Status
Available
Call number
Library's review
USA, ca 2010
Historien er opdelt i fem dele af hver 10 kapitler: "Helvede", "Kirsebær", "Ildprædikenen", "Fikseren", "Evangeliet ifølge Mick og Keith". Desuden er der en "Indrømmelser, noter, tilståelser" til sidst, hvor forfatteren takker sine hjælpere og forklarer lidt af de kunstneriske
Ignatius Martin Perrish - kaldet Ig - vågner op med tømmermænd en morgen og opdager at han har fået horn. Han går til lægen og opdager at folk har det med at betro ham deres inderste tanker og hvis han rører ved dem, så kender han dem allerede. Fx at lægen er så træt af patienter, fordi de altid kun bekymrer dem om sig selv og han vil egentlig hellere tage et fix end at skulle bøvle med dem. En anden nyttig oplysning fra lægens side er at man lægger mærke til Igs horn, men når man ser væk, så er man allerede ved at glemme dem igen. Næste! Tak!
Ig har også et andet problem. For et år siden blev hans kæreste Merrin Williams myrdet og han selv var mistænkt. Beviserne brændte og han kan derfor ikke bevise sin uskyld. Med hans nye horn er det også en lidelse at besøge familien. Moderen tror helt sikkert at han slog Merrin ihjel. Faderen er også sikker på hans skyld og har måske en finger med i at beviserne er brændt. Mormoderen sidder i kørestol, men da Ig rører ved hende, opdager han at det bare er fordi hun godt kan lide at blive vartet op. De lokale betjente Sturtz og Pasoda er henholdsvis bøssehader og homofil, men det ved Ig kun fordi de stoppede ham. Han opmuntrer dem begge to i deres overbevisninger og skynder sig væk. Den lokale præst siger også hvad han tænker og det er ikke rart, men Ig opdager at han ikke kan få folk til at gøre noget de ikke egentlig gerne vil. Fx kan han ikke få præsten til at begå selvmord, men han kan godt få den næstkommanderende i kirken, en kvinde, til at løbe med kassen.
Senere dukker broderen Terry - Terance - op og han fortæller modvilligt at han er bange for at fortælle Ig at deres fælles ven Lee Tourneau havde en finger med i Merrins død. Igs hovede er ved at eksplodere. For år tilbage reddede Lee hans liv, da han overmodigt havde taget en tur ned ad en skrænt i en kundevogn fra supermarkedet. Forresten også uden en trævl på kroppen og kun for at imponere en flok venner og så for at vinde en kanonslag. Senere byttede han kanonslaget med et guldkors, som Lee havde.repareret. Lee brugte kanonslaget til at sprænge et bilvrag i luften, men han fik selv en glassplint i øjet og blev halvblind på det øje. Politiet undersøger sagen og opdager at Lee har rapset en masse af de ting, han har. Så Lee bliver dømt til samfundstjeneste og gør en karriere ud af det, så han bliver ansat af den lokale kongresmedlem til at turnere rundt i kirker og fortælle hvorfor man skal stemme på ham. Guldkorset var anledningen til at Ig og Merrin begyndte at komme sammen, så Ig har dårlig samvittighed overfor Lee samtidig med at han er i den syvende himmel over at komme sammen med Merrin. De er sammen i lang tid, før Ig lander et job ved Amnesty International og skal flyve til London. Samme dag som han skal afsted foreslår Merrin ham at deres forhold skal være åbent mens han er væk og at det er fint hvis han får lidt erfaring. Han bliver sur og efterlader hende i regnen på parkeringspladsen ved restauranten. Næste dag bliver hun fundet dræbt.
Igs horn virker ikke på Lee, måske pgra hans dårlige venstre øje? Slanger begynder at følge efter Ig, hvilket han ikke er meget for. Han får også checket Terrys version af historien, som bekræfter at Lee er rigtigt dårligt selskab. Lee plantede beviser for at Terry var med i drabet og Terry har været meget tæt på at begå selvmord, fordi han ikke i længden kan leve med at dække over Lee.
Senere får Lee fat i Ig og tæver ham med en stor skruenøgle. Det lykkes dog Ig at få flået korset af Lee og så virker Igs horn faktisk på Lee, men meget for sent. Lee stopper Ig ind i Igs gamle bil, hælder benzin over og sætter en tændstik til. Bilen brænder eksplosivt og ryger ned i floden. Lee smutter, men går så glip af at se en slags genfødt Ig dukke op af vandet.
Lee har været pilrådden længe. Hans mor har alzheimers og han holder hende i live, men heller ikke mere. Leger med at slukke aircondition og vente længe med at give hende vand. Da hun endelig dør, bruger han det til at få lidt sympati hos Merrin. Måske har Lee altid været sådan, måske var det et hovedtraume som lille, der gjorde det?
Da Lee rørte ved Ig, kom historien om Merrins død også igennem. Lee havde helt misforstået hendes hensigter og hun ville ikke gå i seng med ham, men hellere dø og så opfyldte han hendes ønske ved at kvæle hende, slå hende i hovedet med en sten og kneppe med liget, da hun var død. Ig er ikke længere begejstret for Lee.
Ig møder tilfældigt Dale Williams, som var Merrins far og overbevist om at Ig dræbte Merrin. Ig og hans overnaturlige evner til at vide ting overbeviser dog Dale om at han ikke dræbte Merrin. Hjemme ved Dale finder Ig papirer, der viser at Merrin havde kræft. Samme slags brystkræft som slog søsteren Regan ihjel. Det forklarer også Merrins opførsel inden hun døde. Hun ville have Ig til at finde en anden og blive lykkelig, når hun selv var død og borte. Ig lokker Lee til at komme tilbage, men Terry dukker uventet op og de får en lang snak. Ig har måske et valg. Han kan være menneskelig og tilgive Lee, eller dæmonisk og hævne sig.
Både Lee og hans håndlanger Eric Hannity dukker op. Ig får en høtyv i Eric, som Lee til gengæld kommer til at ramme med en ladning fra et haglgevær. Eric dør og Ig bliver også skudt, så der til sidst kun mangler et nådeskud. I stedet dukker Terry op og det ender med at Lee bliver kvalt i en kvælerslange. Terry bliver til gengæld bidt af en klapperslange.
Ig redder ham og bliver genfødt i en ny gang ild, før han fortsætter op i den træhytte, han og Merrin engang fandt, men ikke kunne finde igen bagefter.
Terry og Glenna finder måske sammen og et eller andet sted er Ig og Merrin sikkert også sammen og lykkelige.
Historien er selvfølgelig noget pjat. Ig får overnaturlige evner, så han kan opklare og hævne kærestens død? Nå ja, det sker jo tit?
Eller måske er det bare en moderne mytologi, hvor høtyve, kanonslag, haglgeværer og benzinbrande har fået deres naturlige plads og det her er bare endnu en historie om kærligheden, der overvinder alt?
Oversættelsen er kun lige til bestået. Der er ikke oversat til dansk, men til oversat-dansk, fx "artistiske friheder i stedet for kunstneriske friheder". Det er kluntet at læse og en forhindring for at nyde historien uden filter.
Historien er opdelt i fem dele af hver 10 kapitler: "Helvede", "Kirsebær", "Ildprædikenen", "Fikseren", "Evangeliet ifølge Mick og Keith". Desuden er der en "Indrømmelser, noter, tilståelser" til sidst, hvor forfatteren takker sine hjælpere og forklarer lidt af de kunstneriske
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friheder, han har taget sig.Ignatius Martin Perrish - kaldet Ig - vågner op med tømmermænd en morgen og opdager at han har fået horn. Han går til lægen og opdager at folk har det med at betro ham deres inderste tanker og hvis han rører ved dem, så kender han dem allerede. Fx at lægen er så træt af patienter, fordi de altid kun bekymrer dem om sig selv og han vil egentlig hellere tage et fix end at skulle bøvle med dem. En anden nyttig oplysning fra lægens side er at man lægger mærke til Igs horn, men når man ser væk, så er man allerede ved at glemme dem igen. Næste! Tak!
Ig har også et andet problem. For et år siden blev hans kæreste Merrin Williams myrdet og han selv var mistænkt. Beviserne brændte og han kan derfor ikke bevise sin uskyld. Med hans nye horn er det også en lidelse at besøge familien. Moderen tror helt sikkert at han slog Merrin ihjel. Faderen er også sikker på hans skyld og har måske en finger med i at beviserne er brændt. Mormoderen sidder i kørestol, men da Ig rører ved hende, opdager han at det bare er fordi hun godt kan lide at blive vartet op. De lokale betjente Sturtz og Pasoda er henholdsvis bøssehader og homofil, men det ved Ig kun fordi de stoppede ham. Han opmuntrer dem begge to i deres overbevisninger og skynder sig væk. Den lokale præst siger også hvad han tænker og det er ikke rart, men Ig opdager at han ikke kan få folk til at gøre noget de ikke egentlig gerne vil. Fx kan han ikke få præsten til at begå selvmord, men han kan godt få den næstkommanderende i kirken, en kvinde, til at løbe med kassen.
Senere dukker broderen Terry - Terance - op og han fortæller modvilligt at han er bange for at fortælle Ig at deres fælles ven Lee Tourneau havde en finger med i Merrins død. Igs hovede er ved at eksplodere. For år tilbage reddede Lee hans liv, da han overmodigt havde taget en tur ned ad en skrænt i en kundevogn fra supermarkedet. Forresten også uden en trævl på kroppen og kun for at imponere en flok venner og så for at vinde en kanonslag. Senere byttede han kanonslaget med et guldkors, som Lee havde.repareret. Lee brugte kanonslaget til at sprænge et bilvrag i luften, men han fik selv en glassplint i øjet og blev halvblind på det øje. Politiet undersøger sagen og opdager at Lee har rapset en masse af de ting, han har. Så Lee bliver dømt til samfundstjeneste og gør en karriere ud af det, så han bliver ansat af den lokale kongresmedlem til at turnere rundt i kirker og fortælle hvorfor man skal stemme på ham. Guldkorset var anledningen til at Ig og Merrin begyndte at komme sammen, så Ig har dårlig samvittighed overfor Lee samtidig med at han er i den syvende himmel over at komme sammen med Merrin. De er sammen i lang tid, før Ig lander et job ved Amnesty International og skal flyve til London. Samme dag som han skal afsted foreslår Merrin ham at deres forhold skal være åbent mens han er væk og at det er fint hvis han får lidt erfaring. Han bliver sur og efterlader hende i regnen på parkeringspladsen ved restauranten. Næste dag bliver hun fundet dræbt.
Igs horn virker ikke på Lee, måske pgra hans dårlige venstre øje? Slanger begynder at følge efter Ig, hvilket han ikke er meget for. Han får også checket Terrys version af historien, som bekræfter at Lee er rigtigt dårligt selskab. Lee plantede beviser for at Terry var med i drabet og Terry har været meget tæt på at begå selvmord, fordi han ikke i længden kan leve med at dække over Lee.
Senere får Lee fat i Ig og tæver ham med en stor skruenøgle. Det lykkes dog Ig at få flået korset af Lee og så virker Igs horn faktisk på Lee, men meget for sent. Lee stopper Ig ind i Igs gamle bil, hælder benzin over og sætter en tændstik til. Bilen brænder eksplosivt og ryger ned i floden. Lee smutter, men går så glip af at se en slags genfødt Ig dukke op af vandet.
Lee har været pilrådden længe. Hans mor har alzheimers og han holder hende i live, men heller ikke mere. Leger med at slukke aircondition og vente længe med at give hende vand. Da hun endelig dør, bruger han det til at få lidt sympati hos Merrin. Måske har Lee altid været sådan, måske var det et hovedtraume som lille, der gjorde det?
Da Lee rørte ved Ig, kom historien om Merrins død også igennem. Lee havde helt misforstået hendes hensigter og hun ville ikke gå i seng med ham, men hellere dø og så opfyldte han hendes ønske ved at kvæle hende, slå hende i hovedet med en sten og kneppe med liget, da hun var død. Ig er ikke længere begejstret for Lee.
Ig møder tilfældigt Dale Williams, som var Merrins far og overbevist om at Ig dræbte Merrin. Ig og hans overnaturlige evner til at vide ting overbeviser dog Dale om at han ikke dræbte Merrin. Hjemme ved Dale finder Ig papirer, der viser at Merrin havde kræft. Samme slags brystkræft som slog søsteren Regan ihjel. Det forklarer også Merrins opførsel inden hun døde. Hun ville have Ig til at finde en anden og blive lykkelig, når hun selv var død og borte. Ig lokker Lee til at komme tilbage, men Terry dukker uventet op og de får en lang snak. Ig har måske et valg. Han kan være menneskelig og tilgive Lee, eller dæmonisk og hævne sig.
Både Lee og hans håndlanger Eric Hannity dukker op. Ig får en høtyv i Eric, som Lee til gengæld kommer til at ramme med en ladning fra et haglgevær. Eric dør og Ig bliver også skudt, så der til sidst kun mangler et nådeskud. I stedet dukker Terry op og det ender med at Lee bliver kvalt i en kvælerslange. Terry bliver til gengæld bidt af en klapperslange.
Ig redder ham og bliver genfødt i en ny gang ild, før han fortsætter op i den træhytte, han og Merrin engang fandt, men ikke kunne finde igen bagefter.
Terry og Glenna finder måske sammen og et eller andet sted er Ig og Merrin sikkert også sammen og lykkelige.
Historien er selvfølgelig noget pjat. Ig får overnaturlige evner, så han kan opklare og hævne kærestens død? Nå ja, det sker jo tit?
Eller måske er det bare en moderne mytologi, hvor høtyve, kanonslag, haglgeværer og benzinbrande har fået deres naturlige plads og det her er bare endnu en historie om kærligheden, der overvinder alt?
Oversættelsen er kun lige til bestået. Der er ikke oversat til dansk, men til oversat-dansk, fx "artistiske friheder i stedet for kunstneriske friheder". Det er kluntet at læse og en forhindring for at nyde historien uden filter.
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Genres
Publication
Kbh. : People's Press, 2011.
Description
After his childhood sweetheart is brutally killed and suspicion falls on him, Ig Parrish goes on a drinking binge and wakes up with horns on his head, hate in his heart, and an incredible new power which he uses in the name of vengeance.
Media reviews
Thoroughly enjoyable and often original... a richly nuanced story... fire and brimstone have rarely looked this good.
User reviews
LibraryThing member karieh
When I read Joe Hill’s first book, “Heart-Shaped Box”, there was a scene early on where the primary evil force appears for the first time…that scared me so much that I stopped right there and put the book away for a month or so. I went back to it then and read the rest of the novel,
“Horns” was like the reverse of “Heart-Shaped Box” for me. The greatest impact came not from the evil, but from the main character fighting that evil, both within and outside of himself. That’s not to say that Hill has lost his touch when it comes to nailing the description of those on the darker side of life.
