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Joe Hill - Horns: October Horror Month 2014 Group Read


Athena

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For October Horror Month 2014, we're reading Horns by Joe Hill. Please post your thoughts on the book here. If you want to talk about spoilers, please use the [ spoiler ] [ / spoiler ] tags :). I've ordered my copy but it hasn't been sent yet, I hope it'll be here next week as I'm eager to start reading.

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Will post more tonight (at work at the moment), but the first thing that I noticed was the initials of the main character (IMP). It's the opening sentence.....do you think this was intentional, as in "the devil's imp"?

I don't know for sure but it sounds like it :).

 

I just logged into BD and saw my copy has been dispatched! I haven't yet received an email about it for some reason, but if all is well it'll hopefully be here next week :exc:.

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Will post more tonight (at work at the moment), but the first thing that I noticed was the initials of the main character (IMP). It's the opening sentence.....do you think this was intentional, as in "the devil's imp"?

Joe Hill has a sense of humor like his dad (King), so yes, I'd say it was intentional.

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So, I was searching my book shelf for something seasonal to read for October and came across this one hidden away at the back.  I believe it is one of O's books but I'm sure he won't mind me reading it.  Incredibly happy that I can read it and take part in the group read for Horror Month and it means I don't have to read IT by Stephen King, which I stupidly admitted to not reading or watching before. ;)

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Joe Hill has a sense of humor like his dad (King), so yes, I'd say it was intentional.

 

I'm starting to see that. I chuckled when Ig ate some devilled eggs and said that they were 666 times nicer than the boiled ones he was going to make. :giggle2:

 

I've noticed some similarities in their writing style, but I do wonder if I would still say that if I didn't know they were father and son.

 

I'm about 70% through it and enjoying it. I like how the story swaps between timelines, so you can see what happened with Ig and Merrin in the past and how it relates to what is happening now. I haven't been scared yet, although

reading about how Lee is misreading everything Merrin is saying is awfully creepy

.

 

I should be finished with it this weekend.

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Ok -  I finished is last night and I'm confused about the ending.

Did Ig die at the foundry, when he set himself on fire? What really was the Tree House of the Mind?

 

 

I have to say, I really enjoyed it. I loved the different perspectives of the story, and that you never really know the full story until the ending

Like the cancer being Merrin's reason for wanting to end things with Ig.

 

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Ok -  I finished is last night and I'm confused about the ending.

Did Ig die at the foundry, when he set himself on fire? What really was the Tree House of the Mind?

 

 

I have to say, I really enjoyed it. I loved the different perspectives of the story, and that you never really know the full story until the ending

Like the cancer being Merrin's reason for wanting to end things with Ig.

 

I enjoyed the last part too- About the ending, I think I will benefit from the re-read and I will be starting tomorrow, so I can discuss in a few days. But I'm glad you liked it :smile: I can't wait for the movie!  Daniel Radcliff is playing Ig!

Note for thread: If you have not finished this book- DO NOT watch the trailer for the movie.  It doesn't give away the end, but will be spoilerish.

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I'm currently on page 57 (chapter 8) and have noticed two things: one, the f-word is used more often than in most books I read, and two, sometimes American slang (?) is used (or expressions / words I don't know), though I can usually sort of make out what it means based on context.

 

I'm really enjoying the story so far though :).

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I'm about one third of the way through at the moment, I have arrived at 'The Fire Sermon' part of the book. I'm really enjoying the story, the only thing I'm liking less about the book (and why it's taking me longer to read it) is the American and English slang and references. It happens quite a bit that I come across words or expressions I haven't heard of before, some of which my boyfriend (he's British) doesn't know either. Sometimes I can guess from context but not always. It always pulls me out of the story when I don't know and can't guess. It's not the best book to be reading for a foreigner such as myself. But I am really enjoying the story though so it's definitely worth persevering.

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I've made a start on this today and I'm immediately drawn in by the conversational style of the book.  From the first page you are there in the story, no build up, or history, just bang, let's get on with it.  The back story just comes naturally as you read on.  I'm pretty sure I'll be finished with this one in no time, it's so easy to read.

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I've finished Horns! I really enjoyed the book. The only thing I struggled with, particularly in the beginning was the American and English slang and American references (okay, maybe that's two things..?). The second half of the book went by much more quickly for me than the first half. There were many unexpected plot twists that I thought were really good. It's maybe not the most 'horror'-ish book but I really enjoyed reading it.

 

I was very surprised that (only read the spoilers if you've read the book or don't care about being spoiled):

 

 

Merrin had cancer and that she loved Ig in the end. It was really sweet. I was also surprised by the whole thing in the tree house.

 

 

Like BB I'm also a bit confused about:

 

 

the exact ending and what happened in the tree house.

 

 

I thought that:

 

 

Lee was quite a disturbing character, yet very well written.

 

 

Aside from the slang I really liked the writing style. I also liked the characters.

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I've finished Horns! I really enjoyed the book. The only thing I struggled with, particularly in the beginning was the American and English slang and American references (okay, maybe that's two things..?). The second half of the book went by much more quickly for me than the first half. There were many unexpected plot twists that I thought were really good. It's maybe not the most 'horror'-ish book but I really enjoyed reading it.

 

 

I thought that:

 

 

Lee was quite a disturbing character, yet very well written.

 

 

Aside from the slang I really liked twriting style. I also liked the characters.

I'm so glad you liked it!  Like I said, some of or most of, the slang is strange slang.  People don't talk like that.  I kinda take it as that is what's in Joe Hill's head.  But it does flow, at least to me.  I guess it's a context thing for me.  As far as the ending, I know what you both mean.  But I am

 

Ok with books and movies with ending like that.

 

 

I will have to get there and analyze the ending lol

I love the way Joe Hill develops his characters and

 

From the first page you are there in the story, no build up, or history, just bang, let's get on with it.  The back story just comes naturally as you read on. 

*nods* exactly.  Heart Shaped Box is like that.  And NOS4A2's flows well too, it's some 600 pages, but they just fly by.  I found myself read- a- thon-ing it :P  :readingtwo:

I'm not very far in yet, but I think it will be a re read as quick as the original read!  I'm a tad stalled today, but should have time in the next couple of days.

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I finished this last night. On the whole I enjoyed it, but I found it a little dreary in places. I did like that it started with a bang and finished with a bang, but not so sure about most of what came in between . . . although I did enjoy some of the flashbacks that came towards the end. :)

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It's not really a book that I would classify as horror, and I don't recall being scared by it. Mind you, I don't know what genre it belongs to though. :dunno:

 

I know what you mean about it being a bit dreary - I mean, it was enjoyable while it lasted, but it's also quite forgettable.

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  • 1 month later...

I managed to finish this one just after Halloween but I still can't really say with any surety if I liked it or not.  I know I enjoyed the first half of the book but there came a point where it all just got a bit strange(er) and I'm not entirely sure I got what was going on.  Having read the other comments on here, I don't think I'm alone in this but when you're not entirely sure you've understood a book and what the author was intending to put across, it leaves you feeling a little underwhelmed. 

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