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Summary
A collection of four chilling novels, ingeniously wrought gems of terror from the brilliantly imaginative, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Fireman, Joe Hill.
I was really pumped to give this audiobook a go. Absolutely adored Heart shaped Box. But holy moly. If you finish listening to Strange Weather and still have no clue about Joe Hill's political beliefs, his thoughts on gun control, and religion, then you must not have been paying attention. It felt like he went a bit overboard in expressing his opinions, almost forcing them on his audience.
I also had a hunch that he spent a lot of time binge-watching The Walking Dead, Orange is the New Black, and diving into his father's books.
Now, let me tell you, the narrators were absolutely phenomenal. Wil Wheaton and Kate Mulgrew, in particular, were outstanding.
I've always been a fan of Joe Hill, but I'm not particularly fond of encountering personal political opinions in the novels I read. These criticisms really detracted from the overall experience, and in most cases, felt unnecessary. If I wanted to witness people descending into madness, I'd spend more time on social media. Although Hill is undeniably a talented writer, certain aspects of the book left me feeling disappointed. Skilled writers should know better. Because of these elements, I would rate the book as "meh."
I didn't enjoy this collection of novellas, even though I thought "Nos4ratu" and "Horns" were good. Ending it with a political stance just didn't sit right with me.
I've never written a review before, but this book really got under my skin. It's clear that the author is burdened by a sense of guilt, particularly related to their privileged upbringing as a wealthy white individual. I was expecting a collection of four horror/thriller stories, but instead felt like I was being lectured to with the author's strong political agenda. I bought this book as an escape, and while the story ideas were decent and the writing itself was good, the author's excessive dislike for Republicans and white people overshadowed them.
Some may argue that this book is simply the author exercising their right to free speech, but I disagree. I paid for this book, and the author was paid to write and sell it. To borrow a phrase from one of the stories, Mr. Hill certainly knows "how to turn a buck," so it's not exactly a display of something being given away for free. I didn't spend my money to receive a political lecture; I expected to be entertained.
I may just be one individual, a regular Joe with a blue-collar job, so my opinion may not carry much weight. However, all I can do is exercise my own free will and choose not to purchase anything else from this author. Mr. Hill (King), you have lost a reader.
I really don't get why Joe Hill and his father have to bring their political beliefs into their books these days. It's totally their right to have their own opinions, but it's kind of crappy to push away and upset half of your fans.
I actually enjoyed Snapshot and Aloft, so I'll give a star for each of them. Loaded, on the other hand, was absolutely terrible. Rain would have been decent if it wasn't for the political stuff. By the way, as a born and raised Coloradoan, let me tell you that we don't have a southern accent. I do like Kate Mulgrew, but her attempts at accents were just awful.
I was a big fan of Hill's debut novel, Heart Shaped Box. Reading fiction is my way of getting away from reality. You know that feeling when you're engrossed in a movie, fully immersed in the plot, and suddenly you're hit with an overt product placement? Well, that's how it felt with this collection. However, the first story did manage to captivate me. The remaining ones seemed to have political undertones disguised as fictional tales.
The author, who holds liberal views, includes anti-conservative elements in the stories that don't contribute to the overall plot and seem to be purely intended to provoke animosity towards conservatives. I regret spending money on this audiobook and have no intention of engaging with this author's work in the future.
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