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lmorris1717's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, and Physical abuse
emnime's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
jdhauk's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Alcohol
Moderate: Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Sexual content
carrie_garrie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Suicide, Blood, Vomit, Death of parent, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
jessiee's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, and Physical abuse
irwinfinkle's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Misogyny, and Gaslighting
Minor: Racial slurs, Racism, Vomit, and Fire/Fire injury
autienaut's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Impeccable writing and flawless execution. 🖤
Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Miscarriage, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Murder, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child abuse, Blood, and Car accident
Minor: Cursing and Forced institutionalization
ehamlett's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Racial slurs, Violence, and Alcohol
Moderate: Child abuse, Death, Physical abuse, and Fire/Fire injury
thatgirlinblack's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
The hotel is much more of an actively working, malevolent force than in the famous movie and yet many of the iconic visuals are different or missing.
-The iconic ax is a roque mallet.
-There's no river of blood, but there is a splatter of blood and brains on a wall where a ghost committed su*cide.
-There IS a caretaker who killed his family and helps corrupt Jack but Danny never sees the dead twins.
-The maze doesn’t exist but a topiary of hedge animals causes more than enough menace and destruction.
-Not a movie mention of the crazy man in a silver dog suit whose treatment succinctly displays the twisted minds of the hotel’s famous guests.
-Halloran & Jack have vastly different (& interesting) arcs and ends.
Jack’s self-pitying narratives were annoying while the thoughts of longsuffering, devoted wife and mother Wendy were tragic and the parts in Danny’s curious, expanding little boy brain were exciting as he figures out his “shining” power.
“He felt that he had unwittingly stuck his hand into The Great Wasps’ Nest of Life.” Jack Torrance in the “passive mode” can’t possibly be held responsible for drinking himself into a stupor, or a rage, and hurting people. Oh no, not poor Jack. 🙄
In a sad reminiscence of how female victims of domestic violence constantly excuse their abusers, Wendy credits Jack’s infamous murderous rage to the hotel magically providing liquor rather than the fact that Jack consciously allowed his drinking problem to relapse. His attacks on her are so intense and bloody, yet she displays great determination through it all.
Ultimately it was kinda irritating and idk if it’s because of his limited experience with domestic violence, but King’s slant that Jack was really just some good ol’ dude who unfortunately fell upon hard times and was bewitched by evil falls flat with the countless documented examples of men who neglect their families through drinking and violence ~while in their very right minds~
The problem with blaming Jack’s destructive turn on the Overlook is that he was already impatient (snapping at Wendy in his head), selfish (neglecting his family to stay out late drinking), violent (beating up his student), a sop (willingly drank when the hotel provided it), and destructive (picking fights with his employer to could pursue his passion project book on the hotel) on his own; even if he was trying to turn over a new leaf, his own moral fortitude failed and the hotel just nudged him along.
While Wendy had her own anxious tendencies, her possible overprotectiveness (but not her lack of trust in the drunken, angry man that was her husband) could’ve been addressed if Jack actually communicated with her. Instead, he complained in his head, fantasized about hitting her, and lustfully danced with Sexy Hotel Ghost Lady.
As a survivor, I can confirm that real-life abusive men are way more scary than any hotel ghosts. Quite frankly, it’s unnecessary and insulting to go to bat for these rnen.
The horror aspect is very well done, though, obviously. The slow burn ratchets up to a frantic pace as the party rages and the hotel comes to life, growing stronger. The redemptive end to the story is much more meaningful, in both a bittersweet and uplifting way, than the movie.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, and Violence
eadrianschmitz's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
At first I was like omg ok I get it, he's an alcoholic. But then the emphasis made sense. I kind of wish it had been Jack that unravelled on his own rather than the hotel's fault for possessing him. Still a wonderful read and quite different from the film!
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail