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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
Curiosity killed the cat…and can drive you mad. This was true horror at its core. This story will stay with me a long time as I think of all the crazy events of this book. The story is well told and even though some might think it’s a slow read, I quite enjoyed it.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-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
This was in five-star territory until the ending, and then it went off the rails. I still liked it, but the tone from most of the book, and the tone from what happened at the end seem slightly mismatched. I think there needed to be more of the cosmic horror stuff hinted at as the novel went on. I mean, this could be just me, but now that I'm thinking about it, there were hints. But the rest of the novel seemed so normal. Well, er, except for some stuff. Look, I don't know, it just doesn't feel like a five.
[4.5 stars, sooo close]
[4.5 stars, sooo close]
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A subdued Lovecraftian cosmic horror where all the horror is saved for the last two chapters, the rest of the book feels like a biopic with some sci-fi thrown in. Stephen King wears his influences on his sleeve. Some parts of this novel feel too summarized which is very unlike King. I also think Jamie’s sex drugs and rock ‘n roll life is a little too generic for my taste. I wish the cosmic horror wasn’t only at the end, would have been great if there was more of it throughout the entire novel. This is kind of a weird entry in King’s catalogue, at least as a King book. Still good, though. The scrne with Hector the Barber was fucking hilarious.
One of the creepiest and darkest King books I've ever read, and further proof of King's recent renaissance - which also includes the Mr. Mercedes trilogy, 11/22/63 and the underrated Joyland. Worth your time if you prefer your King novels creepy and disturbing.
It’s been a while since I read a Stephen King novel, as in the last couple of years I’ve read novellas or short stories by him. However, I’m very glad that I picked up this relatively short novel (for Stephen King as he’s known for his very long books). This was a wonderful character driven story that follows the life of a man called Jamie and his interactions with the local minister, Charles Jacobs, and how he impacts Jamie’s life. This book started off a little slow in the first couple of chapters that covered Jamie’s childhood, but then it really hit its stride. King is a master storyteller, and his ability to make even the most minor characters memorable is a talent that only few writers have. He is also great at building tension as throughout the story, you know that something bad is going to happen, but you don’t know what until the final few chapters. Whilst the horror here was excellent, my favourite parts were the mundane moments that really made me smile, such as Jamie going back to his hometown for a family reunion. Overall, I’d recommend this book as it’s well-written and a page turner that’ll leave you feeling hollow after turning the final page.
slow-paced
Relatively short compared to many of his other books, and not as rich in characters or community. The accounts of both addiction and living with chronic pain following an accident ring very true, as they should given the author's experiences. For most of the book I was engaged but not enthralled. But the ending - not the preceding grand climax - was one of the most disturbing little endings of a Stephen King novel I have ever read. And if you're reading Stephen King, a low key, disturbing end is a good thing!
this took a long while to get rolling.
the first three quarters offered little suspense, coming off as more of a character drama than a horror novel. but then something happened that kicked this book into rapid-speed-land, and king proved why he is one of the top horror writers today. completely different at the end than at the beginning, but an overall satisfying -- and creepy -- novel.
the first three quarters offered little suspense, coming off as more of a character drama than a horror novel. but then something happened that kicked this book into rapid-speed-land, and king proved why he is one of the top horror writers today. completely different at the end than at the beginning, but an overall satisfying -- and creepy -- novel.