Monday, July 8, 2019

It Sucked the Energy Right Out of Me!

TITLE: NOS4A2
AUTHOR: Joe Hill
PUBLISHER: William Morrow
PUBLISHING DATE: April 30, 2013


FROM GOODREADS: Victoria McQueen has a secret gift for finding things: a misplaced bracelet, a missing photograph, answers to unanswerable questions. On her Raleigh Tuff Burner bike, she makes her way to a rickety covered bridge that, within moments, takes her wherever she needs to go, whether it’s across Massachusetts or across the country. 

Charles Talent Manx has a way with children. He likes to take them for rides in his 1938 Rolls-Royce Wraith with the NOS4A2 vanity plate. With his old car, he can slip right out of the everyday world, and onto the hidden roads that transport them to an astonishing – and terrifying – playground of amusements he calls “Christmasland.” 


Then, one day, Vic goes looking for trouble—and finds Manx. That was a lifetime ago. Now Vic, the only kid to ever escape Manx’s unmitigated evil, is all grown up and desperate to forget. But Charlie Manx never stopped thinking about Victoria McQueen. He’s on the road again and he’s picked up a new passenger: Vic’s own son. 



MY THOUGHTS: I'm pretty sure everyone has either heard about this book or read it, especially since AMC has recently released the tv series.  I have wanted to read it forever and even preordered a hardback when it was first announced.  However, I grabbed a mass market paperback a few months ago knowing I could lug it around better and hoping it would motivate me to finally read it.  And I guess it did.  Even though it took me 2 months to finish, it wasn't because I didn't enjoy the book.  I just had other reading commitments get in the way. 

As a child Vic McQueen found a way to travel within space to find lost things - a bracelet, a cat, and in the end, her sanity.  Along the path, she runs into Charlie Manx.  Manx also uses these endscapes to travel around in his Rolls Royce Wraith, but in order to do so, he needs children.  They can provide energy for him and in return, he takes the little monsters to a place called "Christmasland" where they can experience Christmas every day.

This is not the first Hill book I read and like the others, I really enjoyed it.  However, I found "NOS4A2" to read much like a Stephen King book and was actually surprised at all of the King references.  Especially since Hill has made it a point not to write under the King name.  The book spans quite a timeline and we see Vic as a child and also as a messed up adult with a family of her own.  I really liked Wayne, her son, and Lou his father - almost more than Vic herself.  Their parts in the book were some of my favorites.

My main issue with the book is that as a reader, we really don't get a big taste of Christmasland.  It isn't until the end that we arrive at the magical/terrifying destination and while Hill paints a wonderfully disturbing picture, I would have liked to see more of it.  Also, for an extremely long book, I think the ending was a tad rushed.  For those who have read it, you might understand the part I am referencing.  But overall  I am pleased with how the ending played out and am glad I to finally put Charlie Manx to rest.

RATING: 4 PAWS


20 comments:

  1. i have a book or two by joe hill and see his name around. i must move him up my reading list and find out what i am missing.
    sherry @ fundinmental

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    1. I would recommend Horns (despite the snakes) and Heart-Shaped Box before this one. I liked them both but on the who, all are pretty decent.

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  2. I am so curious about this Christmasland concept- I think I'd want more of that too! :)

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    1. It's sooo cool and we simply aren't there long enough in this book.

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  3. I really enjoyed the book. I'm glad you were able to read it finally! Have you watched the show?

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    1. Yes and while I'm enjoying it, once again I find myself saying the book is better. A friend of mine mentioned that some adaptations are different and manage to keep the essence of the book and I can see that in NOS4A2 so I'm trying to be more open-minded.

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  4. I've read a few books by Joe Hill but this is still by far my favorite of his so far. I can't wait to check out the show!

    ~Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum

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    1. I hope you like it. It is getting pretty positive hype.

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  5. It's these big books that scare me as a reader these days! I know it'll take a week or more to read them and it does put me off a bit! I'm also a bit unenthusiastic to read King and Hill at the moment but I do have a few I need to deal with!

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    1. I know. When I read them, I try to make myself read other things which stretch them out but at least helps me feel like I'm making progress.

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  6. This really was a monster of a book. I would have liked more of Christmasland as well. I am glad I was able to listen to this one because I think I was able get through it much quicker. Have you watched the show yet?

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    1. Yes. It's pretty good but I usually feel the book is better.

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  7. The ads for the show creep me the hell out! I think I might stick with that than the book int his case.

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    1. The actor playing Manx is doing a superb job!

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  8. <3 You should check out the graphic novel, Wraith, next! :)

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  9. I have to read this - I know that I'll like it but I must admit it kind of makes me hesitate seeing how long it took you - perhaps audio is the way forward for this one.
    Lynn :D

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    1. It really wasn't the book although there was a point where I felt it dragged a lot. I just was reading too many other books at the same time. I think the audio would be awesome.

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  10. I have seen this book mentioned all over the place, but I had no idea what it was about. Thanks for the heads up, I might like it. 👍✨

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    1. I think you would. It's a solid atmospheric horror and very King-like. In fact, I'm surprised at how many King references are in the book. Especially since he chose not to write under the King name.

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