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4.05 AVERAGE
4.05 AVERAGE
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
My only complaint is that it’s too short, but it’s also fitting
funny
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This short novella was absolutely fascinating! I loved that all three acts (written backwards) tell an alluring story about a man living his live with a slightly creepy paranormal twist. Everything ties together, and there is a definite “AHA!” moment when you finally get it. Another phenomenal piece written by Steven King. I plan on watching the movie.
dark
emotional
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Content Warnings
Minor: Suicide
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Picked this up after missing the film adaptation, and I’m glad I did, the novella is an interesting exploration of death, memory, and the quiet significance of ordinary life.
Told in reverse chronology, the novella unfolds like a puzzle in three acts, each moving backward through time to reveal more about the life, and cosmic significance, a seemingly unremarkable man named Chuck. The structure is intriguing and clever, giving the story a mystery that enhances its emotional impact.
After giving away most of the plot in his introductoin (!) King handles the big themes, grief, mortality, and the end of the world, deftly. There’s a subplot of magical realism (the mysterious visions in the locked cupola, Chuck’s face gradually appearing everywhere as the world unravels) that adds a strange and haunting dimension, but the story resists tipping into horror, at least in the traditional sense. The dread here is quieter and more existential, less about monsters under the bed, more about the fragility of memory and the enormity of individual lives.
The supporting characters are well drawn and help ground the surreal elements in something emotionally real. I appreciated how, even in the face of cosmic collapse, King returns again and again to the deeply human: dancing in the rain, small kindnesses, a moment of grace before everything ends.
Not what I expected, but in the best way. A brief, interesting novella.
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-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
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
“I am wonderful, I deserve to be wonderful, and I contain multitudes.”
Starts off on a very high note with act 3, keeps that into act 2 and sticks the landing with act 1! We go from mystery, to drama and delve into fantasy all throughout.
He really did have a whole universe right between his hands
Starts off on a very high note with act 3, keeps that into act 2 and sticks the landing with act 1! We go from mystery, to drama and delve into fantasy all throughout.
He really did have a whole universe right between his hands