise is great. Simply put (and I'm grossly oversimplifying so as not to spoil anything): we have a main character with an intriguing backstory who is put in a position where he is forced to see and confront the worst secrets of everyone he meets. This is a great tool with which to tell a story, but can easily go over the top if not handled carefully. Fortunately, most of the book is done brilliantly. Unfortunately, there are a some places in which the book crosses the line from telling the story to abusing the powers it has given itself. This doesn't happen often, it doesn't happen badly, but it happens just enough to rip me out of the otherwise rather effective, and consistent, mood of the book.There are so many scenes and moments in this book that feel completely genuine in the way the convey shock and emotion, which is why it feels a little out of place when "cheap shots" are taken to add just a bit extra. The book doesn't need the overegging, and it feels wrong.The understated complexity of the story is also wonderful. There is always a little more to it than meets the eye. Nothing very big, but enough for the reader to pause and think back when a piece of the puzzle they didn't necessarily know existed is put in place. Unfortunately this is also slightly overplayed, and a few times I think the story goes just a little too far in making sure the reader has understood exactly what it is doing. Again, I think the story is solid enough that less would be more in some cases. That said, for a book in this genre Horns definitely has a layer of complexity to it which makes it stand out. Most of the time it does strike a balance perfectly: subtle enough not to distract, but present enough to really add a lot to the story.I'm not sure whether or not these are the reasons for the book never properly gripping me. I enjoyed it throughout, and it dragged me in, but never far enough for me to become truly engrossed in it. I'm not complaining, it's a great book, and while it's hard to pinpoint exactly what it lacks, I just feels that it lacks something.
    • 3/5
      It would've made a really, really excellent short story. It was good writing, it was just overly padded to make it novel-length. Or that's what it felt like. Although, it did make me tear up for a minute.
    • 4/5
      Ig Perrish is not having a good year. His beloved, Merrin Williams, was raped and murdered one year ago. Everyone, even his parents, believe that he is the murderer but not enough evidence existed to charge him. Now, he has awakened with horns growing out of his skull and possessing the power for those who encounter him to confess their deepest desires. Although I thought the Heart-Shaped was a better read, this book was a good read. As the son of Stephen King, it's nice that the acorn didn't fall from the oak tree. He is just as gifted as his father.
    • 3/5
      Ig Perrish awakens from a drunken night and finds he has grown horns. Not only that strange things start to happen. Joe Hill is Stephen Kings son so its no surprise that he writes horror. At times with this book I thought I coukd have been reading a Stephen King.This book stsrted of for me quite well snd I was really enjoying it. However it comes clear about 200 pages in who killed Merrin, Igs girlfriend, if the reader hasn't already guessed. So I did think how can a further 200 pages be filled. I struggled because I felt the story was covering old ground and became very repeatative. My second niggke which is not the authors fault is that the book is full of snakes. I have a real phobia of snakes and found I was swuirming while reading and have to admit to skipping big chunks because of my phobia.The story all came together and Merrins actions made sense with the revelation towards the end. The book was a lot better than what I thought it would be, but very overlong at times.
    • 3/5
      Two things prompted me to read this book:
      1. The synopsis: Guy wakes up one day with a terrrrrible hangover, can't remember what happened last night, and...woah! Are those HORNS growing out of the top of his head??
      With a plot set up like that, I'm thinking this is going to be the most hilarious 'horror' book evah...(not quite)

      2. Joe Hill is Stephen King's SON. And he's writing horror novels too? Is he as good as his dad? Is he any good? (def not as good as dad, but there is potential for him to get better!)


      As mentioned earlier, the plot REALLY drew me in. But then, there were many a times while reading that I felt it was really contrived/too cheesy at times. (Trying to make too many symbols, yes, symbolism rocks, but going overboard reminds me of my students trying to write them...)

      I don't feel I ever got a good answer about WHY the horns started growing (which is disappointing)...and the ending was....not what I felt it could have been.

      This was a great summer read (as in, it is not a textbook for class), but I do feel a bit disappointed in how the book played out. I think it could have been SO much more...

      I might be interested in Hill in a few years, after he's had more time to develop himself.
    • 5/5
      Amazing! This was so wonderfully told with several "ah-ha" moments. The imagery was incredible and it has an almost lyrical quality at times. The perfect read for this time of year (or listen, the audio book was read by Fred Berman - he did a smashing job). I definitely had to rethink the little devil that sits on our shoulders.
    • 5/5
      What would you do if you woke one morning to find you'd grown horns - and those horns came with powers you couldn't control? This is the dilemma Ignatius Perrish finds himself in. Horns opens with humor and, just when I thought the book was headed for a satirical look at horror, it took off like a high-speed rollercoaster.This book is impossible to classify into one genre. It's a paranormal thriller, with humor, suspense, mystery, some horror and even a touching romance. Joe Hill has a gift for storytelling. His writing uses imagery that gave me a vivid picture of the events. The characters are unique and well-developed, the plot an intricate web that doesn't completely reveal itself until the final pages. I loved everything about this book and can't wait for his next one.