Before Hemlock Grove was a terrifying original series on Netflix, it was a book by Brian McGreevy. Read our review here.
Hemlock Grove by Brian McGreevy is the story of Peter, Roman, and the terrifying events that take place in the fictional town of Hemlock Grove, Pennsylvania.
A young girl is murdered in the most horrific way, and no one is quite sure if the monster behind the act is man or beast. Peter and Roman are from different worlds entirely — one a gypsy, the other heir to a fortune. Setting their differences aside, or perhaps teaming up in spite of them, they join together to solve the murder, hoping to clear Peter’s name in the process.
Drawing on literary classics like Bram Stoker’s Dracula and Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Hemlock Grove weaves a unique and terrifying story that puts its own grotesque spin on the monsters of legend.
‘Hemlock Grove’ book review
Hemlock Grove by Brian McGreevy is not for the faint of heart. From the first page, it shocks and mystifies while drawing you in so deeply you can’t look away. McGreevy’s style is simplistic yet elevated, and leaves little to the imagination. The details with which he writes will haunt your dreams for days to come.
It is immediately clear that the television show of the same name, of which McGreevy is the head writer and executive producer, is a faithful adaptation of the book. If you were, like this writer, unfortunate to only discover the book after watching the show, you will see the scenes play out in your mind’s eye just as they did on screen. If, however, you were lucky enough to read the novel first, you will certainly feel that the adaptation took the words right from the book and transplanted them onto the screen.
The novel is, without a doubt, a work of terrific horror, and one that does not shy away from making you uncomfortable simply for the sake of it. The characters are human, even when a monster lurks within, and although most are not nice or purely good by any stretch of the imagination, they feel real in a way that most fictionalized characters do not.
Hemlock Grove is available for purchase now. You can add it to your Goodreads list, or buy it from Amazon or IndieBound.
Hemlock Grove season 2 debuts tomorrow on Netflix. Be sure to return to Hypable for our thoughts on the premiere episode. For now, check out this creepy item we received from Netflix today:
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