Hug Chickenpenny: The Panegyric of an Anomalous Child

Hug Chickenpenny: The Panegyric of an Anomalous Child is a 2018 American drama horror novel written by S. Craig Zahler.[1] Published by Cinestate as the inaugural entry in their publishing imprint, the novel follows the life of the titular protagonist, an orphan child born with several deformities.[2]

Hug Chickenpenny: The Panegyric of an Anomalous Child
AuthorS. Craig Zahler
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
GenreFiction
Drama
Horror
PublisherCinestate
Publication date
23 January 2018
Media typePrint (paperback)
Pages256
ISBN978-1-946487-00-1

Background

Zahler said in an interview that the idea of the novel has existed with him for 21 years. He calls it his "single favorite piece" out of all his work; he further said that the novel has "probably more elements of horror, with intimations of supernatural and wondering about Hug’s parentage and some longer horror sequences, even if the end result isn’t incredibly violent in any spot."[3]

Reception

Kirkus Reviews said that the novel's prose is "solid, and the dialogue in particular shines, feeling natural without betraying the gothic style of the story."[2] Emily Sears of Birth.Movies.Death. wrote: "While it's likely not a great bedtime story for most young readers, those with an interest in horror movies and more macabre fairy tales may be ready for this book."[4] Michele Galgan of Diabolique called the novel "refreshing", adding that it is "different from anything I’ve read — it’s certainly different from Zahler’s other work — and as someone who sees a lot of the same tropes consistently."[5]

Leah Pickett of Dallas Observer called it "a Dickensian fable with elements of gothic horror and Christian apologia" and "a daring, evocative work that defies categorization."[6] A reviewer from Booklist noted that readers will "find themselves pulling for the lovable Hug and for a happy ending to Zahler’s unusual and unusually appealing tale."[7] Midwest Book Review called it "an exceptional, original, and inherently fascinating read from beginning to end."[7]

Film adaptation

During the launch of the novel, it was announced that Zahler will work with The Jim Henson Company to adapt it for a feature film.[8][9]

References
  1. Moore, Debi (9 January 2018). "S. Craig Zahler Shares an Excerpt from Hug Chickenpenny: The Panegyric of an Anomalous Child". Dread Centre. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  2. "Hug Chickenpenny". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  3. Moore, Debi (22 January 2018). "Fast Five Q&A with S. Craig Zahler – Hug Chickenpenny: The Panegyric of an Anomalous Child". Dreadcentre. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  4. Sears, Emily (9 March 2018). "Book Review: S. Craig Zahler's Hug Chickenpenny Is A Touching Gothic Parable". Birth Movies Death.
  5. "Hug Chickenpenny: The Panegyric of an Anomalous Child". Diabolique. 15 September 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  6. Pickett, Leah (25 July 2017). "Hug Chickenpenny, Cinestate's First Book, Will Probably Fare Better on Screen". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  7. "Hug Chickenpenny: The Panegyric of an Anomalous Child: The Panegyric of an Anomalous Child". Barnes and Noble. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
  8. Gallagher, Danny (21 December 2017). "Jim Henson Co. Will Make Puppets for the Next Film by Dallas Movie Studio Cinestate". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  9. Ol, Sheryl (21 December 2017). "The Jim Henson Company Will Produce S. Craig Zahler's 'Hug Chickenpenny'". Film School Rejects. Retrieved 6 September 2019.
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