March 2017 Group Read #1 - HEX

[WendyB]

Hex by Thomas Olde Heuvelt is the selection for the March Group Read. Please remember to use spoiler tags, page numbers, chapters, or percentage read. Have fun!

[Kimberly]

I literally JUST finished and reviewed this one last week. Can't wait for the discussion!!

[Badseedgirl]

I read this one last year and it was The Book for me last year! I'm with Kimberly, can't wait for the discussion.

[Kimberly]

Badseedgirl wrote: "I read this one last year and it was The Book for me last year! I'm with Kimberly, can't wait for the discussion."

So far, it's THE BOOK for me, this year!

[Scott]

Excited to read this one!

[Cassie]

Happy to see that those who have read Hex have enjoyed it! looking forward to what's in store :)

[Imbunche]

I'm actually currently reading it, 70% in, so I'm looking forward to seeing everyone else's opinions. I'm not sure I love it as much as everyone seems to so far.

[Zahra]

Read this just a while ago. Unfortunately I didn't like it as much as I had hoped I would. Hope you guys enjoy it though!

[Latasha]

I didn't like it that much either. :(

[Kasia]

Sweet! I mentioned it in December :) glad it won.

[Rachel]

Cool, someone assigned me this book as part of my March reading challenge. I will put it on hold at the library. So I plan on starting it around the end of the first week of March.

[Kimberly]

Kasia wrote: "Sweet! I mentioned it in December :) glad it won."

I think your review was one that swayed me.... ;)

[Greg]

I may join this one depending on how I'm feeling after finishing Fellside and then John Dies at the End for our Audio Group Listen. This one was on my radar so I'm definitely interested.

[Kim]

I just picked this one up from the library today. Looking forward to hearing others interpretation. Old school witchery meets modern age technology? Sounds interesting, to say the least.

[Badseedgirl]

Greg wrote: "I may join this one depending on how I'm feeling after finishing Fellside and then John Dies at the End for our Audio Group Listen. This one was on my radar so I'm definitely interested."
How is Fellside? I plan to read it this year, and was just curious.

[Susan]

just placed a hold on it at the library; should be available tomorrow....

[WendyB]

I just ordered a copy of this book. I'll try to get to it by the end of the month but things are a bit crazy with home remodeling going on soooo....

[Cassie]

I just got my copy of Hex and Im definitely looking forward to reading it!

[Jen from Quebec :0)]

Confusing at first, but I am slowly being sucked into this one. I guess the author has to change the Dutch setting to an American one and things were lost in the translation, or so I have read...can anyone verify? I got this for Kindle, so got the Auidble version for cheaper- listening and reading along at the same time and it is jolly good fun so far! --Jen from Quebec :0)

[Badseedgirl]

I got this on last year as an ARC copy of the translation. The author rewrote it for the US audience, he was very active in the translation, working with the translator. He was very happy with the translation. So any confusion I feel is on purpose.

[Kimberly]

Badseedgirl wrote: "I got this on last year as an ARC copy of the translation. The author rewrote it for the US audience, he was very active in the translation, working with the translator. He was very happy with the ..."

Exactly--the beginning is something you can "appreciate" more as the story goes on. :) (imho)

[Jen from Quebec :0)]

I'm already about 100 pages in, and feel like the story is only starting NOW. --Jen from Quebec :0)

[Susan]

I devoured the book yesterday... can anyone share a spoiler of what the original Dutch ending was?

I'm concerned that he felt the NEED to move the novel from The Netherlands to the Hudson River Valley/Upper NY State -- the translations of John Ajvide Lindqvist's books were OK even leaving them in Sweden

[Jen from Quebec :0)]

I am LOVING this book, I must say. I can sense that I will be binging on it all night until I am finished, then I will have much more to say. For now, I WILL say that I love the combination of modern technology to 'take care of'/'handle' this ancient 17th century little 'problem' that the town of Black Spring has! Great concept. --Jen from Quebec :0)

[Badseedgirl]

Susan wrote: "I devoured the book yesterday... can anyone share a spoiler of what the original Dutch ending was?

I'm concerned that he felt the NEED to move the novel from The Netherlands to the Hudson River V..."

I was very fortunate last year to be sent an ARC copy of this translation for review, and I contacted Tor, about this question. They were generous enough to direct me to a blog post the author posted about this very subject. I am posting it here.

[Kimberly]

Jennifer Lynn wrote: "I am LOVING this book, I must say. I can sense that I will be binging on it all night until I am finished, then I will have much more to say. For now, I WILL say that I love the combination of mode..."

That's what I found the most interesting, as well!

[Susan]

Badseedgirl wrote: "Susan wrote: "I devoured the book yesterday... can anyone share a spoiler of what the original Dutch ending was?

I'm concerned that he felt the NEED to move the novel from The Netherlands to the ..."

that blog was almost exactly what the author said in the afterword... anyone know what the original ending was?

[Badseedgirl]

Ok, there was no afterward in my ARC copy. I emailed on of my Dutch reading friends and they should get back to me on the Dutch ending, I will post it with spoilers when I get it.

[Jen from Quebec :0)]

Just hit the 80% done mark and will be staying up until this one is finished. Once you get to THIS point, you just CANNOT stop reading! Man....so good. Tragically good. --Jen from Quebec :0)

[Zahra]

Susan wrote: that blog was almost exactly what the author said in the afterword... anyone know what the original ending was? 

