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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Always a mixed bag when it comes to short story collections but the last made me cry and the first was one of the deepest, most thrilling pieces of horror fiction I’ve ever read. And there was so much terror and joy in between.
Classic works of King!
I listened to the audiobook for this one which helped. I did skip a few stories that I just wasn't into. But there were enough good ones in here. I really liked The Mist, The Raft, Word Processor and a few others
This just told me that I really need to read more older King works because they are totally different from his modern works.
I listened to the audiobook for this one which helped. I did skip a few stories that I just wasn't into. But there were enough good ones in here. I really liked The Mist, The Raft, Word Processor and a few others
This just told me that I really need to read more older King works because they are totally different from his modern works.
OK, if you have been following my reviews you probably know I am reading all of King's books in chronological order. I started this one way back in April of last year when I read The Mist...it has sat on my nightstand for a long long time. Suffice it to say I did not finish this in a chronological order but alas, it is done.
Overall there are some gems in here like The Jaunt, The Raft, Mrs. Todd's Shortcut and Survivor Type but there was a lot of fluff, in fact some of the stories I have already forgotten. I am sure I could quickly remember each with a quick spot check of the text but compared to [b:Night Shift|10628|Night Shift|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1660820449l/10628._SY75_.jpg|2454497] this was sort of forgettable. I am sticking with a three star because The Mist and The Jaunt specifically are absolutely amazing.
Overall there are some gems in here like The Jaunt, The Raft, Mrs. Todd's Shortcut and Survivor Type but there was a lot of fluff, in fact some of the stories I have already forgotten. I am sure I could quickly remember each with a quick spot check of the text but compared to [b:Night Shift|10628|Night Shift|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1660820449l/10628._SY75_.jpg|2454497] this was sort of forgettable. I am sticking with a three star because The Mist and The Jaunt specifically are absolutely amazing.
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
On the one hand, this read brought me back to the first time I read this, around junior high; so many great stories!
On the other hand, many of these stories have not aged well, oof.
On the other hand, many of these stories have not aged well, oof.
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Skeleton Crew is a true showcase of Stephen King's writing prowess and his ability to work across various genres: there's science fiction (The Jaunt), the supernatural (Mrs. Todd’s Shortcut), and horror (The Raft). The highlights of the collection are The Mist and The Monkey, which need no special introduction thanks to their screen adaptations. The two stories stand out due to their length and the number of actively involved characters. At times, they even feel like a blueprint of unwritten novels (especially ...The Mist)—the narrative potential is unbelievable there.
That said, it's hard to shake off the feeling that it's for the best that all these stories, including The Mist and The Monkey, were created in the form of short stories. King clearly excels at the short form more than the long one: while his novels often sag under the weight of countless plotlines and an overload of mundane details, virtually every page of his short stories is charged with tension; while he needs dozens of chapters to establish character dynamics in his novels, he often needs only a paragraph or two to do the same with short stories. These are crystallized narratives—nothing excessive, nothing wasted.
That said, it's hard to shake off the feeling that it's for the best that all these stories, including The Mist and The Monkey, were created in the form of short stories. King clearly excels at the short form more than the long one: while his novels often sag under the weight of countless plotlines and an overload of mundane details, virtually every page of his short stories is charged with tension; while he needs dozens of chapters to establish character dynamics in his novels, he often needs only a paragraph or two to do the same with short stories. These are crystallized narratives—nothing excessive, nothing wasted.
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No