“(he) didn’t smile. It was as if he didn’t know how. It was as if he’d put his face on for the first time that morning and didn’t know how to use it.”
The main character is Iggy Perrish…a man who wakes up one morning with horns growing out of his head. The kind of horns that come with a side of horror and a healthy dose of destructive power.
“He stood from the car, the sun behind him, his shadow three yards long, penciled on the dirt, a black-horned stick figure, the spurs of bone on his head pointing toward the red door of The Pit.”
Throughout the book, Iggy struggles with not only this physical manifestation of evil but with the pain, horror and loss he’s suffered in his own life. He learns too much about everyone he knows, and then is forced to decide what to do with that horrible knowledge…and which side of morality he wants to end up on.
“He felt he was being swept away, not just from his life but from God, the idea of God, or hope, or reason, the idea that things made sense, that cause followed effect, and it ought not to be like this, Ig felt, death ought not to be like this, even for sinners.”
This isn’t a simple “good vs. evil” story. Most of the evil is pretty easy to identify…but the good…is a bit trickier. I suppose it would be more accurate to describe it as a tale of “human vs. evil”. There is one main character that pretty firmly stands in the “good” category, but it’s not Iggy. Which, of course, makes him all the more interesting. What he’s done with his life, what choices he makes, what impulses he is unable to control, make this book feel like watching a tight rope walker. Or, to use a scene from the book, watching a young man walk along a rickety fence and anxiously wondering on which side he will fall.
Even having finished the book, I’m not sure I know the answer to that question.
There is great beauty in the book as well…whenever Iggy and the girl that he loves, Merrin, are together, or when he thinks of her. This love, while not perfect, shines through the shades of grey as a pure gold light and is wonderful to read about.
“Most of the best times of his life had happened in the Gremlin. He had loved Merrin here, had had all his happiest conversations with her here, and had held her hand on long drives in the dark, neither of them speaking, just enjoying a shared quiet.”
Iggy’s horns are tangible, he sees them and others feel the effects of them…but we all have them. Whether or not they are visible to the rest of the world; whether or not we choose to allow them to be a part of their lives and actions…that’s the human struggle we all face.
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enjoying the book overall, but that moment where Hill sneaks up on the reader and introduces the first hint of evil will stay with me for a long time.“Horns” was like the reverse of “Heart-Shaped Box” for me. The greatest impact came not from the evil, but from the main character fighting that evil, both within and outside of himself. That’s not to say that Hill has lost his touch when it comes to nailing the description of those on the darker side of life.
“(he) didn’t smile. It was as if he didn’t know how. It was as if he’d put his face on for the first time that morning and didn’t know how to use it.”
The main character is Iggy Perrish…a man who wakes up one morning with horns growing out of his head. The kind of horns that come with a side of horror and a healthy dose of destructive power.
“He stood from the car, the sun behind him, his shadow three yards long, penciled on the dirt, a black-horned stick figure, the spurs of bone on his head pointing toward the red door of The Pit.”
Throughout the book, Iggy struggles with not only this physical manifestation of evil but with the pain, horror and loss he’s suffered in his own life. He learns too much about everyone he knows, and then is forced to decide what to do with that horrible knowledge…and which side of morality he wants to end up on.
“He felt he was being swept away, not just from his life but from God, the idea of God, or hope, or reason, the idea that things made sense, that cause followed effect, and it ought not to be like this, Ig felt, death ought not to be like this, even for sinners.”
This isn’t a simple “good vs. evil” story. Most of the evil is pretty easy to identify…but the good…is a bit trickier. I suppose it would be more accurate to describe it as a tale of “human vs. evil”. There is one main character that pretty firmly stands in the “good” category, but it’s not Iggy. Which, of course, makes him all the more interesting. What he’s done with his life, what choices he makes, what impulses he is unable to control, make this book feel like watching a tight rope walker. Or, to use a scene from the book, watching a young man walk along a rickety fence and anxiously wondering on which side he will fall.
Even having finished the book, I’m not sure I know the answer to that question.
There is great beauty in the book as well…whenever Iggy and the girl that he loves, Merrin, are together, or when he thinks of her. This love, while not perfect, shines through the shades of grey as a pure gold light and is wonderful to read about.
“Most of the best times of his life had happened in the Gremlin. He had loved Merrin here, had had all his happiest conversations with her here, and had held her hand on long drives in the dark, neither of them speaking, just enjoying a shared quiet.”
Iggy’s horns are tangible, he sees them and others feel the effects of them…but we all have them. Whether or not they are visible to the rest of the world; whether or not we choose to allow them to be a part of their lives and actions…that’s the human struggle we all face.
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LibraryThing member allureofbooks
I'm really glad I picked this up. Horror isn't really my thing, or at least it hasn't been. Lately I've been delving into Stephen King, and I think the fact that I loved this book so much had a lot to do with that. I've been hearing a lot about Joe Hill lately because a few of my Goodreads friends
I picked it up and was immediately (and I mean from the first paragraph) hooked. One of the major plot questions is answered fairly early on, and let me tell you...that didn't slow down the pace of the story at all and usually that kind of thing bugs me. Since I knew the who...I wanted to know the why, and I raced through the book to find out. Along the way, I became more intimately aquainted with one chilling dude, and fell in love with Marrin. She was a peach. Ig, I'm sort of iffy about. He was a very interesting character to read about, don't get me wrong. I don't know if I've ever come across such a tortured character. Its just one of the first books I've read where the main character is more of a lesser of two evils then a good guy. It was interesting, I enjoyed the different perspective.
This baby has layers. Every time I got a little thrill from figuring something out, he would peel back another layer that would leave me filled with as many questions as ever. He never lets you get comfortable or quit guessing.
I'm sure a lot of people were put off by the constant changes of time, place and perspective. Not me. I thought it kept things interesting. I'm a big fan of the way he paced and organized everything.
So anyway, even if you don't think you're a horror fan...give this a shot. Anybody who enjoys the unraveling of a complex mystery and a layered story should easily fall in love with this one.
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recently formed a group to talk about his books. They invited me to it and I just though "eh. thanks but no thanks." Then one day I clicked the link to read the summary of Horns and thought "hey, cool cover!" Which, of course, being of the "ooo, shiny and pretty! must have it!" club, made me add it to my TBR.I picked it up and was immediately (and I mean from the first paragraph) hooked. One of the major plot questions is answered fairly early on, and let me tell you...that didn't slow down the pace of the story at all and usually that kind of thing bugs me. Since I knew the who...I wanted to know the why, and I raced through the book to find out. Along the way, I became more intimately aquainted with one chilling dude, and fell in love with Marrin. She was a peach. Ig, I'm sort of iffy about. He was a very interesting character to read about, don't get me wrong. I don't know if I've ever come across such a tortured character. Its just one of the first books I've read where the main character is more of a lesser of two evils then a good guy. It was interesting, I enjoyed the different perspective.
This baby has layers. Every time I got a little thrill from figuring something out, he would peel back another layer that would leave me filled with as many questions as ever. He never lets you get comfortable or quit guessing.
I'm sure a lot of people were put off by the constant changes of time, place and perspective. Not me. I thought it kept things interesting. I'm a big fan of the way he paced and organized everything.
So anyway, even if you don't think you're a horror fan...give this a shot. Anybody who enjoys the unraveling of a complex mystery and a layered story should easily fall in love with this one.
