IN THE TALL GRASS by Stephen King & Joe Hill

In the Tall Grass by Stephen King 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After watching the trailer for the Netflix movie adaptation of this story, I knew I’d have to read it first.

So, I picked up a copy for my Paperwhite and got stuck into it as soon as I could.

When two siblings travelling across the country stop for a while near a patch of grass and a church, all they wanted to do was take a break. Instead, they find themselves answering a call for help from a kid who seems lost.

As soon as they step into the tall grass, the world shifts, and they get lost in a way neither could have ever imagined...

Well, this story is certainly something. It’s a true horror treat. If you’re looking for a short tale about a brother and sister who are so close, they’ll even venture into hell together then you’ve come to the right place.

I honestly didn’t know what would happen when I walked into the grass with these guys, but I didn’t expect all of THAT. If you’re squeamish, you’re probably better off staying away from this patch of land because a lot of what happens is quite horrific. And there’s plenty of gross to add to the mix.

The imagery is so vivid, I could see every gruesome detail play out inside my mind very sharply. I can’t wait to see how the movie measures up.

One of my favourite things about King’s stories—and Hill shares the knack for this—is how everything always starts out so normal. Two young people with real lives and a familiar problem go on a road trip with a destination in mind. There’s nothing weird about this. Until a split-second decision throws these two headfirst into the worst of situations, and every step they take strips a little more of the normal away. And then, everything we thought we recognised and would turn out a certain way, becomes the darkest of nightmares.

I especially felt bad for Becky. As if her predicament wasn’t bad enough, what she has to deal with is truly horrendous. 😞

That’s another thing, there’s an atmosphere of dread that keeps building from the start, and as the story reveals its inner darkness, the surreal quality of what’s going on really amps up this feverish dream. To the point of no return.

If you’re looking for a HEA or even a smidge of hope, I don’t think you should be reading this because it’s bleak. Very bleak.

But hey, I really enjoyed this creepy collaboration by Stephen King and Joe Hill, and look forward to reading more of their joint torments.

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