Reviews tagging 'Cancer'

11/22/63 by Stephen King

45 reviews

sohare1981's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous mysterious tense medium-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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Racism

Minor: Cancer, Car accident, War

jennalistens's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Medical trauma, Murder, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Gore, Grief, Stalking

Minor: Addiction, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Suicidal thoughts, Antisemitism, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Alcohol

wrightndesk's review against another edition

4.0

dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

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This was my first Stephen King novel, and it was a doozy. I picked it up after seeing trailers for the Hulu mini series, because it sounded like a fresh take on the time travel genre. I didn't expect most of the content of the book to not be about Lee Harvey Oswald, but rather just a moving drama about a man living life in the early 60s. I liked it, but I wouldn'  recommend it if you're mostly interested in the Kennedy assassination, as that really isn't the focus of the book. Despite the length of the novel, it was an engaging read that moved back and forth between cozy and tense. The characters were all very endearing. And I appreciate the nod to Bradbury, whose short story "A Sound of Thunder" clearly had an impact on the novel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cancer

Minor: Racism

weenydrake's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Diverse cast of characters: No

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King did an excellent job of bringing the past to life (for me, someone born in the late 90s), and his prose is very digestible. I’m a bit of a contrarian, and therefore not much of a King fan, so I was turned off a bit by the length of this book, the many detours from the main plot, and the romance that seems to be the intended heart of this novel. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Antisemitism, Suicide attempt

Minor: Addiction, Cancer, Medical content

lauraontheprairie's review against another edition

5.0

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Cancer, Emotional abuse, Blood, Injury/Injury detail

mj_86's review against another edition

3.0

tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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It was entirely too long. It needed a good editor. 500 pages would have been plenty. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Murder

Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Racism

Minor: Sexual content, Car accident, War

shmamshilling's review against another edition

4.5

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious tense slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

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I thoroughly enjoyed this read and felt it was a perfect balance of suspense, soft/mild horror, historical fiction and romance. I really quickly fell into a comfort with the characters and found them relatable, as well as enjoying the plot unfolding alongside the person-driven stories. The ending ripped me up and had me wishing for many versions with alternate realities. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Grief, Car accident, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Classism

linc125's review against another edition

4.0

challenging emotional mysterious slow-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: Yes

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, Violence

Moderate: Cancer, Domestic abuse, Car accident

Minor: War

subtlewalrus's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous 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: No

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Antisemitism, Car accident, Murder, Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Racial slurs, Stalking

Minor: Cancer

hannahjaynej's review against another edition

1.25

slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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The first and likely the last Stephen King book I will ever read. I only finished it because it’s this month’s book club book. I am not sure if Stephen King has ever met a woman, and if he has, if he’s ever talked to one at length. You could argue that it is just the character, but I think we are supposed to like the main character, so I think it may be indicative of King’s beliefs. Either way, the time travel aspect was interesting but the second the one-dimensional love interest, Sadie, was introduced I was annoyed from there on out. The way he described women, usually on looks alone, was problematic and infuriating. And of course this straight white man enjoyed the late 50s and early 60s. Who cares about racism and sexism if they don’t affect you? Or better yet, work in your favor!! The main character has a savior complex, a virgin fantasy, and desperately wants to be told he’s right. 

Some notes I took while reading:
• Excuse me, the 16-year-olds dancing was “sexy?!” Creep.
• Sex as the cure for a headache from almost OD-ing?! You wish, Stephen. 
• Yes, I’m sure her most pressing concern after being traumatically attacked by her abusive ex-husband is how she looks in front of her current boyfriend.
• SADIE “THE VIRGIN” AS HER IDENTIFIER?? SERIOUSLY.
• Yes, because she needs a man to make her obviously very accomplished life worthwhile. 
• And I hated the frequent use of phrases like “smoothly naked” and “her formidable bosom.” 

In conclusion, I would hate to be written by Stephen King and I wish I could unread this book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Body shaming, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Antisemitism, Grief, Religious bigotry, Medical trauma, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail