Welcome back to Books With Cause! Let’s dive into my latest review — Horseman by Christina Henry. A chilling sequel to The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, this dark reimagining explores legacy, legend, and what it means to face the ghosts of the past.
This is my second instance of reading a Christina Henry novel after previously reading The House That Horror Built, which I used as a comp novel in my recent round of submissions. Horseman was another pick by Goodreads’ Horror Reader Aficionados, so I was looking forward to reading Henry’s work again. However, this one would be a very different experience.
First of all, this is a sequel to Sleepy Hollow, the 1870 short story written by Washington Irving. Some people may be familiar with Tim Burton’s film adaptation starring Johnny Depp and Christina Ricci, although I understand the movie has a different ending from Irving’s source material. In short, the source material focuses on a love triangle with Ichabod Crane and Brom Van Brunt competing for the affections of Katrina Van Tassel. Long story short, Katrina chooses Brom, and Ichabod is run out of town. Scared away by the Headless Horseman, who is implied to be actually Brom in disguise.
Christina Henry’s novel begins more than thirty years after the events of Irving’s initial story, in a time when the village of Sleepy Hollow is far more peaceful. We meet fourteen-year-old Ben Van Bunt, the only grandchild of Brom and Katrina. Both their parents have died before this novel takes place, and so Ben lives with Brom and Katrina. Ben worships Brom, who has become a bit of a legend in the village. Ben enjoys playing a game called Sleepy Hollow Boys, where Ben always plays the part of Brom. When a villager is found dead, Ben suspects the Horseman of murder. But it can’t be. Because the Horseman isn’t real. Are they?
I’m having to be very careful in writing this review because there is quite a major spoiler right at the end of the first chapter. And I must admit it left me stunned. It certainly shifts the perspective of the rest of the book. And that really is all I can say without revealing the spoiler.
Overall, this book was fine, but that’s about it. It didn’t completely grab me, and it didn’t sweep me away. It just wasn’t a book for me. The fact that I’ve not read the original story might be a major reason for it. I just wasn’t familiar with the characters, like I imagine the majority of the intended audience would be.
My Goodreads rating: ★★★☆☆ (3 stars)
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