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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
Well, this was a series of unfortunate events. It certainly takes the edge off having read it before, but now I'm wondering if this isn't a sneaky Bachman Book, because if Stephen King wrote it and doesn't remember writing it, then maybe Richard Bachman just got really lazy and forgot to change the name on the manuscript application...
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Really good.
It takes a little bit to start but just the right amount. The book has a great plot and it’s very tense and fun to read. Even the subplots which I thought I would hate at the start became very enjoyable. I thought I would dislike the bleak atmosphere but it was actually very good. Definitely recommend.
It takes a little bit to start but just the right amount. The book has a great plot and it’s very tense and fun to read. Even the subplots which I thought I would hate at the start became very enjoyable. I thought I would dislike the bleak atmosphere but it was actually very good. Definitely recommend.
Several years have passed since Frank Dodd tormented Castle Rock, Maine, and now a new terror will strike again. This time it will come in the form of a rabid dog named Cujo.
Cujo, a 200 lb Saint Bernard, is a victim of circumstance like many characters in this novel. He is beloved by everyone he encounters, is faithful to his trinity, the Boy, the Woman, and the Man, and he could never fathom hurting any human being. That is, until he gets bitten by rabid bats while chasing a rabbit one day, and his brain begins to sizzle and swell causing intense ferocity.
Unfortunately for Donna Trenton and her little boy Tad, a strand of unusual circumstances will lead them directly into the grips of Cujo’s raving madness the day their Ford Pinto breaks down.
For whatever reason, I had overlooked Cujo for quite some time. I suppose I didn’t think the story of a rabid dog could possibly be that scary, but holy hell was I wrong. It filled me with indescribable anxiety and claustrophobia, and had me perspiring in the throes of December. Watching King construct a symposium of circumstances that needed to occur in order to trap Donna and Tad inside their Pinto with Cujo outside, relentless to kill, was absolutely brilliant. There were several instances where I audibly shouted out in the breakroom at work from shock, and times where I pleaded with the characters to please do something. Cujo is a terrifying story, but it is so much more than that. It is a dissertation into complex human relationships, the emotional strains of marriage, and the impossible decisions that must be made as a parent. I was fully committed to this story (sans a few unnecessary pages of minutia concerning Vic and his troubled Ad Worx campaign).
Also, I fully support Lewis Teague’s 1983 release of Cujo. I thought it was a completely satisfying adaptation, and Dee Wallace is absolutely brilliant.
4.5 out of 5 stars.
My favorite quote was, “The world was full of monsters, and they were all allowed to bite the innocent and the unwary.”
Cujo, a 200 lb Saint Bernard, is a victim of circumstance like many characters in this novel. He is beloved by everyone he encounters, is faithful to his trinity, the Boy, the Woman, and the Man, and he could never fathom hurting any human being. That is, until he gets bitten by rabid bats while chasing a rabbit one day, and his brain begins to sizzle and swell causing intense ferocity.
Unfortunately for Donna Trenton and her little boy Tad, a strand of unusual circumstances will lead them directly into the grips of Cujo’s raving madness the day their Ford Pinto breaks down.
For whatever reason, I had overlooked Cujo for quite some time. I suppose I didn’t think the story of a rabid dog could possibly be that scary, but holy hell was I wrong. It filled me with indescribable anxiety and claustrophobia, and had me perspiring in the throes of December. Watching King construct a symposium of circumstances that needed to occur in order to trap Donna and Tad inside their Pinto with Cujo outside, relentless to kill, was absolutely brilliant. There were several instances where I audibly shouted out in the breakroom at work from shock, and times where I pleaded with the characters to please do something. Cujo is a terrifying story, but it is so much more than that. It is a dissertation into complex human relationships, the emotional strains of marriage, and the impossible decisions that must be made as a parent. I was fully committed to this story (sans a few unnecessary pages of minutia concerning Vic and his troubled Ad Worx campaign).
Also, I fully support Lewis Teague’s 1983 release of Cujo. I thought it was a completely satisfying adaptation, and Dee Wallace is absolutely brilliant.
4.5 out of 5 stars.
My favorite quote was, “The world was full of monsters, and they were all allowed to bite the innocent and the unwary.”
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
tense
medium-paced
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
4.75 stars!
Another great King read! I was really intrigued to read this one when King himself has said that he doesn't remember writing it. I only had a vague idea of the plot beforehand, but now, after reading it - it's much more than just a rabid dog. The characters are written so well that you feel like you personally know each of them, and you even get the dog's perspective, which is both frightening and devastating. I hated that I actually felt bad for this poor dog, despite the horrible things he did, and the fact that King was able to do that is nothing short of incredible. I did knock 1/4 star off simply because it is so long and there are no chapters, but other than that, it was brilliant!
Another great King read! I was really intrigued to read this one when King himself has said that he doesn't remember writing it. I only had a vague idea of the plot beforehand, but now, after reading it - it's much more than just a rabid dog. The characters are written so well that you feel like you personally know each of them, and you even get the dog's perspective, which is both frightening and devastating. I hated that I actually felt bad for this poor dog, despite the horrible things he did, and the fact that King was able to do that is nothing short of incredible. I did knock 1/4 star off simply because it is so long and there are no chapters, but other than that, it was brilliant!
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This had a few nicely intense scenes, and the bits that were told from the viewpoint of the dog itself were cool, but overall this was just OK. The author admits that he wrote this at the height of his alcohol addiction, and doesn't even remember writing it, and it kind of shows. This novel is a bit of a mess, and not as tightly plotted as many of the other King novels I've read. There are several side plots that don't really contribute much to the central story, and this might have been more effectively told as an intense novella just featuring the scenes involving the dog! To get the most out of this book, I recommend reading King's novel The Dead Zone (1979) first, since he references the events of that book several times in Cujo. Luckily, I'm reading this as part of a publication-order read of King's novels, so I got the references (even if they were kind of weird). Is he saying that Cujo is possessed by the spirit of the serial killer from the Dead Zone?</spoiler/> Not the best book, but Cujo is kind of iconic. Poor doggie!
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A