Snapshot

by Joe Hill

One of four short novels in the Strange Weather collection.

Genres: Horror

120 pages, ebook

About the author

Joe Hill's debut, Heart-Shaped Box, won the Bram Stoker Award for Best First Novel. His second, Horns, was made into a film freakfest starring Daniel Radcliffe. His other novels include NOS4A2, and his #1 New York Times Best-Seller, The Fireman... which was also the winner of a 2016 Goodreads Choice Award for Best Horror Novel.

He writes short stories too. Some of them were gathered together in his prize-winning collection, 20th Century Ghosts.

He won the Eisner Award for Best Writer for his long running comic book series, Locke & Key, co-created with illustrator and art wizard Gabriel Rodriguez.

He lives in New Hampshire with a corgi named McMurtry after a certain beloved writer of cowboy tales. His next book, Strange Weather, a collection of novellas, storms into bookstores in October of 2017.

Reviews

[Eloy Cryptkeeper · Rating 4 out of 5]

"—Inventa el modo de no envejecer. Envejecer es una broma de muy mal gusto. Envejecer no es forma de dejar de ser joven."

"De repente, la idea de que le hubieran robado aquellos días me pareció nauseabunda. Era como tragarse un sorbo de leche agria. Una indecencia.La pérdida de sus recuerdos y de su entendimiento no tenía justificación alguna, el universo no tenía forma de defender la corrupción de su mente. Ella me había querido, aunque yo fuera demasiado imbécil para saberlo o valorarlo."

Mike es un joven de 13 años ,solitario, que padece de obesidad. Vive con su padre, ya que su madre esta en el exterior(lo abandono). Pasa la mayoría de sus tardes en el Garage intentando hacer algún invento único. Una de esas tardes ve pasar a su antigua niñera , la cual aparentemente esta sufriendo un episodio propio de una enfermedad de demencia senil. Sin embargo, esta le advierte que hay alguien con una cámara Polaroid que roba los recuerdos, Y que por nada del mundo se deje tomar una foto.

Una historia original. Con una superficie sobrenatural bastante inquietante e intrigante, quizás demasiado ambigua, Pero es la excusa perfecta para una historia emotiva y nostálgica ambientada en los 80's. Con un bonito mensaje sobre aceptarse tal cual uno es, no renegar ni olvidar los acontecimientos del pasado por mas malos que sean, porque son parte de uno. y disfrutar las pequeñas grandes cosas de la vida y la gente que tengamos cerca

[Madeline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not a fan of short stories per se, but this was pretty good.

[Nick Katenkamp · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first novella in Joe Hill's Strange Weather is an uneven sci-fi horror tale. The evil polaroid camera is a good enough vehicle for a horror story, but once the climax hits, the story loses momentum.

[Alissa J · Rating 2 out of 5]

Big fan of Joe Hill's other works (Heart Shaped Box, Horns, Locke and Key series, etc.), but this one didn't hit the way I had hoped. I found the reason for the antagonist even being in the story kind of forced, and the story could have ended 20 pages before it did.
I have also been finding some of his magical elements a little repetitive. "Whispering" iron or metal as a horror element is in both this story and Locke and Key, and he has an interrupted radio frequency for dramatic affect in both this story and Heart Shaped Box. I'm hoping that as Strange Weather stories continue, they begin to stray from the typical.

[Nganka · Rating 3 out of 5]

rating - 3.5

a good short story by joe hill.
- fine mixture of nostalgic storytelling , suspense and emotional moments with a dash of horror.
- feels like a stephen king story.
- needed a little more action / kineticity .
- drags in some parts especially the ending - which goes one for too long .

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in Strange Weather a collection of short stories by Joe Hill. It was my favorite of the four short stories. It felt reminiscent of R.L. Stine’s Say Cheese and Die, which was nostalgic for me. Not only was it a fascinating thriller there was also a great storyline and a very likable main character. I really recommend this one.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Audio Book 2 hours 55 minutes:
Copied from Strange Weather by Joe Hill.

Snapshot is the disturbing story of a Silicon Valley adolescent who finds himself threatened by “The Phoenician,” a tattooed thug who possesses a Polaroid Instant Camera that erases memories, snap by snap.

[Alex Trofin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice short one!

[Mike Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is so interesting in how and when its creepy factors come in. Massively enjoyed it

[Rambling Irishman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short had so much more potential, it was very well written and overall a good story but there were parts I felt could have been explored more.
4/5 from me.

[I live in your walls (real) (go check) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very creepy and very s a d (my favorite flavor)

[John Esse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting premise, but wayyyy too many slurs and fat jokes for my taste

[J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Liked it. Clever premise and good writing... descriptive.

[Andrew kutz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story by Joe Hill. I love how he can make something kind of abstract, but also feels so grounded in reality. It’s such a good story I will not say more for I don’t want to spoil.