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LibraryThing member BookBindingBobby
I'm going to keep this short and sweet. Horns is the best novel, doubtless, that I have read in the past year. The characters are as alive as any I've ever encountered, and the story--while fun--is tragic, brutal, honest. Towards the end of the novel, I was moved to tears. Not what I expected from
Turning the last page, you will be left breathless, as well as speechless. Not only because Horns is a thrill-a-minute roller-coaster ride, but because it is a stunning novel of great humanity and truth. Five stars, and if I could give it a sixth, I would.
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a book about the Devil, but hey, this is the same man who wrote the past decade's quintessential collection of dark fiction, 20th Century Ghosts. Turning the last page, you will be left breathless, as well as speechless. Not only because Horns is a thrill-a-minute roller-coaster ride, but because it is a stunning novel of great humanity and truth. Five stars, and if I could give it a sixth, I would.
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LibraryThing member jonwwil
You want horror? Picture this: the love of your life has been raped and murdered. You were the only suspect in the crime, and although you weren't convicted, just about everyone around you thinks you're guilty. Then, all of a sudden, anyone you meet wants to spill their dark secrets to you, and if
That said, this book isn't all fire and ashes. Sure, a story in which the main character takes on the visage and some of the powers of the devil has to be pretty dark, and this is. But for all that, it's also filled with plenty of warmth and humor. It's got a little bit of everything.
This is a novel that read, to me, like a short story. It's so tightly written - you read something that seems like a throwaway element, only to have it come back in a big way later in the story. It's really well done in that regard. But I think the real strength of the story is in the characters, which are believable and well drawn. Hill has a real gift for flawed and/or rough-edged protagonists that turn out likable despite all that. Although the story develops in such a way that it's impossible to know where anyone stands until the very end. And that's a good thing.
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you actually touch them, those secrets just flood right into your head. All human contact is beyond your reach, and then you find out...well. That would be saying too much. Suffice it to say, although this book isn't scary in a conventional sense, there is horror aplenty.That said, this book isn't all fire and ashes. Sure, a story in which the main character takes on the visage and some of the powers of the devil has to be pretty dark, and this is. But for all that, it's also filled with plenty of warmth and humor. It's got a little bit of everything.
This is a novel that read, to me, like a short story. It's so tightly written - you read something that seems like a throwaway element, only to have it come back in a big way later in the story. It's really well done in that regard. But I think the real strength of the story is in the characters, which are believable and well drawn. Hill has a real gift for flawed and/or rough-edged protagonists that turn out likable despite all that. Although the story develops in such a way that it's impossible to know where anyone stands until the very end. And that's a good thing.
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LibraryThing member mmignano11
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
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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. Show Less
LibraryThing member NovelBookworm
I’m not the kind of person who gets deeply philosophical or who seeks deeper symbolism in a book. I suppose I’m too shallow, I just want to be entertained with a good story and maybe the occasional snicker….
But then, every once in a while, a writer like Joe Hill and a book like Horns sneaks
Is the book blasphemous? Ehh..probably, but it does make you think. What is evil? Is good ever really just evil disguised? And how often do we perceive of something being good that is really evil?
I still don’t know how Hill pulled it off, if I had to explain the book I’d be hard pressed to do have it make sense. But the author manages to tread that fine line between Wow! and Huh? quite nicely. His characterizations are strong, his protagonist earns our respect as well as our compassion, and his conflicts are convoluted and yet understandable.
Horns by Joe Hill, is a devilishly good read…(sorry—couldn’t resist--*Grin)
Review copy provided by Harper Collins
But then, every once in a while, a writer like Joe Hill and a book like Horns sneaks
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up on me, and smacks me upside the head. True to my shallow nature, I loved the book for the entertainment factor, but it also sucked me into some internal philosophical debate as well.Is the book blasphemous? Ehh..probably, but it does make you think. What is evil? Is good ever really just evil disguised? And how often do we perceive of something being good that is really evil?
I still don’t know how Hill pulled it off, if I had to explain the book I’d be hard pressed to do have it make sense. But the author manages to tread that fine line between Wow! and Huh? quite nicely. His characterizations are strong, his protagonist earns our respect as well as our compassion, and his conflicts are convoluted and yet understandable.
Horns by Joe Hill, is a devilishly good read…(sorry—couldn’t resist--*Grin)
Review copy provided by Harper Collins
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LibraryThing member Darcia
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
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.
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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.
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LibraryThing member fugitive
Fast paced? Check. Interesting characters? Check. Occasional quirky humor (including one really, awesome shaggy dog story pun)? Check. Horrific? Check.
For horror and fantasy aficionados, this is a must read. Joe Hill may, or may not, end up being a better writer than his father, but this book could
I don't want to give away much in a descriptive review, but do have to say that one character meets his demise in a way that had me crowing out loud at its absurdity, horror, and humor.
All in all, a downright FUN read.
For horror and fantasy aficionados, this is a must read. Joe Hill may, or may not, end up being a better writer than his father, but this book could
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support the "better" contention. Horns is an odd mix of pathos, humor, horror, love, and gentleness. If Stephen King and Neil Gaiman were fused together, they might have written this book.I don't want to give away much in a descriptive review, but do have to say that one character meets his demise in a way that had me crowing out loud at its absurdity, horror, and humor.
All in all, a downright FUN read.
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LibraryThing member BeckyGraham1016
Interesting premise, good characters, great mixture of humor and horror, but a disappointing ending. This would have been a great short story, or even a 300 pg novel - there was no need for it to be closer to 500 pages - but, that is exactly the reason I don't care for Stephen King (Joe Hill's
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Dad). Both authors are great story tellers, but they let the details overwhelm the story - a little history is nice, a few details are helpful, but with both authors I end up skipping several pages at a time and finding I haven't actually missed anything of import. If you like King, and you like the detailed writting and you want to know everything that has ever happened in a characters life - then I highly recomend this book. If not, I still recommend it, but just know what you're getting into. Show Less
LibraryThing member LiterateHousewife
You don't know the definition of a rough night until you wake up the next morning to find horns growing out of the sides of your head. Yes, those kinds of horns. Ignatius Perrish has had that kind of horrible night. He can't remember the details, but he can't part with the consequences. Horns, as
If you follow enough readers, you'll soon discover retweets containing something insightful or hilarious from @joe_hill. It was true for me. After enjoying those retweets for so long it finally occurred to me (duh!) to follow him myself this year and have been retweeting him myself pretty regularly. Not long after I started following him, he began tweeting about the bookplates he was hand drawing for those who pre-ordered the paperback edition of Horns, which came out the middle of March. I immediately pre-ordered my copy and got on the list. Thus began my introduction to the work of Joe Hill.
To be honest, I was more excited about having something hand drawn by one of my favorite tweeps (who just happens to be Stephen King's son) than I was about reading the book. After all, I don’t read a huge amount of horror even though I have spooky fun memories of reading his father’s novels in high school. The night the book arrived, though, I started reading it immediately. I couldn't help myself. Almost immediately I had flashbacks to the day I road my bike to the library, checked out Misery and read it through the night in a single sitting. I have far too many responsibilities now to do that, but the feeling I got from Horns was very similar. I was drawn in immediately to Ig's world. Never before have I felt anything but fear mixed with contempt for Satan. Now, there will always be empathy because all is never what it might seem.
