Hex Part 1 Chapters 12-22 (SPOILERS)

[Debra]

Put your comments about Part 1, chapters 12-22 here.

[Larissa]

Will post details later, but let me say I told Husband to talk me to sleep because I was scared from reading this book, just like I was when I was afraid a crazy-girl-ghost would step out of the TV in the bedroom and kill me (yep, The Ring).

[Missy]

I have to say this is one creepy book. It seems so real, maybe because it's so contemporary. The way they talk about the witch and how she just pops up in random places. How would that not totally make someone lose their s*%t???

[Larissa]

POOR FLETCHER!!!

So many allusions! Stackhouse (True Blood), Grim (Grimm's Fairy Tales), Ackerman (Stephen King), CoLton Mathers (Salem Witch Trials), Fletcher (Jessica Fletcher, Murder She Wrote) :D

[Larissa]

Missy wrote: "How would that not totally make someone lose their ..."

YES, MISSY! I would be losing my s*%t (and did a little while reading)!!

[Missy]

I wondered if Colton Mathers was alluding to Cotton Mathers. I kind of thought at the beginning that there might be others that were 300 years old too. Maybe he had been cursed by the witch or something.

[Debra]

The initial humor left pretty quickly and the horror really began. I got so upset when Fletcher died and freaked when they heard him barking after he was buried. Why do they always have to kill the family dog. When an animal dies, I know we are in deep caca!

I don't know how people live out their lives when the witch could just show up anywhere in their homes. Freaky!

[Emma]

Poor Fletcher.

[Emma]

The horror of it is watching Jayden and co abusing the witch and anticipating the repercussions...also the breakdown in relations between people

[Debra]

Yes, small-town hysteria is horrifying!

[Janice]

I'm in the middle of chapter 20, and hope to finish up this section (and possibly the book) tonight.

Tensions are certainly rising with everyone. There's so much disharmony and bickering even within families. Mind you, the Grant's have really had a tough time of it. That was so freaky about Fletcher, and then the horses. When they heard Fletcher barking in the middle of the night from the woods, I was saying, "don't go out there!" But they never listen to me.

Grizelda is more fool hearty than brave. It was rather surprising that the witch seemed to like the peacock, but she reminded everyone that she's strong. Poof! and we have burnt offerings!

I can't get over how stupid Jaydon is. His two buddies are such sheep. The stoning was horrific! He certainly learned his lessons well from his father. The Holts seem to be front and center in this story.

I've gotten as far as the sentencing. There's something off with Colton Mather. He seems to enjoy brutality. There was the nipple twisting of Grizelda, and then the brutal sentencing of the boys.

So far, Tyler seems to be exonerated, but I can't help but feel that he's going to be found out.

Reading on.

[Almeta, co-moderator]

Yep, Didn't we all know the dog would get it?

Should have guessed that Grizelda would not be the only one proffering sacrifices to the witch. Wonder why the live peacock found greater favor than...say.. the animal heart. Aren't hearts "big deals" to evil creatures?

Jayden is a nasty piece of work, but then so is Colton Mather. Plenty to fear here; mob mentality: peer pressure, superstitious beliefs, lack of spinal fortitude, sadistic control, archetypal evil.

Pretty lame attributing the death of one elderly woman to a witches revenge...and then associating that to a charge of murder for the three boys.

I can't see anything good in Tyler's future. He got away too too easily.

Do you think it was Jayden who sneaked into Tyler's room?

[Linda]

Just finished Chapter 12 and I'm posting without reading above.

Jaydon is out of his mind and very upset. When he said Katherine raped him mom - I guess he was talking about Arthur??!!??!? But I think he went too far. He should not have put Fletcher on her and now I think Katherine has come to get Fletcher or maybe she opened his cage - but in any event I think some bad stuff is about to happen!

[Linda]

My thoughts are that it was Jaydon who snuck in Tylers's room - he still has the recording of Katherine whispering.

Colton Mathers is definitely creepy, I'm listening to the audio and following along with the book - his voice in the audio is booming and powerful just like they mention in the book - when he talks people listen.

I was somewhat shocked when the vote went to flogging the kids because people get grave when they can hide behind paper like now,hoe people hide behind their computers when they want to be mean. But then at the flogging when Katherine shows up and in the people's minds they can see her eye open and that she is laughing - maybe she had something to do with the vote going that way, the towns people keep saying those laws are Katherine's laws.

The whole section about poor Fletcher sort of reminded me of Pet Sementary - with bringing Fletcher back to life - I think Katherine did it and he hung out in the woods with her... creeepy!!!!!

[Debra]

The decision to flog the kids was awful. Medieval! Anytime an animal is harmed in a book, it really upsets me.

[Janice]

That whole town did seem to revert to a Puritanical mindset. It may have been a combination of the witch's presence or the isolation.

[Linda]

I agree with you Janice - Katherine definitely controlled the people in Black Springs. And they were so scared of the 'outside' finding out about her, they were very isolated.