Joe Hill
Welcome to Christmasland!
When I heard Joe Hill had a new book coming out, I practically did cart-wheels and made sure to snag a copy of N0S4A2 (Nosforatu) right away. The book opens with a spooky feeling that is classic Hill.
The story is about a girl by the name of Vic McQueen and her Raleigh bicycle, which takes her down secret roads. She finds the Shorter Way Bridge: a cross-dimensional bridge that takes her to different places. All she has to do is think of them and ride across. Of course, not everything is sunshine and lollipops for Vic. Vic’s son Wayne is kidnapped by Charles Talent Manx the Third—a child murderer who takes his victims to Christmasland.
Christmasland. Manx’s slaughterhouse. Here the reader will find a macabre foundation for the supernatural events that take place in Hill’s novel: a maze of massive pines decorated with bloody ornaments, dead children with razor blades dripping with fresh gore, the kind Ed Gein would be proud of. Hill pumps out another gruesome, blood-thirsty boogeyman slinking around and laughing maniacally, one that even Freddy Krueger would be scared of.
Hill is a fantastic writer who uses every facet of craziness and morbidity he has. Throughout the book there are references to comic book superheroes (which scored high with this reader) and his writing style is similar to the one he uses in his graphic novel series Locke & Key. In N0S4A2 you will find the spot-on art work of Gabriel Rodriguez, who also works with Hill on L&K. Rodriguez adds a simple but much-needed artistic touch to the story of N0S4A2.
Wow, I mean Wow! Hill is creepy, sadistic, and sick. This is definitely not a book for grandma, unless grandma likes the horrific, gut-wrenching, morbid side of things. Then have at it! Not for the faint at heart. This book has completely ripped me apart and shoved me down a sewer grate with Hill’s father’s pal, Pennywise.
- Jason Pereira
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