There is so much that I enjoyed about Horns, but it wasn't simply a fun horror novel with gorgeous black humor. It explores what you really know about those you love, the cost of revenge and the true definition of evil. I couldn't imagine what it must have felt like to hear your family and friends compulsively tell you what they truly think of you. Likewise, every time someone emptied the blackest regions of their soul to Ig, it made me feel sick to my stomach - not so much for what they revealed, but thinking about what I might confess myself. Hidden thoughts, feelings and actions have a dark side, but it's in the not knowing that love exists most openly and truly.
Horns was the perfect book for me the day that it arrived. Incidentally, what made my reading that much more fun was the time of year in which it was released. It was so decadent to sympathize with the devil during Lent. Of course, I may end up going straight to hell as a result. Still, if Ig’s the man in charge down there, I'm sure to have a good time. Horns most definitely had its moments, but it isn't the type of horror that will make you jump at the tiniest unsuspected sounds. As the end drew near, I couldn't help but read it late into the night. I ended the book with a reading hangover that was rewarded with the arrival of the bookplate that I'd almost forgotten about. Funny how a good book can change your priorities.
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you might guess, are difficult to hide. Ig had no idea what to expect when he encountered others. What he found is that people don't see the horns so much as they recognize him as the devil. While he might have the power to discover every one's deepest desire and darkest sin, people can't lie to him. More specifically, people can't lie to him about how they feel about Ig as a person. But Ig's not one to dwell overlong on the negative. What he really wants to do is find out who really killed Merrin, his high school sweetheart. While almost everyone believes he's the person who raped and brutally murdered her, he now has what he needs to exact revenge on the evil beast who ruined his life.If you follow enough readers, you'll soon discover retweets containing something insightful or hilarious from @joe_hill. It was true for me. After enjoying those retweets for so long it finally occurred to me (duh!) to follow him myself this year and have been retweeting him myself pretty regularly. Not long after I started following him, he began tweeting about the bookplates he was hand drawing for those who pre-ordered the paperback edition of Horns, which came out the middle of March. I immediately pre-ordered my copy and got on the list. Thus began my introduction to the work of Joe Hill.
To be honest, I was more excited about having something hand drawn by one of my favorite tweeps (who just happens to be Stephen King's son) than I was about reading the book. After all, I don’t read a huge amount of horror even though I have spooky fun memories of reading his father’s novels in high school. The night the book arrived, though, I started reading it immediately. I couldn't help myself. Almost immediately I had flashbacks to the day I road my bike to the library, checked out Misery and read it through the night in a single sitting. I have far too many responsibilities now to do that, but the feeling I got from Horns was very similar. I was drawn in immediately to Ig's world. Never before have I felt anything but fear mixed with contempt for Satan. Now, there will always be empathy because all is never what it might seem.
There is so much that I enjoyed about Horns, but it wasn't simply a fun horror novel with gorgeous black humor. It explores what you really know about those you love, the cost of revenge and the true definition of evil. I couldn't imagine what it must have felt like to hear your family and friends compulsively tell you what they truly think of you. Likewise, every time someone emptied the blackest regions of their soul to Ig, it made me feel sick to my stomach - not so much for what they revealed, but thinking about what I might confess myself. Hidden thoughts, feelings and actions have a dark side, but it's in the not knowing that love exists most openly and truly.
Horns was the perfect book for me the day that it arrived. Incidentally, what made my reading that much more fun was the time of year in which it was released. It was so decadent to sympathize with the devil during Lent. Of course, I may end up going straight to hell as a result. Still, if Ig’s the man in charge down there, I'm sure to have a good time. Horns most definitely had its moments, but it isn't the type of horror that will make you jump at the tiniest unsuspected sounds. As the end drew near, I couldn't help but read it late into the night. I ended the book with a reading hangover that was rewarded with the arrival of the bookplate that I'd almost forgotten about. Funny how a good book can change your priorities.
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LibraryThing member m4marya
I am always intrigued when the devil is presented in a different manner, in a way that is not evil. Horns tells the tale of man who has evil occur in his life, his life about to crumble to pieces ends up becoming the very vision of evil. Hill does a wonderful job of showing the world all the
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shortcomings, weaknesses, and insecurities that we hold within us. He does this in a way that makes the horrible things that we sometimes do laughable, sad, and pitiable. I fell in love with Hill's work with Heart-shaped box, and once again, I am happily contented with having read a works that shows all our nasty bits, but made me laugh all along the way. Show Less
LibraryThing member Copperskye
Excellent! Great horror story, wonderfully developed characters, tightly constructed, sometimes humorous, always horrific. And it’s also, surprisingly, a love story. I did not want to put this one down.
Ig Perrish, who is under popular suspicion for the rape and murder a year ago of his
This book is not for everyone, though. It is a horror story after all. Those easily offended or squeamish won’t like it. Horns is every bit as good, if not better than his first novel, Heart-Shaped Box. And it’s very good news for horror fans to find that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I can only hope that Joe Hill is as prolific as his father.
Ig Perrish, who is under popular suspicion for the rape and murder a year ago of his
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girlfriend but was let go for lack of evidence, wakes one morning with a terrible hangover and no memory of the night before. He also has horns growing out of his head. Things go steadily downhill (or is it uphill for Ig?) from there.This book is not for everyone, though. It is a horror story after all. Those easily offended or squeamish won’t like it. Horns is every bit as good, if not better than his first novel, Heart-Shaped Box. And it’s very good news for horror fans to find that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I can only hope that Joe Hill is as prolific as his father.
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LibraryThing member jmchshannon
For those readers who enjoyed Joe Hill's Heart-Shaped Box, Horns is just as enjoyable, although it evokes an entirely different form of fear than his first novel. Make no mistake, it remains an intense psychological thriller, but the ghosts going bump in the night are different, more realistic and
Make no mistake, Ig is not presented in the most sympathetic of lights. Yet, given everything he has faced and everything he discovers, the reader cannot help but cheer him on as he discovers his strength of character and finally faces his torturers. For, tortured Ig definitely is. He not only faces the withdrawal of friends and family members, he faces his own self-disgust at his own inaction after Merrin's death.
In a cruel twist of fate, Ig's new horns and attached powers inform Ig that he is not the only one suffering on the inside. Everyone has a demon or two (or three) inside that s/he keeps hidden or negates through self-control. Frankly put, one never knows what is truly going on inside someone else. The question then remains, just what is supposed to happen if or when those secrets are learned by someone else?
Ig's fall from grace, if you will, presents an intense theological debate on suffering and the different degrees and/or forms of evil. Does one's thoughts make them evil? If a person never acts on evil intentions, does that make him or her evil by default? Why does a Higher Power, no matter what form it takes, allow us to suffer such depths of despair? Questions of this ilk abound throughout the novel, with Mr. Hill presenting his opinions while leaving room for each reader to form his or her own.
As Ig discovers through the learning curve associated with using his new powers, what happens when one discovers a person's true nature? Horns is a fascinating answer to that question, while raising many additional questions the reader must answer. The result is a novel that scares with the possibilities of truth rather than from spooky creatures or other, more conventional scare tactics.
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frankly, more interesting than scary. Rather than facing murderous ghosts, this time around the bad guys are more mental, more personal.Make no mistake, Ig is not presented in the most sympathetic of lights. Yet, given everything he has faced and everything he discovers, the reader cannot help but cheer him on as he discovers his strength of character and finally faces his torturers. For, tortured Ig definitely is. He not only faces the withdrawal of friends and family members, he faces his own self-disgust at his own inaction after Merrin's death.
In a cruel twist of fate, Ig's new horns and attached powers inform Ig that he is not the only one suffering on the inside. Everyone has a demon or two (or three) inside that s/he keeps hidden or negates through self-control. Frankly put, one never knows what is truly going on inside someone else. The question then remains, just what is supposed to happen if or when those secrets are learned by someone else?
