Reviews

The Stand by Stephen King

jennasbooks's review against another edition

dark slow-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

4.25

argenterie4's review against another edition

5.0

My all-time favorite novel. I have read it cover-to-cover probably six times during my teens and twenties. It's my go-to recommendation for people who are interested in trying a "horror" novel (I'm trying to win them over). I love this book dearly!

hotdogbun's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful sad tense medium-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? No

3.5

The plot of this book was very interesting and scary in a much more real life sense. I had a hard time getting into it at the beginning and began to feel more invested later on. I understand why there were so many characters but I found it hard to keep up with and was confused at times. 

ac4three's review against another edition

5.0

Quite possibly the best book I've ever read..

migaloosh's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• 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

3.5

justwannareadbooks's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5

tonayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious tense medium-paced

5.0

paganhill's review against another edition

adventurous dark medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

Such a great Stephen King book. It has all the things: music references that balance on the edge of feeling extremely dated, descriptions that linger but are so lovely, mundane acts or objects made frightening, wonderful characters, and not that great of an ending.
This book is great and humongous. Sometimes it feels the driving forces in the story could be defeated by simply ignoring them but that would lead to a very different story. The story devices all work well while reading but upon some reflection seem a little too the-plot-needs something-to-drive-it.
I don’t mean to be hard on the book it is a great novel. Many of the characters are top tier King people, Tom Cullen being my favorite. It’s great. If you like King you’ll love The Stand.

squire's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious 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? No

Atrocious vanity project (that King is certainly entitled to) that takes a masterpiece and makes it an unfocused, trashy mess. Sure it ties in to his Dark Tower mythology (which was a big misstep), but he ruined one of the best books of his career. Since both time lines are part of the DT story arc, it makes no sense not to keep publishing both.

There. I said it. Avoid if you can help it.

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Content Warnings

Ever been raped with a loaded weapon? King's better than that.

squire's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring mysterious medium-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? No

5.0

Stephen King's second masterpiece. The story of the Captain Trips superflu that ravages the world and the .6 percent of the population that survives (99.4% pure--justlike Ivory soap). It becomes a morality play as survivors in the States choose sides and gather around the demonic Randall Flagg and angelic Mother Abigail. A testiment to what makes America great unencumbered by needless Dark Tower tie-ins, this is the version to read and the one King's legacy will rest on (he either won't admit it or doesn't realize it yet). Too bad King has taken it out of print.

Have read 4 times.