From #1 New York Times bestselling author Joe Hill, a chilling tale of modern-world dangers, dark academia, and the unexpected consequences of revenge as six friends dabble in the occult and are tragically, horrifyingly successful… calling forth an evil entity that demands regular human sacrifice.
Arthur Oakes is a reader, a dreamer, and a student at Rackham College, Maine, renowned for its frosty winters, exceptional library, and beautiful buildings. But his idyll—and burgeoning romance with Gwen Underfoot—is shattered when a local drug dealer and her partner corner him into one of the worst crimes he can imagine: stealing rare books from the college library.
Trapped and desperate, Arthur turns to his closest friends for comfort and help. Together they dream up a wild, fantastical scheme to free Arthur from the cruel trap in which he finds himself. Wealthy, irrepressible Colin Wren suggests using the unnerving Crane journal (bound in the skin of its author) to summon a dragon to do their bidding. The others—brave, beautiful Alison Shiner; the battling twins Donna and Donovan McBride; and brainy, bold Gwen—don’t hesitate to join Colin in an effort to smash reality and bring a creature of the impossible into our world.
But there’s nothing simple about dealing with dragons, and their pact to save Arthur becomes a terrifying bargain in which the six must choose a new sacrifice for King Sorrow every year—or become his next meal.
My Thoughts After Reading:
Um, WOW. This was EPIC. I have too many thoughts (all positive).
To start, I do not read horror. And I previously held a strong belief that books have no business being over 600 pages. So, you may be wondering why I picked up a 896 page long book marketed as horror…honestly, I was influenced by a booktok influencer and, given how obsessed I am with this novel, I am not ashamed to admit that. In my defense, I wouldn’t classify King Sorrow as horror – leans more towards dark urban fantasy. And to accomplish what Hill accomplished, to fully bring these characters and this spanning story to life, he needed every page.
I loved every character, even the awful ones. They are all so memorable, so real, so flawed, so beautifully fleshed out.
I have never read a novel with such an ambitious scope and remarkably brisk pacing (despite the length). I laughed out loud, teared up and gasped in shock.
Perfect for readers who enjoy:
- Dark academia with supernatural (and plot) twists
- Immersive novels with emotional depth and rewarding payouts
- Stories about lifelong friendships with thought provoking themes
- Mythology and folklore woven into modern settings
- …and are OK with a little vulgarity.
If you’re looking for a fast, straightforward novel, this IS NOT it. But if you’re ready to disappear into a richly imagined world where dragons (and ghosts, trolls & enchanted objects) are real, bargains have consequences, and every choice echoes across a lifetime, King Sorrow will become one of your most memorable reads.
Oh and I HIGHLY recommend the audiobook.
-Michelle
P.s. I found out that Joe Hill is the pen name of Joseph Hillstrom King, son of Stephen King. He adopted the pseudonym early in his career to build his own reputation in the horror and comic book genres independently of his father’s fame.
