Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Dead Zone by Stephen King

4 reviews

jenniferbbookdragon's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Reading this 45 years after publication,  I can say it made my heart pound. Stephen King somehow managed to anticipate our political future,  and create a compelling story of the nightmare of knowing too much. His hero is cursed with an ability to read people and their pasts and futures. Others don't believe him, and he is driven to act.
I appreciated the complexity of John and the important people in his life. King takes the reader in quickly and doesn't let go. I read this in 2 days because I couldn't put it down. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Death, Grief, Medical content, Sexual assault, and Violence

Moderate: Alcohol, Cursing, Car accident, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Gun violence, Murder, and Terminal illness

an early scene establishing the villian involves the killing of a dog

rosereadsalot's review

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Gun violence, Sexual assault, Violence, Child death, Death, Death of parent, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Animal cruelty, Blood, Cancer, Car accident, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Grief, Medical trauma, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Stalking, and Animal death

travisppe's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

Classic King romp

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Death, Medical trauma, Car accident, Child abuse, Death of parent, Dementia, Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Murder, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Terminal illness, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Grief, Gun violence, Chronic illness, Confinement, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, Suicide, Medical content, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, War, and Blood

Minor: Ableism, Cancer, Drug use, Cursing, and Alcohol

sheryl_reads's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is my favourite King novel and rereading it didn’t change my mind! 

The Dead Zone follows John Smith who wakes from a coma with psychic abilities. Usually, he just finds lost things, or predicts something happening in the near future, but when he touches Greg Stillson, he sees a much bleaker future for the world.

This is very much a story of extraordinary events happening to ordinary people. John isn’t special, other than his ability. The supporting characters are also very well realised.  Stillson doesn’t ever fall into a parody - tho I’m sure when the book came out in 1979, people never thought that someone who acted like an idiot and riled crowds up could get elected to anything... 

There’s a lot of similarities between The Dead Zone and another of my favourite King’s - 11.23.63. Both pose the question: what would you do if you have the chance to change history? 

There’s also a few references to the King universe (whether intentional or not!). It’s set in the Maine area, just like a lot of King novels, there’s a lot of 19 references and one blue chambray work shirt! We also have manically religious mother’s (two!) and a reference to the movie Carrie.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Infidelity, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Rape, Racism, Religious bigotry, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, and Violence