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A review by vengefuldime
Horseman: A Tale of Sleepy Hollow by Christina Henry
3.0
“A scent drifted in that cold wind, something stronger than the scent of the decomposing sheep. It was something like the smell of the night drifting through my open window when I was half asleep, or the smell of freshly turned earth. It was something like the first whip of autumn air cutting through a perfect summer day. It was something like the cold lump in the back of my throat when I woke from a dream and didn’t know where I was. It was something like the dark closing around me, squeezing too hard and too tight.”
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14 year-old Ben has of course heard of the headless horseman legend, living in the town of Sleepy Hollow. He is told that it is only a legend- but Ben sees a child’s body, missing hands and head, and wonders. It is a very atmospheric book, with magic and superstition being built into the town itself. The deep woods are forbidden, but stories are told, and Ben has experiences unable to be explained. There is the sense that almost anything could in fact be possible in the woods, close by but hidden just enough. There is also a state of holding onto the present, with the old world and old way of life lingering in the town longer than surrounding areas. Ben and the town must overcome loss in a number of ways. Ben struggles to be accepted as a boy, and as he grows up he is forced to see both his grandparents in a new light. Personally, I thought that his being transgender was a bit clumsily handled (more in an awkward way), but I was still happy to see it. The town is also changing, and its connection to folklore is shifting towards something different. The descriptions are clear and evocative, with a focus on natural aspects. The characters emotions and conflicts are more plain, and often much more focused on telling the reader what is happening that describing it. Especially in moments of fear, Ben’s narration could be repetitive in a way that felt frustrating. For me, that was the weakest part. However, the moments (not descriptions) of connection and protection felt the strongest.
———————————————————————
14 year-old Ben has of course heard of the headless horseman legend, living in the town of Sleepy Hollow. He is told that it is only a legend- but Ben sees a child’s body, missing hands and head, and wonders. It is a very atmospheric book, with magic and superstition being built into the town itself. The deep woods are forbidden, but stories are told, and Ben has experiences unable to be explained. There is the sense that almost anything could in fact be possible in the woods, close by but hidden just enough. There is also a state of holding onto the present, with the old world and old way of life lingering in the town longer than surrounding areas. Ben and the town must overcome loss in a number of ways. Ben struggles to be accepted as a boy, and as he grows up he is forced to see both his grandparents in a new light. Personally, I thought that his being transgender was a bit clumsily handled (more in an awkward way), but I was still happy to see it. The town is also changing, and its connection to folklore is shifting towards something different. The descriptions are clear and evocative, with a focus on natural aspects. The characters emotions and conflicts are more plain, and often much more focused on telling the reader what is happening that describing it. Especially in moments of fear, Ben’s narration could be repetitive in a way that felt frustrating. For me, that was the weakest part. However, the moments (not descriptions) of connection and protection felt the strongest.