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3.35 AVERAGE
3.35 AVERAGE
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Blockade Billy by Stephen King is a novella, written in first-person, that blends elements of horror and baseball. The story is narrated by George "Granny" Grantham, the manager of the New Jersey Titans baseball team, and relates the tale of Blockade Billy Blakely, a talented but mysterious young catcher who joins the team in 1957. There are illustrations scattered throughout the book, which I liked. They were simple sketches, but they added a certain charm to the narrative and provided visual cues for some of the baseball scenes.
One aspect I loved about this book was the framing of the story as if it were being told to King by an old man. It created a sense of intimacy, as though the old man were sharing a personal memory, and added a layer of authenticity to the storytelling, making the characters and events feel more real. However, as someone who doesn't know much about baseball, many of the descriptions and references went over my head, which left me wishing for a bit more context or explanation. Admittedly, the target audience at the time would have been American and at least passingly familiar with the game.
One of the novella's strengths is King's ability to create a sense of suspense and tension. However, being acquainted with King's distinctive style, I found myself anticipating certain twists and turns. It didn't detract entirely from the experience, but it did temper some of the suspense.
Overall, I didn't enjoy this book as much as it probably deserves. I loved the writing, as I always do with Stephen King. He's a phenomenal writer with an ability to draw the reader deep into the minds of the characters. Unfortunately, I have little knowledge, and no interest, in baseball, so I didn't often understand a lot of what was going on. I reckon baseball fans would probably enjoy this more than I did.
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Enjoyed this considerably less than other Stephen King books but maybe it’s just cause I don’t like baseball, the twist was nice though and it was extremely fast paced. I read it in probably a hour
6/10 Stars. Decent premise but loaded with baseball jargon. So if you're a sports fan, I recommend it. If you're not... you might find all the baseball bits confusing.
mysterious
fast-paced
I don't care much for baseball, but when someone speaks so passionately about a topic, it can be difficult not to be affected by the contagion. Stephen King has masterfully captured that excitement in the narrator of this unsurprisingly suspenseful, gripping short story.
I wish I liked horror because I would read everything Stephen King has ever written because he is brilliant. This was a short story but it felt like a book five times longer - King added in so much detail, character and life that it felt that alive. Great book.
I think it does help to enjoy the book if you are a baseball fan but not a necessity.
Highly recommended!
I think it does help to enjoy the book if you are a baseball fan but not a necessity.
Highly recommended!
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
morality should have been the primary story for this publication. blockade was fun, but morality just really felt so much more like The King in stride. blockade gave me much-more-upbeat-delores-claiborne.
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
⭐️ ⭐️
Critical Score: C
Personal Score: C-
Reading Experience: 📘📘📘📘(4/5)
This was pretty painless because it’s so short and my expectations were low. I don’t give a hoot about baseball, so I’m simply not the target audience for Blockade Billy. But it actually wasn’t horrible, as I allowed myself to skim the game scenes.
(Moderate spoilers in this paragraph:) What bothered me more than the sports elements was the vilification of an impoverished kid who likely has a learning disability. That’s what the story is, in a nutshell.
As for Morality, the stronger of the two stories, there’s a more tasteful moral lesson to be had, one that’s valid but basic. I don’t think this piece is very worthy of the Shirley Jackson award it won; it’s getting at something more complicated than King ever delivers. It could have been way more evocative, disturbing, and philosophically complex. It’s actually brimming with potential, the way I see it.
One nitpick about Morality: Stephen King shows how out of touch he’s grown by being oblivious to the kind of advance a debut nonfiction goes for these days (or when this was written, in 2009) despite his apparent attempt at channeling the financial perils of his pre-fame days.
Definitely a lower-end pick on King’s roster, but at least it’s super short. Given you get both stories in The Bazaar of Bad Dreams, this book isn’t worth pursuing unless you’re a collector or completist. If I’m remembering correctly, I found this for 50 cents at a library sale. Figures.
Critical Score: C
Personal Score: C-
Reading Experience: 📘📘📘📘(4/5)
This was pretty painless because it’s so short and my expectations were low. I don’t give a hoot about baseball, so I’m simply not the target audience for Blockade Billy. But it actually wasn’t horrible, as I allowed myself to skim the game scenes.
(Moderate spoilers in this paragraph:) What bothered me more than the sports elements was the vilification of an impoverished kid who likely has a learning disability. That’s what the story is, in a nutshell.
As for Morality, the stronger of the two stories, there’s a more tasteful moral lesson to be had, one that’s valid but basic. I don’t think this piece is very worthy of the Shirley Jackson award it won; it’s getting at something more complicated than King ever delivers. It could have been way more evocative, disturbing, and philosophically complex. It’s actually brimming with potential, the way I see it.
One nitpick about Morality: Stephen King shows how out of touch he’s grown by being oblivious to the kind of advance a debut nonfiction goes for these days (or when this was written, in 2009) despite his apparent attempt at channeling the financial perils of his pre-fame days.
Definitely a lower-end pick on King’s roster, but at least it’s super short. Given you get both stories in The Bazaar of Bad Dreams, this book isn’t worth pursuing unless you’re a collector or completist. If I’m remembering correctly, I found this for 50 cents at a library sale. Figures.