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unicornofblue's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Violence, Cannibalism, Addiction, Kidnapping, Murder, Alcohol, Classism, Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Terminal illness, and Torture
Moderate: Cancer
Minor: Bullying, Animal death, Child death, Sexual content, Toxic friendship, and Vomit
depmythmoon's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
“There’s a dark well in everyone, I think, and it never goes dry. But you drink from it at your peril. That water is poison.” (pg. 446)
This was my first Stephen King book (I know I’m behind, please ✋🏾😭), and I really enjoyed his writing style. If I had to relate it to anything I’ve read before, it would be “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger. It’s that descriptive type of writing that tends to have longer sentences and delve into minor details of something a character mentions. He also uses parenthesis more liberally than any author I’ve read before, which I enjoyed seeing. I’m not exactly sure why some people suggest that this isn’t the Stephen King book to start with. It was a great read in my opinion (if the 5 ⭐️ rating was anything to go off of). If this isn’t considered to be one of his best, I’m just glad that I have many more great works to look forward to.
This story has an overall theme that focuses on morality and how nobody is only good or only evil. We follow the male MC, Charlie Reade, who has a less than squeaky clean past, yet he has such a noble role within the story that juxtaposes that past nicely. He can even recognize that he may not be the textbook definition of a protagonist in a story, but he steps up to the plate anyway. The whole reason he even got into this situation is some twisted sense of obligation that hurt my heart for him while also making me think further about the motives of the good deeds that people choose to do. Anything that makes me slightly question how I view the world and others is guaranteed to stick with me and get a good rating.
Radar, the dog that Charlie goes on this mission to save, was both so adorable and heartbreaking. Seeing how her condition deteriorated as the story continued pulled at the heartstrings. Had I been a pet owner, I know for a fact that this book would have made me shed more than a few tears. So, pet owners, please be careful when going into this story. She’s such a good girl 😭
I will say… the big bad if the story did feel slightly anticlimactic while also being fitting for this tale. It left me torn, but I did love how King was able to tie it all back to multiple points that go all the way back to the beginning of the story. It would have been nice to see a little bit more there, of all places, but we were already pushing like 500+ pages at this point, so I don’t exactly blame him for getting it out the way.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Forced institutionalization, Death of parent, and Murder
Moderate: Kidnapping, Addiction, Classism, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, and Chronic illness
Minor: Sexual content and Cursing
ktdakotareads's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.0
Graphic: Medical content, Murder, War, Blood, Death, Medical trauma, Alcoholism, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Addiction, Classism, Death of parent, Grief, Torture, Bullying, Confinement, and Gore
theremightbecupcakes's review against another edition
- 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
5.0
It’s also a treatise on how we change everyone we meet, for better for worse. The choice of how is ours.
You’ll be wondering (and if you’re like me, worrying) does the dog die? Click here if it’s bothering you:
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Addiction, Death of parent, Slavery, Confinement, Death, Alcoholism, Bullying, Car accident, and Classism
Minor: Torture, Cannibalism, Hate crime, and Child abuse
febronia87's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Medical trauma, Grief, Death, Gun violence, and Gore
Moderate: Alcohol, Addiction, Blood, Classism, and Alcoholism
Minor: Bullying, Sexual content, and Incest
kyrstin_p1989's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Alcoholism, Animal death, Classism, Confinement, Cursing, Animal cruelty, Slavery, Addiction, Abandonment, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Self harm, Torture, Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Blood, Excrement, Grief, Body horror, Cancer, Murder, Rape, Bullying, Death of parent, and Violence
kelisabeth's review
- 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
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Car accident, Confinement, Fatphobia, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Classism, Genocide, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Slavery, War, Vomit, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Excrement, Addiction, Alcoholism, Grief, Gun violence, Hate crime, Torture, and Violence
selenatothemax's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Gore, Body horror, Confinement, Alcoholism, Death, Death of parent, Violence, Murder, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Classism, Torture, and Slavery
Minor: Excrement
boglord's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Classism, Confinement, Gore, Torture, Addiction, Car accident, Death, Death of parent, Alcoholism, Violence, Ableism, Genocide, Grief, Gun violence, Slavery, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Physical abuse
Moderate: Toxic friendship, Vomit, Forced institutionalization, Sexism, Body horror, Animal cruelty, Excrement, Infertility, Terminal illness, and Xenophobia
Minor: Colonisation, Adult/minor relationship, Cannibalism, Racism, and Rape