Review: Heart-Shaped Box

3 stars. I can see why this is so popular, and considered one of Hill's very best. It's hardcore horror with a lot of flavors: rock and roll, road trips, occult artifacts; along with bigger themes about abuse, justice, punishment, retribution, heaven and hell and all that fun stuff. Jude makes a helluva main character, full of rebellion and rage and a kind of a dark stubbornness that triggers - and resolves - the evil at the center of the story.

An aging rock star, Jude is tempted via the internet to "buy a ghost." He purchases a haunted suit for his collection of occult items, and haunted it turns out to be. As the spirit of his ex's stepfather (lol, it's complicated) makes his life a living hell, Jude is forced to make a journey: into the unknown, into the depths of his own trauma and psyche, into the past. He thrives in the dark, after all.

Technically, this is a wonderful book. It's well-written - better than NOS4A2, I think. I didn't find it to be particularly scary - Craddock is just a teensy-weensy bit too cartoonish for me (the tip of the hat, for ex), but I really, really loved him as a threat. He's a very classic, powerful, ghostly villain and I especially loved his introduction. I also enjoyed the references to heavy metal and the surprisingly unusual exploration of an aging rock star. Jude is adorably cliche and ugly and menacing with a solid core.

It really is a very, very fun story. I'm giving it 3 stars because I would've given it 4 and was forced to dock for not one but two UDDs. In fact, I basically skimmed 4 entire chapters because of it. I know, I know - it's my trigger, my problem. But this sort of thing just doesn't seem creative to me, anymore. It's trope-y and cheap.

I have no regrets. I read a lot of horror and I really respect this one - I call it great. A very hearty, tasty, classic-feeling snack. First read of 2023 down.

Heart-Shaped Box on: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Goodreads