Ig's fall from grace, if you will, presents an intense theological debate on suffering and the different degrees and/or forms of evil. Does one's thoughts make them evil? If a person never acts on evil intentions, does that make him or her evil by default? Why does a Higher Power, no matter what form it takes, allow us to suffer such depths of despair? Questions of this ilk abound throughout the novel, with Mr. Hill presenting his opinions while leaving room for each reader to form his or her own.
As Ig discovers through the learning curve associated with using his new powers, what happens when one discovers a person's true nature? Horns is a fascinating answer to that question, while raising many additional questions the reader must answer. The result is a novel that scares with the possibilities of truth rather than from spooky creatures or other, more conventional scare tactics.
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LibraryThing member tammydotts
The title of Joe Hill’s second novel encapsulates the problem facing its main character – Horns. Ignatius “Ig” Perrish wakes up after a hard night of drinking brought on by the one-year anniversary of his girlfriend’s murder. He may not have his memories of the previous night, but he does
He has the ability to make people around him disclose their innermost thoughts, sinful fantasies and confessions of past and planned crimes. If he touches someone, he sees their sinful pasts. If he thinks about it, he can make them act on their worst desires.
The first few people Ig listens in on confirm one of his worst fears. Everyone believes he’s guilty of murdering and raping his girlfriend, Merrin. Even the local priest isn’t immune to what Ig suspects is the horns’ Satanic influence. Nor are his parents who just wish Ig would go away. His brother, who hosts a late-night talk show, falls under the horns’ spell and tells Ig who really murdered Merrin. And all of this happens in the first fifth of the book.
In a typical horror novel, Ig would embark on a quest to rid himself of the horns and seek justice. But Hill isn’t a typical horror writer. Instead of rejecting the evil of the horns, Ig embraces it, finding it second nature to encourage people to act out their desires. Ig isn’t a hero in the conventional sense of the word.
It could be hard to root for him to succeed – usually a reader cheers for the characters fighting the devil – but traditional good and evil don’t apply here. Hill doesn’t take a black-and-white view of the world in Horns; it’s grey streaked with darks and lights. Perhaps the question underlying the novel’s events is whether evil is necessary.
Where Hill hits his stride is in the extended flashbacks to younger versions of the main characters. The novel becomes a coming-of-age story where teenagers do stupid teenage things that create bonds between them lasting well into adulthood. The allure of cherry bombs (made before child protection laws) sets off a chain of events that introduces Ig to Lee, who becomes his best friend and the third player in the Ig-Merrin relationship.
Lee has his own issues to deal with as an adult, and the clichés a lesser author might trot out never come to pass. The characters are complicated and fully realized. Even minor characters enter with a full history. The reader has the impression Hill knows all of his characters down to what brand of toothpaste they use. Hill’s talented so he doesn’t feel the need to put everything he knows about the character down on the page. It’s enough that he knows and uses that knowledge to inform the choices the characters make.
The novel holds more than well-drawn characters. Hill writes exciting action sequences that send the reader along with Ig on his journeys down the Evel Knievel trail. It is all too easy to immerse yourself into the novel – seeing a cherry tree and hearing a trumpet play – and devour the book in one sitting.
The flashbacks can hold more attraction than the present-day pieces, but that may be because they tell the story of before Ig’s life fell apart. As the horns become more important to who Ig is (and snakes begin to follow him), the reader starts to look for signs Ig will find a way out, that good will prevail and innocence will take the day. These things happen … and they don’t. Not all questions are answered by the last page. And the ones that are don’t come with a nicely tied ribbon on top.
It’s inevitable that Horns will be compared with Hill’s first novel, Heart-shaped Box. Whether one is better than the other is a matter of personal taste. The two novels are different enough, with Horns coming off as a little more fantastical and requiring a little more suspension of disbelief. Regardless, Horns is an enjoyable read that leaves you anxious for another book from Hill.
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have horns. Actual, bony protuberances. A logical trip to the hospital finds the horns aren’t the only unusual thing about Ig.He has the ability to make people around him disclose their innermost thoughts, sinful fantasies and confessions of past and planned crimes. If he touches someone, he sees their sinful pasts. If he thinks about it, he can make them act on their worst desires.
The first few people Ig listens in on confirm one of his worst fears. Everyone believes he’s guilty of murdering and raping his girlfriend, Merrin. Even the local priest isn’t immune to what Ig suspects is the horns’ Satanic influence. Nor are his parents who just wish Ig would go away. His brother, who hosts a late-night talk show, falls under the horns’ spell and tells Ig who really murdered Merrin. And all of this happens in the first fifth of the book.
In a typical horror novel, Ig would embark on a quest to rid himself of the horns and seek justice. But Hill isn’t a typical horror writer. Instead of rejecting the evil of the horns, Ig embraces it, finding it second nature to encourage people to act out their desires. Ig isn’t a hero in the conventional sense of the word.
It could be hard to root for him to succeed – usually a reader cheers for the characters fighting the devil – but traditional good and evil don’t apply here. Hill doesn’t take a black-and-white view of the world in Horns; it’s grey streaked with darks and lights. Perhaps the question underlying the novel’s events is whether evil is necessary.
Where Hill hits his stride is in the extended flashbacks to younger versions of the main characters. The novel becomes a coming-of-age story where teenagers do stupid teenage things that create bonds between them lasting well into adulthood. The allure of cherry bombs (made before child protection laws) sets off a chain of events that introduces Ig to Lee, who becomes his best friend and the third player in the Ig-Merrin relationship.
Lee has his own issues to deal with as an adult, and the clichés a lesser author might trot out never come to pass. The characters are complicated and fully realized. Even minor characters enter with a full history. The reader has the impression Hill knows all of his characters down to what brand of toothpaste they use. Hill’s talented so he doesn’t feel the need to put everything he knows about the character down on the page. It’s enough that he knows and uses that knowledge to inform the choices the characters make.
The novel holds more than well-drawn characters. Hill writes exciting action sequences that send the reader along with Ig on his journeys down the Evel Knievel trail. It is all too easy to immerse yourself into the novel – seeing a cherry tree and hearing a trumpet play – and devour the book in one sitting.
The flashbacks can hold more attraction than the present-day pieces, but that may be because they tell the story of before Ig’s life fell apart. As the horns become more important to who Ig is (and snakes begin to follow him), the reader starts to look for signs Ig will find a way out, that good will prevail and innocence will take the day. These things happen … and they don’t. Not all questions are answered by the last page. And the ones that are don’t come with a nicely tied ribbon on top.
It’s inevitable that Horns will be compared with Hill’s first novel, Heart-shaped Box. Whether one is better than the other is a matter of personal taste. The two novels are different enough, with Horns coming off as a little more fantastical and requiring a little more suspension of disbelief. Regardless, Horns is an enjoyable read that leaves you anxious for another book from Hill.
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LibraryThing member steadfastreader
Boom! Last book of 2011. 55 for the YEAR!
It was absolutely fantastic. It presents an idea of what becoming a devil might be like. Not necessarily an 'easy' read, but enjoyable and propelling nonetheless. What I find fascinating about Hill's novels is that they always depict (the two [including this
Hill is a writing force of his own. Extremely distinct from his father.
Definitely should be a to-read.
