Review: HEX

HEX by Thomas Olde Heuvelt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It's been a long time since a book has creeped me out this much. At some points while reading I kept thinking the witch was stood at the side watching me read which is when you know the book is doing what the author planned out to do. So I would like to thank Hodderscape for sending me this book and for the nightmares.

Hex is the worldwide debut from Thomas Olde Heuvelt having already had success in Holland with 5 novels Hex is the frist to be translated into English. However this isn't a straight translation, Thomas went back and rewritten the whole book to give it an American setting.

I think the set up is brilliant. The residents of a small town in the the state of New York called Black Spring are under the curse of a 17th century witch called Katherine, The Black Rock Witch. If you were born there or moved there you can't leave. If you spend any extended amount of time away from Black Spring; say a two week vacation you become suicidal and must return or your suicidal tendencies will get the better of you. Katherine whos arms are chained and eyes and mouth are sewn shut has full access to the town; she is seen walking the streets, the woods and she can also appear in your house stay as long as it suites her then disappear again. The town is under strict rules and a high tech surveillance team called HEX who monitors Katherines movements and keep a watch on the residents and outsiders as Katherine is their secret and they can't risk outsiders getting involved as opening her mouth or eyes will be devastating. Unfortunately for the rest of the town a group of teenagers are sick of the restricted life and plan to make Katherine viral.

Thomas Olde Heuvelt has demonstrated the great ability of creating a town and making you feel like one of the residents. The story follows multiple characters as they go about their lives in Black Spring and this helps you normalise living with a seventeenth century witch that is haunting your town. Just when the situation becomes normal to you thats when Thomas Olde Heuvelt pulls the rug from underneath you!

Although the story is set in America to me it still has a European feel to it. The town feels older than the USA actually is. I would be more than willing to read the original story if it ever gets translated into English just to see how much has been changed. But don't let that put you off as this is a real page turner even when you want to cover your eyes cause you can feel the witch is watching you.

I look forward to more from Thomas Olde Heuvelt hopefully we won't have to wait long for his other releases to be translated.

4.5/5

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Hush Movie Review

I don't know about you but the sub-genre of horror that genuinely scares me are home invasion movies. Psychopaths breaking into your house and doing terrible things to you and your love ones seems much more likely to happen to me than say a horde of zombies tearing me from limb to limb and eating my innards. Although in the majority of these movies the home invasion usually happen to people in big, isolated houses with lots of land so I'll count my blessings that I live in a small house on a cul-de-sac.

The setup is simple; Maddie played by Kate Siegel is an author who lives on her own in a remote house who one evening settles down to finish her latest book becomes the target for the psychopathic killer played by John Gallagher Jr. Unfortunately for Maddie due to a battle with meningitis at the age of 13 she lost her hearing and became mute. Her tormentor realises this and uses it to his advantage. Maddie then has to try and find ways to keep the killer outside.

Director Mike Flanagan has created an edge of your seat, cat and mouse thrill ride. Although there is some gore the film doesn't rely on it. Instead we get perfect tension and as there isn't much dialogue the film delivers this through a superb performance from Kate Siegel. You really feel her isolation and fear as she tries to keep her attacker away.

The film is now on Netflix and I definitely recommend you watch it.

4.5 / 5