Here is a post I found from a Dutch person who read the original version:
(view spoiler)["It's been a while since I read it. If I remember correctly, in the Dutch version I read, the Witch wreaks havoc on the town, killing lots of people in a very chaotic scene. We see the events through the character Stefan de Graaf (who probably got another name in the English version). He loses his remaining son (the other one died earlier in the novel) and his wife but survives the scene. While he is passed out, the village dead march towards the river Waal and throw themselves in. In the epilogue we see Stefan in his now empty home. It is suggested that the witch comes for him there after all."

I also heard another person say that Heuvelt overstated the changes in the English version. It seems the only difference is that Katherine was more involved in the death of the villagers in the original version (whereas in the English one, she mostly just stood there and looked sad). (hide spoiler)]

[WendyB]

Managed just a few minutes of reading time last night and got through the first 30 pages. whoa.... that's so strange, and I liked it. Can't wait to read more today!

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

I loved the first 200 pages, but the last half was SO disappointing.

[WendyB]

Just love how this town is so used to the witch that (view spoiler)[ the teenage boys can film her walking through the town and feel safe enough to block her usual path (hide spoiler)]
I keep wondering why it seems no one has tried to get rid of the witch.

[Deborah]

Was anyone else struck by the resemblance to Wayward Pines?

[Jen from Quebec :0)]

THAT ENDING, THOUGH!!! MAN!!! --Jen from Quebec :0)

[Badseedgirl]

Ok so my friend wrote me back and said it was a challenge to find the original Dutch ending, because the newer editions of the Dutch book also have the "American" ending.

(view spoiler)[He said the father is taken to a hell described as a Bosch painting. I had to go look these up, but my friend said any Dutch school child would know the works by saying Bosch painting. He realizes that the tortures he is witnessing were what the town people did to Katherine. He also said Katherine was directly responsible for the deaths of the town people.

He said it ends with the Father in his house, Katherine has allowed him to bring one person back to life, by this point his entire family is dead, when someone knocks on the door the Father refuses to open the door, it is never stated who he chose to come back, but it is implied they may come back "wrong" in some way.

So I guess in the Dutch version Katherine is evil, not just dead and misunderstood. (hide spoiler)]

Hope this helps!

[aPriL does feral sometimes]

I think (view spoiler)[Katherine is evil in the American version. (hide spoiler)]

[Kimberly]

aPriL does feral sometimes wrote: "I think [spoilers removed]"

In the American version (view spoiler)[ I think that Katherine was hoping that society would change from the horrible prejudices she endured, to one in which she would be free to be a mother again--the one thing that she was denied, that mattered more to her than her death. Unfortunately for the town, having her presence there had the opposite effect and actually kept the town in the "17th century" mentality to an extent. (hide spoiler)]

[WendyB]

Just finished and I loved it! Not even sure what to write for a review of this book, it would be so hard to describe. (view spoiler)[ I did detect a bit of a nod to Pet Semetary with the possible resurrection of the dog and the son. Nice. (hide spoiler)]

[Jennifer]

I've only just started it. The first few pages still has me very confused as to what happened, but the scene in the house was fantastic.

I love the idea of this, why hasn't anyone done it before ( that I know of).

I'm really looking forward to reading more.

[Jen from Quebec :0)]

I can't wait for more ppl to finish this one so I can speak more freely about everything. I ATE this book UP really quickly and loved every minute of it. I also LOVED the ending, changed/altered or not- I did NOT see that ending coming, and also saw a few homages to Stephen King in this novel, as well, which I enjoyed. -Jen from Quebec :0)

[Kimberly]

Jennifer Lynn wrote: "I can't wait for more ppl to finish this one so I can speak more freely about everything. I ATE this book UP really quickly and loved every minute of it. I also LOVED the ending, changed/altered or..."

I LOVED it! I haven't uploaded my review to Amazon yet because it just appeared on a blog, but it's here on Goodreads. Use spoilers with % places if you want to talk more in depth about a scene!! :)

[Badseedgirl]

I know. I felt everything about this story was so original. That is like finding a yeti riding a unicorn down the side of Mt. Doom. Usually I like a book because it reminds me of another book. But this really was an original voice. I only hope they translate more of his works into English.

I'm shocked that it has not been nominated for any of the major literary awards! But the year is still young. Maybe a Hugo? I think one of his shory stories won (was nominated) previously. I would have to go look that up.

[Jen from Quebec :0)]

BADSEEDGIRL --- Agreed- I want to read MORE books by THIS guy! --Jen from Quebec :0)

[Badseedgirl]

I just checked his short story "The Day The World Turned Upside Down" was the first translation to ever win a hugo. Suck on that "Sad/Rabid Puppies"! I will have to look that ss up to read it.

[Jennifer]

Chat away guys. I'm just over half way through but don't expect anyone to wait until I finish to discuss it.

I LOVE this book. A brilliantly modern take on an old type of story.

[Kimberly]

Jennifer Lynn wrote: "BADSEEDGIRL --- Agreed- I want to read MORE books by THIS guy! --Jen from Quebec :0)"

Same here!!

[Badseedgirl]

I found his short story. It can be read FOR FREE (yeah) at lightspeed magazine. I have a link but cutting and pasting is an issue for me on my smartphone. The issue is the phone is smarter than I am! I'll post the link this afternoon. I read it and it definitely falls in the "weird" fiction category.

[Badseedgirl]

Here is the short story.

[Katy]

Badseedgirl wrote: "Ok so my friend wrote me back and said it was a challenge to find the original Dutch ending, because the newer editions of the Dutch book also have the "American" ending.

He said the father is ta..."

Interesting. Thanks.