But given the amount of detail within the book, the scenes still churn my stomach.įrank’s biggest lesson there’s no gain without sacrifice. He has no redeeming qualities, he has an affair with his brother’s wife, and he’d sell his own Mother if he knew he’d profit. Taking Frank captive and torturing him for their own pleasures is disturbing in any context, but it creates a strange juxtaposition.įrank isn’t likeable in the slightest. It starts with Frank’s obsession to have higher, more pleasurable sex and then morphs further with the Cenobites introduction. There’s also a theme of masochistic violence running throughout The Hellbound Heart. All you need to do is complete the puzzle and unlock it. Imagine you are given the opportunity to feel an even greater high and it can all be found in one small box. See how clever the image is, even upside down? It’s easy to waste 30 minutes to an hour mindlessly scrolling through images of beautiful landscapes, expensive lifestyles and fun party environments only to be brought back to reality when you put your phone down. This is still prevalent in today’s society, apart from now we have a more significant addiction of our own social media. Hedonistic lifestyles are put under the microscope with Frank becoming more and more dulled to the sensation of alcohol, drugs and cheap sex. Clive Barker, The Hellbound Heart Repetition Numbs the Senses

It’s here that he unlocks its mysteries, releasing a portal to another dimension and summoning the horrific Cenobites, who take him captive for their sadomasochistic experiments. While in Africa he buys a Lament Configuration puzzle box from a merchant and brings it back to his home in England. The book centres around Frank Cotton, a hedonistic guy who believes he’s experienced all the pleasures the world has to offer. It’s worth noting that King’s books, such as Carrie and Needful Things, are much easier to get involved with when compared to Barker’s Books of Blood series. While on the subject of King, it’s interesting to see their careers at a parallel to each other.īarker has received much of his success from The Hellbound Heart and Candyman, whereas King has been able to write bestsellers throughout most of his career consistently. Stephen King went as far as saying, ‘I have seen the future of horror, his name is Clive Barker.’ This increased his popularity in the mainstream and allowed him to continue selling his books until today. He later directed a movie adaption of The Hellbound Heart (Film titled: Hellraiser). Author, Director and Screenplay Writer – Clive Barker

The hellbound heart book series