Horseman
Ratings5
Average rating3.1
15
Ratings5
Average rating3.1
In this atmospheric, terrifying novel that draws strongly from "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," the author of Alice and Lost Boy works her trademark magic, spinning an engaging and frightening new story from a classic tale. Everyone in Sleepy Hollow knows about the Horseman, but no one really believes in him. Not even Ben Van Brunt's grandfather, Brom Bones, who was there when it was said the Horseman chased the upstart Crane out of town. Brom says that's just legend, the village gossips talking. More than thirty years after those storied events, the village is a quiet place. Fourteen-year-old Ben loves to play "Sleepy Hollow boys," reenacting the events Brom once lived through. But then Ben and a friend stumble across the headless body of a child in the woods near the village, and the discovery makes Ben question everything the adults in Sleepy Hollow have ever said. Could the Horseman be real after all? Or does something even more sinister stalk the woods?
Reviews with the most likes.
It started off as a pretty good story. I enjoyed the suspense and the parental dynamics. After Katerina accepted Ben I thought it would get better but honestly, it went super downhill. The whole idea of him being totally obsessed with his namesakes never sat right with me. I couldn't relate to it, but the people he idolised were also never really shown and these amazing people. Barely as likeable ones.
Then when all the dramatic stuff happens. First it all happens in 50 pages, three very similar scenes that made me feel no emotion, because the book never made me care about the characters at all. Ben only ever described them as his amazing grandparents/family, but it was never shown. So I honestly didn't give a shit.
The whole thing is very much tell and no show.
Then there is a TEN YEAR time skip where they sort of explain foreshadowing that I didn't read, because you skipped it, retrospectively. Honestly just a no.
