Yikes! Five stars for fright

I bought this book for the concept: a dead man's suit that comes with a ghost. I figured it would be good and scary, and I wasn't wrong.

I read a lot of stories that I think are going to be scary, but then I'm disappointed when it turns out the monster really isn't much of a monster. But parts of Heart-Shaped Box scared me so much I could barely listen, even in a brightly-lit health club with dozens of other people there.

I won't describe any of those sections for fear of spoiling other readers' fun. Let's just say that some stuff happens that scares even the main character--a guy who owns a cookbook for cannibals.

Although this book is frightening, and a thriller, the writing doesn't suffer. All the characters had fully realized story arcs, even some of the minor ones who turned out later to be more important than they seemed at first.

I particularly liked the main character, Judas Coyne. Even though he has apparently been mean to others through some of his life, I found him fairly easy to sympathize with through most of the action. By the end of the book he'd won me over--I was cheering for his side all the way.

The production of the audiobook itself was good, too. The narrator did a fine job, even with voices for female characters, which is often hard for a guy. Between sections, there are a couple of musical breaks--the first one startled me, but only because I wasn't expecting it.

I definitely recommend this one for people who don't mind a good scare. I hope Joe Hill has some more on the way.

232 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Disturbing

Intricately written and extremely descriptive, this story leaves you wondering who the real victims/villains are...the roles are not clearly defined and each character crosses back and forth across the line of decency. Yet, it becomes fairly evident 'who's the evilest one of all' as the book progresses...but then what?

This book was clearly written by someone who knows his way around character development. My main criticism is that the reader was tediously slow in his reading and could have done more to act out the characters. I had to put my IPOD speed to "faster" just so I wouldn't give up because of the slow pace. Not sure if this was all the fault of the reader, but most of it probably was. It's well worth listening to, but at times will give you an uneasy feeling, so I'm not sure that I would put this book in my top 5 favs.

75 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Wtf is up with the crappy techno music between chapters?!

This isn’t my favorite Joe Hill book, but it’s pretty good. However there is this generic techno miso that intermittently pops up between some chapters. It is jarring and out of place. It really takes you out of the story, and makes the whole thing feel cheesy.

46 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Wonderful!

I can't remember when I have enjoyed a book as well as this one. The story is one that has left me with chills and the characters are not only entertaining but realistic. The reader is just outstanding and really pulls the listener into the story. I loved this book, would highly recommend.

44 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Nightmare in a suit

I could not put this one down. As good as NOS4A2 just not as freaky/creepy. This was a crazy, paranormal, mystery served with a little romance on the side. Joe Hill is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors because of his ability to keep a good steady pace along with original stories in each of his books.

Jude is a rock star that loves to collect macabre objects until one day when he purchases a Heart Shaped Box that sends his whole life into a tailspin. Unfortunately everyone in his life is drawn into his treacherous paranormal, nightmare that may just suck them all down the death road. Great, sinister, October read with believable characters and top notch narration.

41 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Spooky, Creepy, and Smart!

One word comes to mind after listening to Heart-Shaped Box.....TALENT! The book was extremely spooky and creepy. The characters are well written with depth. Had a hard time pausing the book, I did not want to leave the story or characters.

32 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Keep the lights on!

I bought the book because it was Joe Hill, who is Stephen King's son, and I was prepared to be disappointed. He has, after all, nearly impossible shoes to fill. But I wasn't disappointed!

I don't read much that really scares me, but this book was chilling. From the very first chapter, where an aging rockstar buys a ghost on a not-e-bay auction site, it simply doesn't stop. The characters of the book are believable and well-defined, and the plot is unpredictable.

31 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

A well-crafted thriller

I agree with those who have compared this book favorably with Stephen King's work. Hill does an excellent job of creating fully fleshed-out characters and a viscerally chilling narrative, using a very accessible prose. I didn't love the ending, and I thought the paranormal stuff verged on silly at times, but it's still a very entertaining read. Solid narration by Mr. Lang, too.

24 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Not scary.

Has Heart-Shaped Box turned you off from other books in this genre?

Maybe not from the genre, but certainly from the author.

Which scene was your favorite?

None.

Any additional comments?

I had read numerous reviews about this book to make sure I would not be wasting my money, but the reviews were misleading. This book was touted as being intensely frightening and scary, but it was neither. I found it boring and silly, not in the least bit terrifying. It felt more like a short story that was stretched much too far in order to make it into a novel. Incredibly boring and not worth my time.

23 personnes ont trouvé cela utile

Boring and tedious

I simply can't finish this book. It's dark and disturbing. But that's not the reason I can't finish it... It's because I'm about 1/3 of the way through and frankly I could care less about the protagonist. I'm sure as the story proceeds one might grow to care or at least become interested in Jude.

However I can't stick it out that long. The author/narrator reads like a reduced-speed automaton (which has been programmed to sound ominous) and the female characters all sound mentally challenged.

The narration, along with the boring protagonist, don't provide the motivation I need to muddle through this dark story.

The author is otherwise a talented writer. I wish his success with his next effort.

22 personnes ont trouvé cela utile