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3.84 AVERAGE
3.84 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
(3.5) A good story that I would have enjoyed more if it was a little shorter.
I buddy read this with a couple of ladies from Instagram. I went into this book completely blind which is what
do with all of King's books now. I didn't have any expectations and I didn't know what to expect.
do with all of King's books now. I didn't have any expectations and I didn't know what to expect.
This was one of those books where you have to read to the end to know how you really feel about it. When I started it, I was intrigued, and I wanted to keep reading to find out what happens and what the point was. Unfortunately, after finishing it I was still left with so many unanswered questions and what was revealed to us just wasn't satisfying enough for me.
The buildup was great. King is a great storyteller but, in my opinion, he struggles with ending his books. If the reasoning was different, I might have enjoyed this one more. I seem to have an unpopular opinion on this book so don't take my word for it. If this sounds like something you would enjoy I definitely think you should read it because like I said everything but the end was good for me.
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Murder
Needful things is weird. It’s not the first King's book I've read, but it's the first one that made me fall in love with his writing. And yet, looking at it from a distance, well, it’s... kinda sucky.
No, I don't want to undervalue it, it's an immense book. It has a lot of engaging storylines, it's so cozy you need neither a plaid nor a chimney to go with it. It's interesting. The pacing is better than the Ministry of Silly Walks would approve. Hell, it makes you sympathize even with the baddies for a while. It's so good, that in the end you can't help but feel betrayed. As if you've been eating a tasty soup, and enjoyed it a lot, and at the bottom of the bowl suddenly discovered a wet dog that licked you right in the face. As if you've been putting on a sock, but haven't noticed a crocodile hiding in it. As if you've led an interesting creatively fulfilled life and in the end discovered you've been Rick Astley all along. It's sad, is what I'm saying.
No, I don't want to undervalue it, it's an immense book. It has a lot of engaging storylines, it's so cozy you need neither a plaid nor a chimney to go with it. It's interesting. The pacing is better than the Ministry of Silly Walks would approve. Hell, it makes you sympathize even with the baddies for a while. It's so good, that in the end you can't help but feel betrayed. As if you've been eating a tasty soup, and enjoyed it a lot, and at the bottom of the bowl suddenly discovered a wet dog that licked you right in the face. As if you've been putting on a sock, but haven't noticed a crocodile hiding in it. As if you've led an interesting creatively fulfilled life and in the end discovered you've been Rick Astley all along. It's sad, is what I'm saying.
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Man oh man. This book is a big fat fatty so I’ve been nervous to read it because large books intimidate me. I always fear I’m going to get bored and/or overwhelmed with the length. After finishing, it was evident I had these fears for NO GOOD REASON AT ALL.
When Leland Gaunt moves to Castle Rock and sets up his shop Needful Things, residents are intrigued. The shop becomes even more enticing when residents find out the items are seemingly affordable and tailored to their specific interests. As the novel progresses, it’s evident the residents got more than they bargained for. In true King style this story turns horrific on a dime, making it impossible to put down.
The book starts slow initially giving painstaking details about the town’s many characters. At first, I was like hmm this seems absolutely unnecessary get to the scary shit please but, as a I read on and events started to heavily unfold, the most minute details were woven into the larger more sinister events that unfolded.
King repeatedly refers to Castle Rock residents feeling revulsion when making physical contact with the proprietor of the new shop Needful Things, an eeriness no one can quite put their finger on. This running theme throughout the book paired with the unraveling of Mr. Gaunt from cheerful proprietor to demanding destroyer made this story extremely difficult to put down. As if this wasn’t enough, the characters are so intricately intertwined, I felt like a bird on a wire watching Mr. Gaunt’s terrible domino affect make its way through Castle Rock one by one. HIGHLY recommend this book! So so so good.
When Leland Gaunt moves to Castle Rock and sets up his shop Needful Things, residents are intrigued. The shop becomes even more enticing when residents find out the items are seemingly affordable and tailored to their specific interests. As the novel progresses, it’s evident the residents got more than they bargained for. In true King style this story turns horrific on a dime, making it impossible to put down.
The book starts slow initially giving painstaking details about the town’s many characters. At first, I was like hmm this seems absolutely unnecessary get to the scary shit please but, as a I read on and events started to heavily unfold, the most minute details were woven into the larger more sinister events that unfolded.
King repeatedly refers to Castle Rock residents feeling revulsion when making physical contact with the proprietor of the new shop Needful Things, an eeriness no one can quite put their finger on. This running theme throughout the book paired with the unraveling of Mr. Gaunt from cheerful proprietor to demanding destroyer made this story extremely difficult to put down. As if this wasn’t enough, the characters are so intricately intertwined, I felt like a bird on a wire watching Mr. Gaunt’s terrible domino affect make its way through Castle Rock one by one. HIGHLY recommend this book! So so so good.
Short Version: Needful things is another great entry in the Stephen King universe. Even though the second act drug along far longer than I wanted it to, the Third Act made for one of the craziest, most satisfying conclusions to a King novel I can remember.
Long Version: Needful Things had a great premise and showed off King's usual knack for writing interesting, compelling characters. Alan and Polly are both treasures, and easy to root for, even if some of the many, many, MANY, other towns-folk come across as flat or uninteresting. "Mr. Gaunt" is a terrifying villain, not only because of the events which he sets into motion, but because of the familiarity with which he's written. You've conversed with this sales person before. You've heard these pitches and, in all likelihood, you've bought something in the past from a man just like this. It all strikes spectacularly close to home.
But, in my opinion, the book spends too much time dwelling on these things. The characters motivations were driven home over and over again until I was exhausted with them. Mr. Gaunt spins the same trick countless times, and we're subjected to different characters' sins and fantasies for hundreds and hundreds of pages before any of the dominoes even start to fall. Getting to the climax became a burden for me around page 400.
But I'm glad I didn't stop. Once the dominoes DID start to fall, the result was spectacular. An unholy grudge match being waged across an entire town with blood and guts and brutality peppered across every other page was magnificent. Alan and Polly's temptations and redemptions were brilliantly executed and, in the end, thoroughly satisfying to behold.
I wish Mr. King had trimmed out a few of the subplots, but all in all, Needful Things earns its place as one of the top tier stories in the King canon.
Long Version: Needful Things had a great premise and showed off King's usual knack for writing interesting, compelling characters. Alan and Polly are both treasures, and easy to root for, even if some of the many, many, MANY, other towns-folk come across as flat or uninteresting. "Mr. Gaunt" is a terrifying villain, not only because of the events which he sets into motion, but because of the familiarity with which he's written. You've conversed with this sales person before. You've heard these pitches and, in all likelihood, you've bought something in the past from a man just like this. It all strikes spectacularly close to home.
But, in my opinion, the book spends too much time dwelling on these things. The characters motivations were driven home over and over again until I was exhausted with them. Mr. Gaunt spins the same trick countless times, and we're subjected to different characters' sins and fantasies for hundreds and hundreds of pages before any of the dominoes even start to fall. Getting to the climax became a burden for me around page 400.
But I'm glad I didn't stop. Once the dominoes DID start to fall, the result was spectacular. An unholy grudge match being waged across an entire town with blood and guts and brutality peppered across every other page was magnificent. Alan and Polly's temptations and redemptions were brilliantly executed and, in the end, thoroughly satisfying to behold.
I wish Mr. King had trimmed out a few of the subplots, but all in all, Needful Things earns its place as one of the top tier stories in the King canon.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No