Book Review: Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt


Wow! Holy. Freaking. Cow.

This was my reaction as I finished this book.

Hex, by Thomas Olde Heuvelt, tells the story of the small town of Black Springs, which is inhabited by a 350-year-old witch. Her eyes and mouth are sewn shut, and she's shackled by chains, yet she still gets around. Quite a lot. She appears at different places all over town, in people's homes and the grocery store. Sometimes she walks around, hobbles is the more correct term, and other times she just stands there. For hours. Days sometimes.

All of the residents know about her. They're also cursed and cannot leave. Once, someone snipped one of the stitches on her mouth, and she was then able to barely whisper. When anyone hears this whispering, they go mad and commit suicide.

And there's even an organization, under the supervision of West Point, called Hex which tracks her location, keeping it updated on the iPhone app everyone in town has. There are rules. Outsiders can never know about her. They desperately try to keep newcomers from moving into town, as they too will become trapped and cursed. No one must touch her or even talk to her. Leave her alone, and live out their quiet lives, forever trapped in the town they can't leave.

But then some teenage boys, curious about her, start meddling.

This book builds slowly, but perfectly throughout. The creep factor is incredibly high from the very start as well, as the witch doesn't seem to really do anything, but she appears in places, her eyes and mouth stitched, and just stands there. It was very unsettling, and in the final third of the book, the author literally takes you on a descent into hell. And I really mean it.

This book is so messed up, and so gut-wrenching, I was literally squirming as I read. And the end is so...well, I don't want to give it away. Suffice it to say, it stays with you.

This is the very best horror novel I've read in the past year at least. It is awesome and so worth the investment. I cannot recommend this one highly enough, though it will only be for those who love true, unadulterated horror. 7 stars out of 5 for Hex.

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