It was absolutely fantastic. It presents an idea of what becoming a devil might be like. Not necessarily an 'easy' read, but enjoyable and propelling nonetheless. What I find fascinating about Hill's novels is that they always depict (the two [including this
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one] that I've read) depict a protagonist that comes from money. At first I thought that Ig was trailer trash. He was not in the least, though Lee still came off as that. Anyway. Great. Excellent. Hill is a writing force of his own. Extremely distinct from his father.
Definitely should be a to-read.
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LibraryThing member kaonevar
This was an excellent read. I will go so far as to say that the son surpasses the father in regards to storytelling and character development. At least these days, anyway. (Don't get me wrong, old school Stephen King is amazing. I just haven't been all that impressed by his novels since the
The character development was very well done. I loved reading about the change to something not-quite-so-nice and then to see yet another change at the end. Excellent.
While I enjoyed it, it isn't the happiest of books. What happened to Merrin was horrific, and honestly, I wanted the antagonist to be tortured to death in quite a number of slow and painful ways. The details of the plot are woven well enough to be quite realistic---realistic enough that I could believe our main character's changes.
If you like thriller, you'll love it. Just be aware that it's intense. Trigger warning indeed for rape/abuse victims.
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90's.)The character development was very well done. I loved reading about the change to something not-quite-so-nice and then to see yet another change at the end. Excellent.
While I enjoyed it, it isn't the happiest of books. What happened to Merrin was horrific, and honestly, I wanted the antagonist to be tortured to death in quite a number of slow and painful ways. The details of the plot are woven well enough to be quite realistic---realistic enough that I could believe our main character's changes.
If you like thriller, you'll love it. Just be aware that it's intense. Trigger warning indeed for rape/abuse victims.
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LibraryThing member FremdeB
very good read! i kept thinking of gregor samsa..
LibraryThing member sensitivemuse
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
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.
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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.
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LibraryThing member ConnieJo
This was GREAT. The movie tie-in cover intrigued me, but the plot summary on the back wasn't selling it. Man wakes up one day with demonic powers he uses to avenge his dead girlfriend? Naaah.
Except Horns is way better than that. I'm a sucker for tricky narrative devices, and Horns uses them very,
The demon aspect is almost silly, but the story wouldn't have worked any other way. The only other mis-step was when brain damage was used to explain psychopathic behavior. I always find a knock on the head to be a too-convenient excuse for something that doesn't really need a reason to happen.
Otherwise, it was brilliant. The reveal at the end that proved the event to be a blessing, the wonderful way we just didn't get all the details until the finale, everything just fit into place so well.
I'd previously read Joe Hill's short story collection 20th Century Ghosts and loved it, and I was wavering between this and Heart-Shaped Box as a foray into his novels. Neither sounded interesting, but Horns was so good that I'm likely going to read all his novels from now on.
Except Horns is way better than that. I'm a sucker for tricky narrative devices, and Horns uses them very,
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very well. Ig starts out as a bottomed-out loser who seems like the type who maybe killed his girlfriend. As the pieces fall into place, and we learn more and more about him through the eyes of the other characters, he gains an almost saintly standing as his demonic powers develop towards the end of the book.The demon aspect is almost silly, but the story wouldn't have worked any other way. The only other mis-step was when brain damage was used to explain psychopathic behavior. I always find a knock on the head to be a too-convenient excuse for something that doesn't really need a reason to happen.
Otherwise, it was brilliant. The reveal at the end that proved the event to be a blessing, the wonderful way we just didn't get all the details until the finale, everything just fit into place so well.
I'd previously read Joe Hill's short story collection 20th Century Ghosts and loved it, and I was wavering between this and Heart-Shaped Box as a foray into his novels. Neither sounded interesting, but Horns was so good that I'm likely going to read all his novels from now on.
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LibraryThing member poetontheone
Part murder mystery and part romance that wades into debates of theology and morality. This is a mutifaeted novel that does what the best genre fiction does, which is push against genre. Despite his comfortable upbringing, Ig really goes through hell (pun intended) and you root for him the whole
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way, perhaps with some reservations as a good dose of moral ambiguity is thrown in. There aren't really any static , cut and dry characters here. Everybody changes or reveals themselves in different ways, which is a hallmark of great storytelling. I have to say that I aborted attempts to finish three or four Stephen King novels over the years for whatever reason. Joe Hill, though similarly attuned to details, writes in a different way about different characters. The comparisons to his dad are too lazy. If you like genre fiction that pushes against genre, or even if you're more or a literary snob like me, give this a chance. Show Less
LibraryThing member melydia
Ig wakes up one morning, hungover and with no memory of the previous night’s activities, to find he has grown horns on his head. Even more disturbing, everyone he meets starts confessing their most horrible deeds and desires to him. He remains the only suspect in the rape and murder of his
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girlfriend, Merrin, a year prior, so many of these confessions include people’s belief in his guilt. Ig’s brother Terry is a famous trumpet player with a late-night variety show; his best friend Lee is a bit of a weirdo who works for a local politician; his new sort-of-girlfriend Glenna is a good-hearted girl who is pitifully desperate for love. The story of Ig’s search for Merrin’s real killer is interlaced with flashbacks of high school events when his relationships with her and Lee began. Though there are some undeniably horrifying moments and this book is certainly not for the squeamish, nothing ever felt gratuitous. I felt a surprising affection for Ig and Terry; there were parts during the last few chapters when I was smiling through tears. Definitely recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member revslick
Joe Hill (son of King) is on his way to being a great supernatural writer as long as he can conquer the curse handed down from his father. The novel itself contains a little supernatural thriller, a little romance, and a lot of mystery. Unfortunately, he can't hold the tensions together which
In this regard he follows his father's curse of having a, great beginning, decent middle, and a lackluster ending.
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blends the three together like a bad cocktail. In this regard he follows his father's curse of having a, great beginning, decent middle, and a lackluster ending.
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LibraryThing member ahappybooker
Containing one of the most original and intriguing premises I've ever read, Horns is a highly unusual book that explores the grey areas of good and evil using a mix of dark humor, the supernatural, and stark reality. It examines the ugly underbelly of human nature and forces us to consider our own
After a night of drunken debauchery, Ignatius Perrish wakes up to find that he has grown horns on his head. You would think that this would be fairly alarming for the people that see him, but one of the unusual powers these horns seem to possess is that of being overlooked or quickly forgotten by people. The more disturbing effect of these horns is that people who are within their range have the uncontrollable urge to confess their deepest darkest thoughts and wishes to Ignatius. This can be particularly problematic for Ignatius since most of these people believe he murdered his popular girlfriend and they generally do not think very nice thoughts about him nor do they wish him well. He explores the many facets to his newly acquired horns and discovers he can use them to not only find out what people really think, but also make suggestions that they are likely to act upon. Too bad about that free will thing, he can't seem to force people to do his bidding, only if its something they subconsciously want for themselves can he push them in any certain direction. He decides to use these powers to discover who really murdered the girlfriend who he loved more than anything. But what will he do when he finds the answers?
Most of the characters are highly unlikable but the story itself is compelling. The one thing that detracted from the book was the uneven pacing. While some of the book was edge of your seat exciting, other chapters crawled along at a snails pace. There were many times when I wondered where the author was going with the story as it seemed he was going off into areas that had nothing to do with the plot, but all the pieces fell into place by the end. With a writing style and creative subject matter that is reminiscent of his famous father as well as authors like Clive Barker, Joe Hill is definitely an author to watch out for. With his macabre sense of humor and perceptive notions of the darker aspects of the human personality, I’m sure there will be more darkly delightful books from this author.
