Some of the darkest stories with the most exceptional writing are the shorter ones. The need for a lengthy novel isn't necessary for telling a good story--specifically a good horror story. Clive Barker's novella, The Hellbound Heart, is one of the finest examples of a brilliant, mystical, and harrowing story told in a shorter format.
Thanks to the development of the e-book and devices such as Kindle and Nook the writing form of novellas and even novelettes are finally coming back into vogue. These types of stories you can sit down and read in one to three reading sessions. This would be in lines with Edgar Alan Poe's criticism of literature. He believed and wrote that good literature should be brief. A reader should be able to sit a read a story in one sitting therefore receiving a full experience without interruptions.
But Clive Barker was one man who was writing novellas before the rise of the internet. Clive Barker stands as one of the most influential and versatile horror author's of the modern age. And likely his most well known and influential books is The Hellbound Heart.
Most fans of the horror genre will know this little story for its film adaptation title: Hellraiser. Just the thought of the film adaptation brings images of the frightening and insidious Pinhead, one of the demonic Cenobites released by the Lament Configuration.
Thanks to the development of the e-book and devices such as Kindle and Nook the writing form of novellas and even novelettes are finally coming back into vogue. These types of stories you can sit down and read in one to three reading sessions. This would be in lines with Edgar Alan Poe's criticism of literature. He believed and wrote that good literature should be brief. A reader should be able to sit a read a story in one sitting therefore receiving a full experience without interruptions.
But Clive Barker was one man who was writing novellas before the rise of the internet. Clive Barker stands as one of the most influential and versatile horror author's of the modern age. And likely his most well known and influential books is The Hellbound Heart.
Most fans of the horror genre will know this little story for its film adaptation title: Hellraiser. Just the thought of the film adaptation brings images of the frightening and insidious Pinhead, one of the demonic Cenobites released by the Lament Configuration.
The Hellbound Heart begins with Frank, a lustful and angry man who is no longer satisfied with the debauchery of the human realm. For years he has been searching for something more. What he has found in his pursuit is the Lament Configuration, a golden puzzle box that when opened will reveal a new world of pleasures and sensations.
Frank manages to get the box open and the Cenobites step through, horrific and deformed creatures of pain an torture. Frank is appalled that what he thought would be the ultimate pleasure is actually unending nightmares.
The Cenobites take him back into their world to be tortured for eternity.
Jump forward a few months and Frank's brother, Rory, and his wife, Julia, are moving into the family home where Frank first opened the box. Julia is unhappy with the new home and with her life with Rory.
Throughout the first part of the book Julia reminisces about the one night stand she had with Frank and reveals that she still lusts after him. She wishes she could be with him and not Rory.
One of the room's upstairs gives Julia a sick feeling so she locks it up. She wonders what about the room frightens her . . . and yet draws her in.
It is on one fateful day that Rory accidently splits his finger open while doing some repairs on the house that acts as the catalyst for the story. Rory runs upstairs to get Julia's help. She has opened the room again to try to figure out its nature and Rory stumbles in. His blood spills onto the floor.
They rush Rory to the hospital to get stitched up. What they don't see is the blood being absorbed by the room. It is just enough for Frank to return to the real world, but only in part. He is a deformed and skinless creature forced to crawl along the floorboards. But he desires blood--needs blood--to survive and grow strong before the Cenobites find him again. And he will stop at no ends to get it.
Clive Barker is a masterful storyteller and has a beautiful way with words. Although this little novella isn't perfect it is a piece of significant horror fiction the disturbs the mind and questions the moral.
Barker has an odd way of switching between the minds of his characters. IT is reminiscent of the modernist elements. There is no break in text to indicate the change. At first this felt odd and was a little hard to follow but later on it was easy to catch on. I am still trying to delve deeper and see the literary purpose behind these shifts.
