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Helleville
All fifteen-year-old Noah Hipwell wants is to go through high school in peace. Yet he finds himself suspended after a bully pushes him too far, and Noah’s forced to defend himself. His mother, fed up with the school’s indifference to his plight, pulls him out completely and leaves Noah uncertain of his future while they look for a good and safe school for him.
All Dorothy “Dot” Hipwell wants is to go through single motherhood in peace. Yet she and her son are harassed by weekly phone calls from her evangelical family hell-bent on guilt-tripping them both back into the fold. Then Noah’s grandparents ask strange questions about their old van after dropping cryptic references to a group called The Soul Warriors. Fed up, Dot takes Noah away for a much-needed getaway, only to find themselves suddenly transported to an alternate world, where a town called Helleville awaits them and all other condemned souls.
Along with warm-blooded, living human beings, the Hipwells rub shoulders with zombies, vampires, house ghosts, and occasional “green vomit piles” while picking up the pieces and sorting out what could very well be an eternity in a bizarre, fanciful, and humorous world of ghouls and banned books.
When residents suddenly disappear one by one with no trace and for no logical reason, however, doubts being “housed” in an alternate world for their sins are raised, and time suddenly becomes of the essence as Noah and the rest of Helleville’s condemned race to find answers to what’s quickly turning into a dangerous puzzle.
All Dorothy “Dot” Hipwell wants is to go through single motherhood in peace. Yet she and her son are harassed by weekly phone calls from her evangelical family hell-bent on guilt-tripping them both back into the fold. Then Noah’s grandparents ask strange questions about their old van after dropping cryptic references to a group called The Soul Warriors. Fed up, Dot takes Noah away for a much-needed getaway, only to find themselves suddenly transported to an alternate world, where a town called Helleville awaits them and all other condemned souls.
Along with warm-blooded, living human beings, the Hipwells rub shoulders with zombies, vampires, house ghosts, and occasional “green vomit piles” while picking up the pieces and sorting out what could very well be an eternity in a bizarre, fanciful, and humorous world of ghouls and banned books.
When residents suddenly disappear one by one with no trace and for no logical reason, however, doubts being “housed” in an alternate world for their sins are raised, and time suddenly becomes of the essence as Noah and the rest of Helleville’s condemned race to find answers to what’s quickly turning into a dangerous puzzle.
260 pages, Paperback
First published July 14, 2013
1 person is currently reading
210 people want to read
About the author
Hayden Thorne
100 books81 followersI write gothic fiction, fairy tales, and ghost stories with a touch of gay romance. For a complete and updated list of my published books,
please visit my Books2Read store
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
August 11, 2013
Review posted at The Armchair Reader.
3.75 stars
It's been a while since I read a Hayden Thorne novel and now I remember exactly why I always want to read them! She has a particular quirky brain that makes her books unique in a way that always pulls me in. This wasn't my favorite of her books, but it might be hard to top the Masks books anyway. Still, by the end of this book, I liked it and I really liked Noah.
Noah is fifteen and out of school. After a bad situation at his last public school, where some kids bullied him and he fought back, getting suspended, his super awesome single mom Dot went ape-shit on the administration for their blatant disregard of the bullying in their school and pulled Noah out. Since then, he's been staying at home while his mother works two jobs and looks for a new, more inclusive school. Noah and his mom are pretty close, they're their only family and they stick together. Well, Noah does have grandparents (Dot's parents), but they really aren't considered family -- more like righteous stalkers. The calendar by the phone with bloody X's mark the days that they call to harass them about their wicked ways (which include that Noah is gay and that Dot had him out of wedlock). It isn't until his grandmother threatens to set The Soul Warriors on them that they get a little more worried.
When Noah and his mother decide to take a weekend road trip to a B&B to get away from all the phone calls, they find themselves transported to a strange alternate world that seems to be a ridiculous mockery of Hell -- a town called Helleville filled with residents with similar experiences as them, full of banned books like Harry Potter and science textbooks that teach evolution, and weird and strange creatures like ghosts, vampires, zombies and ghouls. The strange thing is that though no one there can really figure out where they are and why they're there (other than the fact that The Soul Warriors are behind everything), it isn't the classic representation of hell that you'd expect. They're well cared for with all the food they want for no money, the kids don't have to take school (although they can sit in a class with Satan as a teacher if they want), and they're surrounded by pristine nature with no need for jobs. The people there have formed a community of sorts with a mayor and everything, but they all have time to relax and enjoy the things that they didn't have time for in life. Dot decides to take up crocheting.
