Horseman by Christina Henry

Horseman

by Christina Henry

In this atmospheric, terrifying novel that draws strongly from "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," the author of Alice and The Girl in Red works her trademark magic, spinning an engaging and frightening new story from a classic tale.

Everyone in Sleepy Hollow knows about the Horseman, but no one really believes in him. Not even Ben Van Brunt's grandfather, Brom Bones, who was there when it was said the Horseman chased the upstart Crane out of town. Brom says that's just legend, the village gossips talking. 

More than thirty years after those storied events, the village is a quiet place. Fourteen-year-old Ben loves to play "Sleepy Hollow boys," reenacting the events Brom once lived through. But then Ben and a friend stumble across the headless body of a child in the woods near the village, and the discovery makes Ben question everything the adults in Sleepy Hollow have ever said. Could the Horseman be real after all? Or does something even more sinister stalk the woods?

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

5 of 5 stars

Share

Fans of the tale of Sleepy Hollow are surely curious about Christina Henry's take on the matter, Horseman. Christina Henry is well known for her fairytale retellings, usually with a horror twist, and that is why I just knew I had to give this book a try.

It's been twenty years since the events of Sleepy Hollow, yet the town still remembers the legend of the Headless Horseman well. Especially young Ben, who loves to play pretend with these stories at the center.

Then one day, a headless body is found. This finding changes the course of history for Ben, the rest of the Van Brunt family, and even the town. However, none of them know it yet.

"Blood is its own kind of magic. It sustains life. It carries our history, all the blood that came before us…"

Wow. I knew that Christina Henry would find a way to make the tale of the headless Horseman her own, but I was not expecting this! Horseman is an absolutely fantastic read. One that is thrilling – and easy for fans to jump right into.

You don't need to know the whole legend to follow and appreciate this tale. All of the foundations are laid out for the readers, from the history of the Van Brunt family to the whole town – Crane included.

What blew me out of the water was not the horror part of this tale – but the human side of things. Ben's character is so human and so profound. There were a lot of surprises there, but I think they flowed so nicely into the original tale of the Horseman. I loved every bit of it.

I was surprised by how hard Horseman hit me emotionally. It got me tearing up a time or two – and that is something I was NOT expecting. I was expecting to shake in my boots if anything. Well done, Christina Henry. Well done.

Thanks to Berkley Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Read more reviews over at Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 22 November, 2021: Finished reading
  • 22 November, 2021: Reviewed