A Book to Read if You Have Something To Hide

Photo Copyright Belongs to Dark Horse Comics

It’s a small town. And small towns have secrets.

Yet, that’s the thing about secrets – they never go unnoticed.

For Trevor, there is a secret hiding in his backyard, inside of the barn. It’s his brother – Will. Will, only six years old, stands several feet above his brother. And it wasn’t until Trevor decides to take a stand against the hiding of his brother, that he realizes how much this small town would be willing to fight for the silence of the children.

After reading Freaks of the Heartland by Steve Niles and art by Greg Ruth


After reading this book, the air and feeling of the read reminded me of Sling Blade meets Stand By Me – a creepy small town keeping a very big secret quiet. The two brothers in the book portray a heartwarming relationship, although often chilling at times. I was captivated, of course. Trevor’s main purpose is to protect his brother Will. And Will? Will just wants to find peace.

The pace of the book struck me and  I just had to know what these beings were, how they came about, and what would become of them. What would happen to the children? Would the adults take them down? Would they break free?  But overall, the tempo also felt bleak. Isolating. Trapping. And I’m sure this is how the character’s felt. And not only did the dialogue portray that, but so did the art work.

The artwork alone would be worth buying the book for – incredibly detailed and elaborate art that could be calm and peaceful looking one moment and very violent and disturbing the next.

I won’t give away what happens to them, but I felt I still needed more from the story. I’m not sure if this book is planning on becoming a series, but if it does, I would be interested in the next read. I would say it would be worth it.

Freaks of the Heartland will be released on July 11, 2012. 

Book Best Served With

Whole wheat toast with butter and a glass of iced tea, as you sit on your back porch swing, contemplating small town secrets and the things that some people desperately try to keep buried.

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Dark Horse Comics through NetGalley. All of the opinions expressed within this blog post are my own. Click to reserve your copy with Barnes and Noble or click to reserve your copy with Amazon.
Find out more information about the book through Dark Horse Comics.

I did include an Amazon affiliate link within the post in case you were interested in purchasing the book.