Reviews with content warning for Panic attacks/disorders - The Shining

BANNED BOOKS CHALLENGE READ:
Word on the street is that every one of Stephen King’s books have been banned/or challenged at some point since their publication. The Shining was challenged for “containing violence and demonic possession and [ridiculing] the Christian religion” in Wyoming and Alabama.
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I’m honestly shocked that I liked this as much as I did. This book broke my reading slump and kept me up all night. This is my first Stephen King book and I totally understand why he is the icon he is.

The way he writes is just mind blowing. It’s so simple. You never feel like it’s over your head and you always feel so close to figuring everything out. But you just never quite do until he reveals it. And despite the fact that basically every character is the most awful person I’ve ever encountered (Jack being the worst), I was sucked in immediately.

And the way the text was formatted??? Cherry on top. It added so much suspense and really illustrated the flirtation/ descent into madness.

There definitely was violence and demonic possession. I didn’t see the ridicule of Christianity (and wouldn’t have cared if it was there tbh.) My only issue is that I didn’t love King’s use of racial slurs. It made sense when the hotel used them and I could halfway accept that. Capitalism is an incredibly racist system and is violent- emotionally and physically- to Black folks (understatement). It makes sense that the Hotel, the symbol of capitalism here, was verbally violent to our main Black character. The other uses just felt out of line considering the author is white.

I wish that our main Black character, Dick, had more purpose in the book than guiding Danny and saving him and Wendy. It felt like he was just a tool for Danny’s development than anything. He’s a cool character and deserved a little bit more.

I will say, this is a book that I was pleasantly surprised lives up to its hype. I’m excited to watch the movie and see how it matches up. Also apparently there’s a sequel? I’m thinking of checking that out too.

Content Warnings

eurekamaharjan's review

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dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Woah. This book. THIS BOOK IS JUST BRILLIANT. i had already seen the movie going in to the book but it still left me shook. This book goes in depth about not only the horror that lives among us(supernatural ghosts etc) but the horror that lives within us. King's storytelling is spellbinding in the best way possible. I felt very scared whilst reading this book, so scared that i couldn't go to the washroom alone. This is a slow burn creepy book that made my heart thump with every page, specially towards the end. What i find absolutely astounding is how king made the atmosphere of the hotel. The hotel did not feel like juts a place somehow, it felt like it had a life (which it kind of did). I am in awe with his writing, it gave me literal chills and tbh his writing was a bit hard getting used to at first (at least for me), but as i kept on reading it pulled me to a world where i got completely lost in my own imagination made by king's words. This a must read for all the horror thriller fans out there. I'm definitely gonna be reading more of king's work.

Content Warnings

reed_ing's review

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challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

nasya_4567's review against another edition

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dark emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Content Warnings

milohno's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

he_slaughtered's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.0

this was unnecessarily racist and sexually explicit. uncomfortable in the way that it didn’t have to be, and shouldn’t have been. i hated the use of white characters saying racial slurs, or even anyone in the book for that matter, seeing as stephen king is a white guy. there’s some sexually explicit scenes which where wholly unnecessary, as well as perverted descriptions that don’t add anything to the story. why are there graphic descriptions of the male characters genitals (including the child’s)?? why is every male character commenting on the female characters bodies? it’s just uncomfortably sexual and perverted and racist. i’m sure there’s better horror out there that doesn’t do this. this is the first and only stephen king book i’m gonna read.

Content Warnings

chiara_dose's review against another edition

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dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Content Warnings

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