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adutcher's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
tobin_elliott's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
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? It's complicated
5.0
I didn't expect to throw five stars at this one.
I remembered bits and pieces of this collection from my one and only read 25 years ago, however I do also remember truly enjoying the first story, and not being all that impressed with the ones that follow.
I was also 25 years younger, and now, some themes hit very differently.
I think the thing that bugged me the first time around was, I was expecting horror. The Low Men story delivered some, but then King seemingly eschews horror for the rest of the book...or does he?
King knows that horror can take many faces, and with this book, it's the horror of war—and the mentality of opposing war "at all costs" and what it can do to rational people—and he takes his time to examine it from many different angles.
And while all but one of the stories utterly captivated me, and a couple left me in tears, overall, this is King firing on all cylinders.
Just a gorgeous, terrible book.
I remembered bits and pieces of this collection from my one and only read 25 years ago, however I do also remember truly enjoying the first story, and not being all that impressed with the ones that follow.
I was also 25 years younger, and now, some themes hit very differently.
I think the thing that bugged me the first time around was, I was expecting horror. The Low Men story delivered some, but then King seemingly eschews horror for the rest of the book...or does he?
King knows that horror can take many faces, and with this book, it's the horror of war—and the mentality of opposing war "at all costs" and what it can do to rational people—and he takes his time to examine it from many different angles.
And while all but one of the stories utterly captivated me, and a couple left me in tears, overall, this is King firing on all cylinders.
Just a gorgeous, terrible book.
witpip's review
5.0
The end of this book is a little strange but the story is like nothing I have ever read!
“Anything with the power to make you laugh over thirty years later isn’t a waste of time. I think something like that is very close to immortality.”
“Anything with the power to make you laugh over thirty years later isn’t a waste of time. I think something like that is very close to immortality.”
queen_sprout's review against another edition
emotional
funny
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
hakimbriki's review
4.0
I'm not afraid to admit that this book broke my heart. Stephen King got inside my head and played with my emotions, proudly and shamelessly.
In "Low Men in Yellow Coats", he narrates the story of a very special friendship between a kid and an old man, and yeah, this one made me lachrymose. Damn you, Stephen King.
"Hearts in Atlantis", "Blind Willie" and "Heavenly Shades of Night are Falling" are also sincere, deeply and strongly felt tales that make this collection a definite must-read and must-own.
In "Low Men in Yellow Coats", he narrates the story of a very special friendship between a kid and an old man, and yeah, this one made me lachrymose. Damn you, Stephen King.
"Hearts in Atlantis", "Blind Willie" and "Heavenly Shades of Night are Falling" are also sincere, deeply and strongly felt tales that make this collection a definite must-read and must-own.
katlynn's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
skyhuckelberry's review
mysterious
medium-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? No
5.0
subparcupcake's review
4.0
This has been on my to-read list for a long time. Why read it now? I have no idea. I randomly had the urge to one night, so I yielded to that desire and started in. I really need to do that more often. Screw schedules and series and "this is what I'll read next" promises. Random choices are fun. I think 50% of my enjoyment while reading for this came from reading what I felt like reading when I felt like reading it with no pressure to finish it.
The other 50% came from the stories themselves. I liked the way they all connected, and I liked the semi-historical fiction nature of the stories. Can't say I wasn't a little sick of "We're going bitch hunting, boys!" by the end (seriously, it started making my blood itch when I read that) but the overall story arc kept me reading. These aren't happy stories with happy endings. And to me they felt.. Real. Maybe that makes me a pessimist, probably, but it's the truth. From the innocence of childhood to real life, the characters in these stories learn just how far from a fairy tale life really is. Happy endings are few and far between if they exist at all. I thought these stories represented that well.
When all was said and done, this was yet another King that I thoroughly enjoyed. 4 stars.
The other 50% came from the stories themselves. I liked the way they all connected, and I liked the semi-historical fiction nature of the stories. Can't say I wasn't a little sick of "We're going bitch hunting, boys!" by the end (seriously, it started making my blood itch when I read that) but the overall story arc kept me reading. These aren't happy stories with happy endings. And to me they felt.. Real. Maybe that makes me a pessimist, probably, but it's the truth. From the innocence of childhood to real life, the characters in these stories learn just how far from a fairy tale life really is. Happy endings are few and far between if they exist at all. I thought these stories represented that well.
When all was said and done, this was yet another King that I thoroughly enjoyed. 4 stars.
readymadereader's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
casspro's review
4.0
There is something very nostalgic and heartbreaking about this novel. The characters get under your skin; the Low Men in the first section are super eerie. Its been too long since I've read this; it's one of the better King novels, without falling too much into the horror genre.