Horror Annotation

Synopsis of Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines horror as "painful and intense fear, dread, or dismay." Indeed, this feeling is often evoked in the reader who is traveling the twisted tale of Olde-Heuvelt's work Hex. 
On the outside, Black Springs, New York seems like any other quaint American town filled with beautiful homes, hardworking people, and playful teenagers. But Black Springs is harboring a centuries old secret- the town is held hostage by the Black Rock Witch; a woman named Katherine who has been dead for centuries. She walks the town and enters homes at will. Despite the fact that her eyes and lips are sewn shut, the townspeople live in fear of the power she possesses, and they know they can never let the rest of the world know that she exists. As previous generations have learned the hard way, one word from Katherine's mouth can cause total chaos to those in her path. Once you enter Black Springs, you are a resident for life. This is a system that has worked for the town for years, but a group of teenagers decides that they have had enough; they want more freedom so they want to expose their town and Katherine to the rest of the world. This decision leads them to face unspeakable horror and threatens life in Black Springs as they know it. 

Elements of Horror

• Olde-Heuvelt explores malevolent deeds or characters in this book. Not only the terror that Katherine has unleashed on the town, but the actions of the townspeople in charge that will stop at nothing to keep the witch a secret from the outside world. 
• Feelings of shock, fear, and dread are found throughout the book. The reader learns what series of events transpired centuries ago that turned Katherine into the monster she is today. Her eyes and mouth were not always sewn shut, and she was able to unleash horror in the town with a single word. There is also an element of mystery there (how were they able to catch her and contain her long enough to sew her up) and in her mere existence- why can't Katherine rest? What will she do next?
• Shocking plot twists and story reveals are peppered throughout the book. If Katherine's existence is revealed throughout the world, how can the townspeople expect their lives to change, but how will the world change if she is able to reign?
• The reader is immersed in horror from the very beginning of the book. There is no build-up to it like one might find in other horror books or other genres. From the beginning, Katherine in invading homes without being invited, roaming around town threatening exposure, and she has been known to drive men to suicide with one word. All of this is discovered within the first hundred or so pages.

Read-Alikes

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Dead Spots by Rhiannon Frater
Disappearance at Devil's Rock by Paul Tremblay
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