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personal demons. Horns was almost sinfully enjoyable and and a delightful guilty pleasure to read.After a night of drunken debauchery, Ignatius Perrish wakes up to find that he has grown horns on his head. You would think that this would be fairly alarming for the people that see him, but one of the unusual powers these horns seem to possess is that of being overlooked or quickly forgotten by people. The more disturbing effect of these horns is that people who are within their range have the uncontrollable urge to confess their deepest darkest thoughts and wishes to Ignatius. This can be particularly problematic for Ignatius since most of these people believe he murdered his popular girlfriend and they generally do not think very nice thoughts about him nor do they wish him well. He explores the many facets to his newly acquired horns and discovers he can use them to not only find out what people really think, but also make suggestions that they are likely to act upon. Too bad about that free will thing, he can't seem to force people to do his bidding, only if its something they subconsciously want for themselves can he push them in any certain direction. He decides to use these powers to discover who really murdered the girlfriend who he loved more than anything. But what will he do when he finds the answers?
Most of the characters are highly unlikable but the story itself is compelling. The one thing that detracted from the book was the uneven pacing. While some of the book was edge of your seat exciting, other chapters crawled along at a snails pace. There were many times when I wondered where the author was going with the story as it seemed he was going off into areas that had nothing to do with the plot, but all the pieces fell into place by the end. With a writing style and creative subject matter that is reminiscent of his famous father as well as authors like Clive Barker, Joe Hill is definitely an author to watch out for. With his macabre sense of humor and perceptive notions of the darker aspects of the human personality, I’m sure there will be more darkly delightful books from this author.
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LibraryThing member GRgenius
***WARNING: This book is not intended for young readers. Adult audiences recommended due to language, and content. Readers, you’ve been warned.***
I admit it, when I started reading this one I wasn’t completely taken in by it as I usually am… or at least not in the same way. It’s not that
Ig wasn’t always a bad guy; in fact he was rather good hard as that may be to believe. You can see the murder of his long time girlfriend acting as the hinge that came undone, but only if you take the stand that he internalized his feelings of guilt towards what happened…or rather what didn’t because his brain is playing hide-and-seek with that information. And that my friend is just the beginning of the “sticky” part…
There is a place mentioned that he and his gal dub the “Tree House of the Mind”. It’s an actual tree house that I can only liken to the Room of Requirement in Harry Potter, you know, it appears only when it’s actually needed, though this couples “use” of it was far less studious. The events that occur in his youth regarding this tree house circle back to him towards the end of the book, almost like an intensely real moment of déjà vu. I don’t want to ruin the surprise for anyone, but it left me a bit befuddled.
I did find that underneath the hardcore creepiness seeping off the pages, the mystery and how the truth was uncovered was really GOOD. We live through Ig’s past to get a sense of who he is. We’re welcomed into his present as the pieces slowly fit together to form the bigger picture not completely anticipated though vaguely revealed in a general sense early on due to the penchant for revealing hard truths and desires that his newly grown horns endows. We even get a glimpse of his future as it slithers closer and closer leaving no doubt what end he will choose (or will choose him) by the conclusion of the story. It’s quite the roller coaster but one well worth strapping in for.
It is what it is; a book dark and twisted around a plot perfect for adult readers and a story you won’t soon forget. The odd sense of humor grows on you...much like the horns on our old pal Ig, but with less permanent effects (so far at least). It boggles the mind to the point of “dear-goodness-why-did-I-start-reading-this-again” and brings you right back around to reveal that apparently, you were in the mood for something a bit out there and hey, you found what you sought. Happy reading...
I admit it, when I started reading this one I wasn’t completely taken in by it as I usually am… or at least not in the same way. It’s not that
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the writing isn’t good, because it is. It’s not that the story isn’t original, because unless there are two people running around with these ideas in their heads (scary thought) than it is. It’s the actual events in the story. They rank among that rare group of ideas that you find morbidly fascinating. It’s like one of those proverbial accidents waiting to happen that you can’t seem to look away from; those slow motion falls that you see coming but are somehow helpless to do anything about. That’s the meat and potatoes of this book…but the gravy bringing it all together is much deeper (and darker).Ig wasn’t always a bad guy; in fact he was rather good hard as that may be to believe. You can see the murder of his long time girlfriend acting as the hinge that came undone, but only if you take the stand that he internalized his feelings of guilt towards what happened…or rather what didn’t because his brain is playing hide-and-seek with that information. And that my friend is just the beginning of the “sticky” part…
There is a place mentioned that he and his gal dub the “Tree House of the Mind”. It’s an actual tree house that I can only liken to the Room of Requirement in Harry Potter, you know, it appears only when it’s actually needed, though this couples “use” of it was far less studious. The events that occur in his youth regarding this tree house circle back to him towards the end of the book, almost like an intensely real moment of déjà vu. I don’t want to ruin the surprise for anyone, but it left me a bit befuddled.
I did find that underneath the hardcore creepiness seeping off the pages, the mystery and how the truth was uncovered was really GOOD. We live through Ig’s past to get a sense of who he is. We’re welcomed into his present as the pieces slowly fit together to form the bigger picture not completely anticipated though vaguely revealed in a general sense early on due to the penchant for revealing hard truths and desires that his newly grown horns endows. We even get a glimpse of his future as it slithers closer and closer leaving no doubt what end he will choose (or will choose him) by the conclusion of the story. It’s quite the roller coaster but one well worth strapping in for.
It is what it is; a book dark and twisted around a plot perfect for adult readers and a story you won’t soon forget. The odd sense of humor grows on you...much like the horns on our old pal Ig, but with less permanent effects (so far at least). It boggles the mind to the point of “dear-goodness-why-did-I-start-reading-this-again” and brings you right back around to reveal that apparently, you were in the mood for something a bit out there and hey, you found what you sought. Happy reading...
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LibraryThing member SonicQuack
Horns is not strictly a horror novel. Hill blends comedy, horror and a melancholy love story with an expert hand - think Christopher Moore with horns. From a great premise the story quickly falls in to flashbacks, usually the touch of death as far as I am concerned. Thankfully Hill deftly creates a
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charming story of childhood days akin to those presented in Stand By Me, with very dark undercurrents, for we know that there is certain horror to be unleashed upon poor Merrin. Nothing short of rape and murder. As the story approaches it's fateful climax the abundance of flashback almost seems overwhelming, until it grabs your heartstrings and pulls heavily upon them. Hill has mixed the elements to perfection in Horns and hits home with a smile inducing, heart sinking tale of love and death. Show Less
Subjects
Awards
Bram Stoker Award (Nominee — Novel — 2010)
RUSA CODES Reading List (Shortlist — Horror — 2011)
Locus Recommended Reading (2010)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2010-02-16
Physical description
407 p.; 22 cm
ISBN
9788771080117
Local notes
Omslag: Rasmus Funder
Omslaget viser en rusten firtandet høfork på baggrund af en rødlig bræddevæg
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Oversat fra engelsk "Horns" af Thomas Krogsbøl
Oversættelsen er ikke god, se fx side 190.
Side 190: Men det halvblinde, venstre øje var åbent og stirrede efter Ig med en slags fremmedartet fascination.
Omslaget viser en rusten firtandet høfork på baggrund af en rødlig bræddevæg
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi
Oversat fra engelsk "Horns" af Thomas Krogsbøl
Oversættelsen er ikke god, se fx side 190.
Side 190: Men det halvblinde, venstre øje var åbent og stirrede efter Ig med en slags fremmedartet fascination.
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Pages
407
DDC/MDS
| 813.6 |