Definitely better than the film. This novelization is able to better explain motives and characters by letting the reader into their thoughts and minds. Now, I'm no prude and I know I'm reading a book about a guy who has risen from the dead to carry out vengeance...but there were some passages that I felt ... icky. Oh, and Sarah and Ashe falling in love is dumb.
Anyway, worth a read if you enjoy The Crow.