They are, however, haunted by one serious problem. Every so often someone disappears. Soon after Noah and his mother arrive in Helleville, the fourth resident goes missing and no one can ever find them, no matter how many times they organize search parties and a night watch to try to catch anything abnormal. It isn't until Noah makes a friend named John who loves to take pictures that they start to piece together the strange occurrences and what could be behind it all. But before Noah can get too attached to his new hobby of playing Sherlock Holmes he meets Alex, a boy his own age who seems to like him. Alex invites him to hang out with a few of the other teenagers in Helleville and finds that he's not the only one with a crush on the nerdy teen. Matt, a cool seventeen, muscular and gorgeous, highly intelligent and the most popular kid involved in the community has a thing for Alex and he doesn't intend for Noah, who he looks at like a bug under his shoe, to get in his way.
Before all of you m/m romance readers out there get excited, the romance in this story is kept on the back burner. Instead, this story is really Noah's coming of age tale and his road to self-discovery. Helleville and the alternate reality they've been sent to acts as a catalyst to force Noah to grow. Before he was sent there, a lot of his own exploration of himself as a teenager had been stunted because of the bullying he experienced at school. He calls himself an introvert, but he's really afraid to get back out into the world and try again, making friends and even meeting a guy he likes and taking a change. He has a lot of latent social anxiety and Helleville acts as a skewed kind of microcosm of the real world to get him to open up again. In Helleville, Noah can be someone new. He can meet and go on dates with a boy like Alex, he learns that he can have friends. And most importantly he learns that people can rely on him, that he has worth. Alex acts as part of that self-discovery, of course, and their relationship also is a somewhat significant part of the story, but it never progresses very far on page.
The pace and plot mimic Noah's journey in a way. The POV is strictly Noah's, so the first half of the book is quite sedate. I even read one reader's review on Goodreads before I started reading that said that this book was boring. I wouldn't say that, I quite enjoyed it. But there were a few times in the first half of the book that I set it down, read some other things and then picked it up later. I think that as long as you don't go into this book expecting it to focus on Noah's romantic life and that the story will be more about action than reflection, you'll enjoy it. Also, if you haven't read much of Hayden Thorne's work by now you might not realize that most of her work is cerebral. This book is a reflection of Noah's life, in almost an allegorical way. If you'd rather just read for fun and not want to focus on the meaning of it all, then you might find this story a bit slow … in the first half anyway, the second half was much more exciting.
So I definitely recommend this one. I really like Hayden's work and I'll always pick up her books when a new one is out. She always has a really great point of view coming from gay teenagers that it's so easy to connect with. That, and sometimes this book just makes you go -- What the FUCK?
3.75 stars
It's been a while since I read a Hayden Thorne novel and now I remember exactly why I always want to read them! She has a particular quirky brain that makes her books unique in a way that always pulls me in. This wasn't my favorite of her books, but it might be hard to top the Masks books anyway. Still, by the end of this book, I liked it and I really liked Noah.
Noah is fifteen and out of school. After a bad situation at his last public school, where some kids bullied him and he fought back, getting suspended, his super awesome single mom Dot went ape-shit on the administration for their blatant disregard of the bullying in their school and pulled Noah out. Since then, he's been staying at home while his mother works two jobs and looks for a new, more inclusive school. Noah and his mom are pretty close, they're their only family and they stick together. Well, Noah does have grandparents (Dot's parents), but they really aren't considered family -- more like righteous stalkers. The calendar by the phone with bloody X's mark the days that they call to harass them about their wicked ways (which include that Noah is gay and that Dot had him out of wedlock). It isn't until his grandmother threatens to set The Soul Warriors on them that they get a little more worried.
