Horns

Title: Horns

Author: Joe Hill

Published in: 2009

Date read: 7th March 2025

Score: 5/5

Genre: Horror, Supernatural, Thriller

Plot: (Warning, may contain spoilers):
"Horns," published in 2010, is a dark, imaginative, and genre-bending novel by Joe Hill. It is a story that blends elements of supernatural horror, fantasy, and a tragic love story, all while exploring themes of guilt, revenge, and the darkest parts of human nature.

The protagonist is Ignatius "Ig" Perrish, a young man whose life is shattered after his girlfriend, Merrin Williams, is brutally raped and murdered. The crime is never solved, but the entire town believes Ig is the killer, and he is publicly reviled and isolated. He spirals into a cycle of grief, anger, and self-destruction.

One morning, after a night of heavy drinking, Ig wakes up to find two small, goat-like horns growing from his forehead. The horns are not just a bizarre physical change; they also grant him a terrifying and supernatural ability. When people are in his presence, they feel compelled to confess their deepest, darkest sins and desires to him. They speak their most shameful thoughts and reveal their hidden lives.

Initially, Ig uses his new power to lash out at the people who have wronged him, forcing them to reveal their hypocrisy and cruelty. He begins to see the world as a place filled with monsters, and he embraces his new demonic appearance. He becomes a sort of agent of chaos, a vengeful figure who exposes the darkest secrets of everyone he meets.

However, the horns also become a tool in his desperate quest to find his girlfriend's real killer. He uses his power to systematically interview the people he grew up with, looking for a confession or a clue that will lead him to the truth. His journey takes him on a surreal and terrifying odyssey through his own past and the twisted lives of the people he thought he knew.

The novel is a dark, philosophical mystery with a powerful emotional core. It explores the idea of what happens when a person is pushed to their absolute limit. The horns are not just a magical device; they are a metaphor for Ig's transformation from an innocent, grieving man into a vengeful, almost demonic figure.

The climax is a brutal and visceral showdown where Ig finally confronts the real killer and the true nature of the crime is revealed. "Horns" is a powerful and unsettling story that asks profound questions about good and evil, love and hatred, and the thin line between a man and a monster.

Comments:
Brilliant book. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and it was not like anything I have read before. As always, difficult to avoid giving away spoilers so this will be short and sweet. I thoroughly enjoyed Heart-Shaped Box but this one is even better. Once again, I have read this without seeing the film version but I am now looking forward to seeing it so that I can see if it does it justice.

Books that we've read by Joe Hill (3):
Heart-Shaped Box (2007), Horns (2009), NOS4A2 (2013)