Reviews

Just After Sunset by Stephen King

davehershey's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

What’s more fun than sitting outside on a spring night and reading a Stephen King short story? Maybe a fall night?

This is a shorter collection of stories than Nightmares and Dreamscapes, though similar in length to Night Shift and Everything’ Eventual. Overall, most of the stories are ripping good yarns.

Willa - a heart-warming ghost story.

The Gingerbread Girl - A kind of terrifying story with echoes of Duma Key (set on the beach in Florida) and Misery (can the main character escape a crazy person?).

Harvey’s Dream - One of the shorter ones, at only ten pages, but a terrifying ending.

Rest Stop - An author with a developing dual personality? Reminds me of The Dark Half.

Stationary Bike - Art that is kind of magical? Reminds me of Duma Key.

The Things they Left Behind - A story kind of reflecting on 9/11.

Graduation Afternoon - Meh.

N - Possibly the best story in the bunch. Creepy!

The Cat From Hell - a fun story, though not if you’re scared of cats.

The New York Times at Special Bargain Rates - Another heart-warming and sad ghost story.

Mute - A driver picks up a hitchhiker who is a deaf mute. Or is he?

Ayana - Another heart-warming ghost story! 

A Very Tight Place - You’ll never go into a Port-a-Potty again!

edtkeith's review against another edition

4.0

Been so long since I finished I hardly remember any details. Guess I better update this thing a little more often!

skyhuckelberry's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

2.5

This is my least favorite collection of Stephen King’s so far, and I’ve read almost all of them.

klparmley's review against another edition

4.0

I love short stories and I love SK's tale telling. These were excellent.

trevornagy's review against another edition

dark tense fast-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

4.0

midici's review against another edition

4.0

I'll preface by saying that I love Stephen King as an author. I have read some of his other short story collections in the past and I've always loved how he conveys a lasting horror or image within a short tale. This collection has (of course) thirteen short stories. They range from action-based where characters fight for their lives; supernatural horror where the things that brush across our plane of existence ensnare unsuspecting protagonists; to stories that draw from real life events. The whole collection is worth reading.

sheryl_macca's review against another edition

dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

protoman21's review against another edition

4.0

I enjoyed most of the stories in this collection, but not as much as some of his other stories. There were definitely a couple that didn't grab my attention, which is very critical for a short story. My favorite story in the collection was A Very Tight Place and my least favorite was Graduation Afternoon.

des17's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

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

4.75

debbiecollectsbooks's review against another edition

4.0

Great Stories!