Review: The Fireman

The Fireman by Joe Hill
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This review is also found on Goodreads! :)
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Note: Spoilers ahead in a 'general' sense, but nothing in detail. :)

Joe Hill always surprises me with how distinct his stories are. The plot, in forethought, sounds worn-out (I'm blaming it on the blurb). The Fireman, for example, introduces the readers to an apocalypse. A plethora of books have already been published introducing dystopian societies. But Hill managed to paint this world we're living into something so desolate and sinister. At the core of this book lies an outline of the rough edges of humanity: how our souls seek harmony, and how we thirst for religion. It shows that each human being has his own fire inside: whether it's compassion and empathy, or cruelty and violence. This book doesn't sugarcoat things. It's brutal, graphic, and good people die. At the end of the book, I was pretty much jaded as much as the characters. I was actually surprised I didn't die with the others.

[This book doesn't sugarcoat things. It's brutal, graphic, and good people die. At the end of the book, I was pretty much jaded as much as the characters. I was actually surprised I didn't die with the others.

As you would expect from Joe Hill, everything was intense. This book is 700+ pages long. Before I started it, I was already scared of whether I would be bored out of my wits halfway through it (I hate DNF-ing books, but I hate it more when I have to laborthrough a story). I had initially questioned the necessity for its length. But as I got through a quarter into the story, I just know I wouldn't put this book down. It was too good. The length didn't bother me at all because each chapter made sense--it supplied to the story rather than just 'thicken' the book. Hill gripped me from the first sentence up to the last.

The best things I love about Hill's style and writing are: 1) How vivid it is. His writes in clear detail. My imagination fires up; 2) His chapters are concise, and the end of each alludes to what will happen further down the book. It ignites my interest (excuse the pun) and it makes me want to know more and read just one more chapter. Another noteworthy thing about this book: I was so delighted with all the Harry Potter references scattered from start to finish. Even JK Rowling made an appearance!

Like Hill mentioned in his dedication, the title was a literary allusion to Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. Honestly, I've been pondering over whether 'Dragonscale' would have been a better title. The story focused more on Harper Willowes and the plague, rather than John Rookwood. In fact, in probably half the book, the fireman was injured. But I guess I'm not an expert on this, and this isn't my story, so whatever. :p

I would also like to point out that Hill included a coda, which destroyed me completely. I was already on the verge of crying in that last ten or so chapters of the last book. I couldn't believe what I was reading. So many terrible things had happened, and everything kept on turning upside down. Hill manipulated me with ease.

(hide spoiler)]

As you would expect from Joe Hill, everything was intense. This book is 700+ pages long. Before I started it, I was already scared of whether I would be bored out of my wits halfway through it (I hate DNF-ing books, but I hate it more when I have to labor through a story). I had initially questioned the necessity for its length. But as I got through a quarter into the story, I just know I wouldn't put this book down. It was too good. The length didn't bother me at all because each chapter made sense--it supplied to the story rather than just 'thicken' the book. Hill gripped me from the first sentence up to the last. 

The best things I love about Hill's style and writing are: 1) How vivid it is. His writes in clear detail. My imagination fires up; 2) His chapters are concise, and the end of each alludes to what will happen further down the book. It ignites my interest (excuse the pun) and it makes me want to know more and read just one more chapter. Another noteworthy thing about this book: I was so delighted with all the Harry Potter references scattered from start to finish. Even JK Rowling made an appearance! 

Like Hill mentioned in his dedication, the title was a literary allusion to Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. Honestly, I've been pondering over whether 'Dragonscale' would have been a better title. The story focused more on Harper Willowes and the plague, rather than John Rookwood. In fact, in probably half the book, the fireman was injured. But I guess I'm not an expert on this, and this isn't my story, so whatever. :p 

I would also like to point out that Hill included a coda, which destroyed me completely. I was already on the verge of crying in that last ten or so chapters of the last book. I couldn't believe what I was reading. So many terrible things had happened, and everything kept on turning upside down. Hill manipulated me with ease.

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Disclaimer: Excerpts below are from the book. Copyright © 2016 by Joe Hill:

"There's something horribly unfair about dying in the middle of a good story, before you have a chance to see how it all comes out...Death is a raw deal for narrative junkies."

"But we need kindness like we need to eat. It satisfies something in us we can't do without."

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