Perhaps the idea that the moral and immoral are much closer than we like to think is one reason for this type of flow in writing, or perhaps the closeness of the two worlds--the mortal with the demonic. Either way, I grew to like his shifting omniscient narrator--able to peer into the minds of any character he wishes.
The sections of the book were each fairly short and gripping. This type of writing is very effective in short fiction since it grasps the reader into continuing reading. It's always easy to say, "just one more section, one more chapter" with well structured writing such as this.
There was the small occasion where the story was a little slow or dull. But I think this was purposeful to contrast the mundane with the horrible fantastic. The simple and weak desires of the mortal realm are laughed upon in the realm of the Cenobites.
The storyline is dark and enjoyable to follow. Clive Barker truly weaves a tale of modern horror like none-other. The gory scenes are well written and reserved enough to not be sickening.
Frank manages to get the box open and the Cenobites step through, horrific and deformed creatures of pain an torture. Frank is appalled that what he thought would be the ultimate pleasure is actually unending nightmares.
The Cenobites take him back into their world to be tortured for eternity.
Jump forward a few months and Frank's brother, Rory, and his wife, Julia, are moving into the family home where Frank first opened the box. Julia is unhappy with the new home and with her life with Rory.
Throughout the first part of the book Julia reminisces about the one night stand she had with Frank and reveals that she still lusts after him. She wishes she could be with him and not Rory.
One of the room's upstairs gives Julia a sick feeling so she locks it up. She wonders what about the room frightens her . . . and yet draws her in.
It is on one fateful day that Rory accidently splits his finger open while doing some repairs on the house that acts as the catalyst for the story. Rory runs upstairs to get Julia's help. She has opened the room again to try to figure out its nature and Rory stumbles in. His blood spills onto the floor.
They rush Rory to the hospital to get stitched up. What they don't see is the blood being absorbed by the room. It is just enough for Frank to return to the real world, but only in part. He is a deformed and skinless creature forced to crawl along the floorboards. But he desires blood--needs blood--to survive and grow strong before the Cenobites find him again. And he will stop at no ends to get it.
Clive Barker is a masterful storyteller and has a beautiful way with words. Although this little novella isn't perfect it is a piece of significant horror fiction the disturbs the mind and questions the moral.
Barker has an odd way of switching between the minds of his characters. IT is reminiscent of the modernist elements. There is no break in text to indicate the change. At first this felt odd and was a little hard to follow but later on it was easy to catch on. I am still trying to delve deeper and see the literary purpose behind these shifts.
Perhaps the idea that the moral and immoral are much closer than we like to think is one reason for this type of flow in writing, or perhaps the closeness of the two worlds--the mortal with the demonic. Either way, I grew to like his shifting omniscient narrator--able to peer into the minds of any character he wishes.
The sections of the book were each fairly short and gripping. This type of writing is very effective in short fiction since it grasps the reader into continuing reading. It's always easy to say, "just one more section, one more chapter" with well structured writing such as this.
There was the small occasion where the story was a little slow or dull. But I think this was purposeful to contrast the mundane with the horrible fantastic. The simple and weak desires of the mortal realm are laughed upon in the realm of the Cenobites.
The storyline is dark and enjoyable to follow. Clive Barker truly weaves a tale of modern horror like none-other. The gory scenes are well written and reserved enough to not be sickening.
Summing it Up
Clive Barker's writing is dark and strangely mystical. He manages to weave a tale of disturbing desire and torture while still tastefully sustaining believable and relatable characters. The themes and elements of literature put The Hellbound Heart far above many other horror novels today that only focus on gore and disturbing content. Barker understands horror more than many creators today and I hope more up-and-coming writers will learn from his works of sin, lust, and redemption.
Deaths: 6
Language: 3
Gore Factor: 4
Sex Factor: 3
Scare Factor: 3
Fun Factor: 3
Overall Rating: 5
Deaths: 6
Language: 3
Gore Factor: 4
Sex Factor: 3
Scare Factor: 3
Fun Factor: 3
Overall Rating: 5
To learn more about my rating system click here.