NOS4A2

It is no secret that "Joe Hill" is the pen name for Joseph Hillstrom King, the second son of Stephen and Tabitha King. This is his 4th book, but is the first one I've read. I don't think I am the only reader who started this novel fearing I was going to be reading an Stephen King clone. I could not have been more wrong.

Nos4A2 is a modern day fairytale. Vic is a young girl with her own magic bridge. This bridge is able to take Vic to any fixed point in the world. Vic uses it to help find missing things. Her mother's missing bracelet left while on vacation, a photo lost in school, her best friends favorite toy. One day Vic uses this bridge to take her to someone who can explain her power. While visiting "Maggie Lee" who has a bag of Scrabble tiles that can answer questions, Vic learns about "The Wraith". A man who has a similar skill as Vic but is using it to kidnap children.

In typical fairytale fashion Vic hunts and finds Charlie Manx the "wraith" they meet in battle and Vic defeats him causing him to be arrested. This is where the fairytale should end, with "they all lived happily ever after" Where Mr. Hill challenges his readers is what happens to Red Riding Hood after her run in with the Big Bad Wolf, and What kind of people do Hansel and Gretel turn into after escaping from the Witch.

Well in the case of Vic, when her fairytale ends, she drops out of school, has a child out of wedlock, starts hearing phantom phones, writes an popular series of children's novels, burns down her own home, spends time in a psychiatric institute, and a rehab. And then Charlie Manx's come back, and steals her son.

Vic's story is so sad, and compelling. Once I started reading I was completely drawn into her story. I loved this novel and can't wait to read more from Mr. Joe Hill.