When Noah and his mother decide to take a weekend road trip to a B&B to get away from all the phone calls, they find themselves transported to a strange alternate world that seems to be a ridiculous mockery of Hell -- a town called Helleville filled with residents with similar experiences as them, full of banned books like Harry Potter and science textbooks that teach evolution, and weird and strange creatures like ghosts, vampires, zombies and ghouls. The strange thing is that though no one there can really figure out where they are and why they're there (other than the fact that The Soul Warriors are behind everything), it isn't the classic representation of hell that you'd expect. They're well cared for with all the food they want for no money, the kids don't have to take school (although they can sit in a class with Satan as a teacher if they want), and they're surrounded by pristine nature with no need for jobs. The people there have formed a community of sorts with a mayor and everything, but they all have time to relax and enjoy the things that they didn't have time for in life. Dot decides to take up crocheting.
They are, however, haunted by one serious problem. Every so often someone disappears. Soon after Noah and his mother arrive in Helleville, the fourth resident goes missing and no one can ever find them, no matter how many times they organize search parties and a night watch to try to catch anything abnormal. It isn't until Noah makes a friend named John who loves to take pictures that they start to piece together the strange occurrences and what could be behind it all. But before Noah can get too attached to his new hobby of playing Sherlock Holmes he meets Alex, a boy his own age who seems to like him. Alex invites him to hang out with a few of the other teenagers in Helleville and finds that he's not the only one with a crush on the nerdy teen. Matt, a cool seventeen, muscular and gorgeous, highly intelligent and the most popular kid involved in the community has a thing for Alex and he doesn't intend for Noah, who he looks at like a bug under his shoe, to get in his way.
Before all of you m/m romance readers out there get excited, the romance in this story is kept on the back burner. Instead, this story is really Noah's coming of age tale and his road to self-discovery. Helleville and the alternate reality they've been sent to acts as a catalyst to force Noah to grow. Before he was sent there, a lot of his own exploration of himself as a teenager had been stunted because of the bullying he experienced at school. He calls himself an introvert, but he's really afraid to get back out into the world and try again, making friends and even meeting a guy he likes and taking a change. He has a lot of latent social anxiety and Helleville acts as a skewed kind of microcosm of the real world to get him to open up again. In Helleville, Noah can be someone new. He can meet and go on dates with a boy like Alex, he learns that he can have friends. And most importantly he learns that people can rely on him, that he has worth. Alex acts as part of that self-discovery, of course, and their relationship also is a somewhat significant part of the story, but it never progresses very far on page.
The pace and plot mimic Noah's journey in a way. The POV is strictly Noah's, so the first half of the book is quite sedate. I even read one reader's review on Goodreads before I started reading that said that this book was boring. I wouldn't say that, I quite enjoyed it. But there were a few times in the first half of the book that I set it down, read some other things and then picked it up later. I think that as long as you don't go into this book expecting it to focus on Noah's romantic life and that the story will be more about action than reflection, you'll enjoy it. Also, if you haven't read much of Hayden Thorne's work by now you might not realize that most of her work is cerebral. This book is a reflection of Noah's life, in almost an allegorical way. If you'd rather just read for fun and not want to focus on the meaning of it all, then you might find this story a bit slow … in the first half anyway, the second half was much more exciting.
So I definitely recommend this one. I really like Hayden's work and I'll always pick up her books when a new one is out. She always has a really great point of view coming from gay teenagers that it's so easy to connect with. That, and sometimes this book just makes you go -- What the FUCK?
March 29, 2022
Genuinely don’t know how to rate this book. It’s extremely quirky and especially in the beginning it really felt like I was been drawn into this odd, unique and strangely charming little universe. I think the story has great potential and I can genuinely say that I’ve never read a story quite like this one. By the 2/3 mark however it all started to collapse in my opinion. Relationships that i was just starting to see emerge were suddenly cut off and became superficial and unnatural. So many points were left up in the air and the ending also felt rather inconclusive. I was expecting a m-m mystery romance adventure story, with a “The Dome” sort of plot as well as a set as unique rules and fantasy elements. I guess something like that would have required a trilogy at the least instead of a stand alone book. Still, I was left with a sense of void by the epilogue, and it was also pretty sad how they all lost contact with one another.
