Joint Review: NOS4A2 by Joe Hill

Author: Joe Hill
Publisher: William Morrow
Date of publication: April 2013

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.

For the first 2/3 of this book I was fairly happy with it.  It wasn't quite what I was expecting,but it wasn't too bad.  I'm a big fan of Joe Hill so I had high hopes for NOS4A2.    His prior books were unique from his dad's writing and hoped this book would continue in that trend.  However, this book could have been written by Stephen King and I wouldn't have been surprised.  So, I was a bit disappointed that Joe Hill lost a bit of his distinct voice.  The other thing that annoyed me about this book was the length.  I kept waiting for it to just be over with.  My bottom line is, while I've really liked Joe Hill books in the past, this one wasn't my favorite.

I have to agree with Autumn.  It felt like I was reading a Stephen King novel at times.  I did enjoy the book, however.  I thought the story was pretty unique.  I liked to concept of the inner world and having a way to cross over.  The characters were great.  I loved Vic and how she was so far from perfect.  I think Lou was my favorite though.  The scenes in Christmas Land were pretty frightening. Not one I would want to see on the big screen.  One side note, for fans of Stephen King novels.  Try to see how many references to his father's books that the author throws in the mix.  It was kind of neat to pick them out.  One thing to note, this book is LONG!  But worth the journey.