(relatively) Recent Release Reviews: NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

When I first started this book I told myself, no matter what, I would not compare this book to a Stephen King novel.  Unfortunately after several references to Shawshank, IT, and the True Knot it was fairly obvious Hill wasn’t distancing himself from his father’s legacy, which made it impossible for me to do the same.

Oddly enough, I started reading NOS4A2 the same time I started reading Doctor Sleep and (while a review of Doctor Sleep is coming soon) I ended up putting The Shining sequel on the back burner because I was drawn into the world of Christmasland and didn’t want to leave to see what was going on with Danny Torrence and the True Knot.  In this particular instance of comparison, Hill has outdone his father with a book that not only stands on its own but seems to surpass the master of the genre, with a book that is a must read for horror fans.

Vic McQueen has special gift.  She can create inscapes, she can escape into a new world of her own creation and use it to find what’s been lost or what she needs.  Getting around in these inscapes is dangerous though, and  Vic runs into the master of inscapes Charles Manx, who brings children into the world of Christmasland where they never have to grow up…but they never get to be children again either.

Years later Manx is out for blood…and Vic’s son is on the top of the list for a trip to Christmasland.

Hill has created a fantastical world here.  A world where people can create worlds of their own if they’re just creative enough to get there.  With these worlds contrasted with the harsh reality of the adult (“real”) world Hill creates an almost believable reason for why Manx wants to take the children away.  He is a villain, and a type of vampire, but Hill leaves just enough doubt in your mind that you’re wondering whether or not there’s more to his story…

Hill has also done a fantastic job creating characters.  Vic is a bad ass heroine who is willing to move (or create) heaven and earth to save her son.  Manx is a villain that’s evil without remorse.  And the cast of characters that support them are so beautifully written and creatively damaged they feel real even though we know they only exist in Christmasland.  While the characters are fantastic the pacing was sometimes difficult to get through.  At almost 680 pages there are sections that drag, and drag.  With a universe this complex its easy to see why it needs he explanation, but it’s hard to keep a book of this length interesting all the time.  Know what you’re getting into before you start and you won’t be disappointed it.

Just like The Nightmare Before Christmas this is a holiday book that can’t quite decide what holiday it needs to celebrate.  The perfect read for Halloween to keep you scared of falling asleep, and the perfect read for Christmas to get you in the spirit and feeling grateful for the family you have.