April 25, 2018
This was a really cute story in the quirky, gothic style that Hayden Thorne is so great at. What happens if family and neighbors take their hate to an extreme and try to punish their targets? Other than final death, how about limbo? That's what happens in this story. Think sort of a Beetlejuice-type universe. While the concept is depressing in reality and touched on a bit, the hopeful, practical way effected individuals manage to cope is what's important. There's definitely some dark-ish humor to lighten things up. I do wish more depictions of other townsfolk and their backstories had been touched on and I find it odd that at the end, some characters were touched on but one important character was not .
The 2013 edition I read could do with a second round for edits since there are some typos and some non-standard English usage.
The 2013 edition I read could do with a second round for edits since there are some typos and some non-standard English usage.
September 21, 2025
I should rate this lower, actually, because of the initial semi-hysteria for unneeded extremes in character typing and the continuing bouts of drama-queen, gay-stereotypical melodrama between the main couple (fortunately containe in short passages). That alone would take it to two stars, except that outside of that, the writing avoided fanfic traps and continued on a plotline that was intriguing and cohesive. It was well done on creating an alternate reality that couched well in believable fantasy terms. Outside of the tiresome gay relationship trope --- so tired of the current common approach that believes there is no other way for boys who like boys to behave in a relationship --- I would recommend the book for someone looking for light-horror happy-ending quick reads.
March 26, 2019
This as a good lazy day read. A couple of places could of been better and probably could of expanded on the location more but solid read.
This as a good lazy day read. A couple of places could of been better and probably could of expanded on the location more but solid read.
This as a good lazy day read. A couple of places could of been better and probably could of expanded on the location more but solid read.
December 18, 2014
I love that there is a growing body of work for Queer teens. I also loved that this book did a good job of not making that the main focus of the work and that the level of sexuality for the teens in the book seemed right on the mark. No one was over sexualized or hyper-sexual. A good book for teens who identified as queer/gay.
The story line of the book was also an interesting one. Playing with the idea of banishment for perceived sins, yet in a somewhat light manner. It was also interesting to see the supernatural weaving its way through the story line.
I will say that this is not the best writing I have seen. But the ideas presented and where the story could have gone made for a really interesting premise. I would say a less heavy hand on the foreshadowing and some deeper dialogue would elevate this story tremendously.
The story line of the book was also an interesting one. Playing with the idea of banishment for perceived sins, yet in a somewhat light manner. It was also interesting to see the supernatural weaving its way through the story line.
I will say that this is not the best writing I have seen. But the ideas presented and where the story could have gone made for a really interesting premise. I would say a less heavy hand on the foreshadowing and some deeper dialogue would elevate this story tremendously.
August 21, 2013
4.5 Stars
Helleville is Hayden Thorne at her creative and imaginative best, delivering a story that’s brimming with twists and turns and more than a few surprises that, in the end, gave me a very smug sense of satisfaction, in a “HA! So, take that” kind of way, which I loved to bits. There are lessons to be learned about prejudice and about the cosmic justice that comes back to bite the pompous on their pious bums when they presume to pass judgment.
You can read the rest of this review at The Novel Approach
Helleville is Hayden Thorne at her creative and imaginative best, delivering a story that’s brimming with twists and turns and more than a few surprises that, in the end, gave me a very smug sense of satisfaction, in a “HA! So, take that” kind of way, which I loved to bits. There are lessons to be learned about prejudice and about the cosmic justice that comes back to bite the pompous on their pious bums when they presume to pass judgment.
You can read the rest of this review at The Novel Approach
August 5, 2013
What a boring story plot. My God, what a waste of reading time.
August 12, 2013
Most enjoyable YA story. I always enjoy Hayden's stories and this one didn't disappoint.
Fantastic cover! :-)
Fantastic cover! :-)
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November 15, 20182 LGBTQ main characters: gay
Importance of Identity to Plot: 2/5
Romance: 1/5
Coming out: no
Tw: a little gory, but not much
Importance of Identity to Plot: 2/5
Romance: 1/5
Coming out: no
Tw: a little gory, but not much
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews