Thu. Apr 3rd, 2025
NOS4A2 by Joe HillNOS4A2 by Joe Hill
Also by this author: Welcome to Lovecraft, Heart-Shaped Box
Published by HarperCollins on April 30, 2012
Genres: Horror
Pages: 720
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased

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Joe Hill, the acclaimed, award-winning author of the New York Times bestsellers Heart-Shaped Box and Horns, plunges you into the dark side of imagination with a thrilling novel of supernatural suspense that will have you flinching at shadows and checking the rearview mirror again and again. . . .NOS4A2Don't slow downVictoria McQueen has an uncanny ...

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It may not be Friday, but I couldn’t think of a better way to start December than a Flashback Friday review of NOS4A2. Since I’m impatient it’s going up on a Monday.

Imagine a bridge that could magically take you to where you need to be, even when you don’t even know where that is. Imagine being a young girl with the freedom to ride her bike and wind up wherever. Imagine the reality for this girl, wondering if these things happened as she remembered or if she is losing her mind. Hill’s strength in writing is in his characters, in his ability to draw emotions from the reader and his ability to create atmosphere. I suppose that’s multiple strengths, but the sum of them creates powerful and memorable books.

This book is a twisted ride to Christmasland. The question is, is it truly the Christmasland of boys and girls dreams and ideals? Or is it some mangled and deranged version? Or, is it even real, or is it just a product of a delusional madman with a 1938 Roles Royce Wraith who enjoys luring children away by playing on their innocent dreams?

In NOS4A2, we are introduced to Vic McQueen, the girl who can ride her bike across “The Shorter Way” bridge, a bridge that is supposed to be condemned and out of commission, to get to where ever she needs to be. We are also introduced to Charlie “Talent” Manx, a man who claims to be 140 years old and picks special boys and girls to go to Christmasland. How does he take them there? With the help of slow witted Bing, who, even as an adult, would do anything to visit Christmasland, the place where dreams come true and nothing bad ever happens. Of course, to get children there involves gassing and abducting them, but surely they are better off right? Vic McQueen is the only one to ever escape, and her version of the story seems much less magical than Manx and Bing make it out to be. The even scars her and follows her into adulthood. Scars from the memories of her journeys across the shorter way bridge, memories that leave her questioning her sanity. And the memories of Manx and Christmasland, and the question “has she truly escaped”?

I loved this book. It is emotional, creepy and intense. So, want to feel the holiday spirit without all the sickingly sweetness you find elsewhere? NOS4A2 is the solution. A disturbingly creepy tale with the destination of Christmasland.

8 thoughts on “NOS4A2 by Joe Hill”
  1. I loved this book so much. I read it a few months ago and i was soooo hooked. My wife took one look at it and said “I really want to read it.” and I think I grabbed it before she had a chance. Oops.

  2. Oh, for some reason I thought you had read this a while ago, and then I see it’s a flashback review and everything makes sense now. This was my first book by Joe Hill and I agree, it was excellent (and even better because I listened to this in audio format and Captain Janeway narrated, lol). I’m even kinda nervous reading his older stuff after this one, since everyone says this is his best yet.
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