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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
slow-paced
A superb look at a small group of characters, seen at various times throughout the latter half of the 20th century. Definitely one to pick up if you're looking for some more low-key, personal stakes after all these books with world-changing consequences. There may be some context about the supernatural elements that would only really make sense if you've already read the Dark Tower series, but it's not something that is going to completely ruin the novel if you're ignorant of the context like I was.
dark
emotional
slow-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
Low Men in Yellow Coats - I kept thinking of a squadron of grotesque Dick Tracies (yes, the plural of Dick Tracy), perhaps the unfortunate result of feeding Dick an egg salad sandwich while he takes a post-midnight swim in a scuzzy drainage ditch (and yes, now I am mixing dated pop-culture references).
The first of the interconnected stories that make up this book is perhaps the most tragic and, to those avid King readers, the most familiar. The focus of this section is on a group of children that reach the tipping point of leaving childhood and innocence behind during the course of one summer, which was reminiscent of [b:It|830502|It|Stephen King|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1334416842s/830502.jpg|150259] and [b:The Body|11574|The Body|Stephen King|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328182521s/11574.jpg|2334601]. This, the first and longest section, is also the one that links this book to [b:The Dark Tower Series Collection: The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, The Waste Lands, Wizard and Glass, Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, The Dark Tower|12274389|The Dark Tower Series Collection The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, The Waste Lands, Wizard and Glass, Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, The Dark Tower|Stephen King|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1330741885s/12274389.jpg|16692927] and (though I haven't read it yet) [b:The Regulators|10596|The Regulators|Richard Bachman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1364033309s/10596.jpg|955346]. For someone that loves these other works, this story is ripe with the delicious connections that you will thank Uncle Stephen for, but secretly hope that there is more substance to the meal and that it isn't all empty calories that will leave you smiling, but ultimately unfulfilled, and happily(?) there is some meat to it, though I doubt it's dark, sour taste will leave anyone smiling. This section is simultaneously the most fantastical of the four and perhaps the most sadly realistic in the interplay of relationships and the portrayal of abuse.
Hearts in Atlantis - hunting for the bitch and making sparrow-tracks in the late 60's; peaking through a college dormitory peephole at a time when the Vietnam War was raging.
King is letting us in on what this particular time and place was like for some - a confusing and serious time to be figuring yourself out. Unfortunately, the obsessive hearts game and it's players were obnoxious to the point of distraction, but it was intentional and I think had purpose. This portion was still my least favorite, but it was still informative in a real way. There is a dread that permeates the lives of these young people and a sense of near helplessness.
Blind Willie - disabled veteran. deceiver. schemer. believer. penance doer. a very grey character.
A day in the life of someone that raises more questions than answers it provides, in relation to this one character as well as the whole of the book. A fairly short section, but one that is intriguing. How low did his past actions bring him? Can he redeem himself? Is what he is doing actual penance? Questions - I like.
Why We're in Vietnam - the mamasan follows the man after his time at war, or is it that the man can not leave that hell once he has been there no matter how many miles nor how much time you pile up.
Another short look at Vietnam and how it's ripples carry. This section really starts to tie everything back together and again we see some of the worst of men and possibly some hope of redemption too. Sully John has a different perspective than that of the characters of our prior sections, the peaceniks and the repentant, he was just a simple young guy who went off to war and it changed him like everyone else, how could it not. His life went on, but with the ghosts of the past tagging along and questions that he knows he will never have answered. Loss of innocence... perhaps for the country, at least of a generation.
Heavenly Shades of Night Are Falling - short, sum-up, put a bow on it.
Brings the stories together and back full circle to where we started, much as one might expect. Not bad or disappointing, but for me not wholly satisfying either.
Altogether this is a fun read. I may be under-rating this book, but I was just left with mixed feelings and this is as close to accurate as I felt I could safely get. The sections create a somewhat disjointed feeling, mostly between the first section and the rest, and while I understand that the first was the only one that really had any prior-to-loss-of-innocence material and that is largely the reason, I still had a hard time loving the book as a whole.
*Solid book that gives some great backstory for a small slice of DT series, another reason to reread.
The first of the interconnected stories that make up this book is perhaps the most tragic and, to those avid King readers, the most familiar. The focus of this section is on a group of children that reach the tipping point of leaving childhood and innocence behind during the course of one summer, which was reminiscent of [b:It|830502|It|Stephen King|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1334416842s/830502.jpg|150259] and [b:The Body|11574|The Body|Stephen King|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328182521s/11574.jpg|2334601]. This, the first and longest section, is also the one that links this book to [b:The Dark Tower Series Collection: The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, The Waste Lands, Wizard and Glass, Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, The Dark Tower|12274389|The Dark Tower Series Collection The Gunslinger, The Drawing of the Three, The Waste Lands, Wizard and Glass, Wolves of the Calla, Song of Susannah, The Dark Tower|Stephen King|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1330741885s/12274389.jpg|16692927] and (though I haven't read it yet) [b:The Regulators|10596|The Regulators|Richard Bachman|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1364033309s/10596.jpg|955346]. For someone that loves these other works, this story is ripe with the delicious connections that you will thank Uncle Stephen for, but secretly hope that there is more substance to the meal and that it isn't all empty calories that will leave you smiling, but ultimately unfulfilled, and happily(?) there is some meat to it, though I doubt it's dark, sour taste will leave anyone smiling. This section is simultaneously the most fantastical of the four and perhaps the most sadly realistic in the interplay of relationships and the portrayal of abuse.
Hearts in Atlantis - hunting for the bitch and making sparrow-tracks in the late 60's; peaking through a college dormitory peephole at a time when the Vietnam War was raging.
King is letting us in on what this particular time and place was like for some - a confusing and serious time to be figuring yourself out. Unfortunately, the obsessive hearts game and it's players were obnoxious to the point of distraction, but it was intentional and I think had purpose. This portion was still my least favorite, but it was still informative in a real way. There is a dread that permeates the lives of these young people and a sense of near helplessness.
Blind Willie - disabled veteran. deceiver. schemer. believer. penance doer. a very grey character.
A day in the life of someone that raises more questions than answers it provides, in relation to this one character as well as the whole of the book. A fairly short section, but one that is intriguing. How low did his past actions bring him? Can he redeem himself? Is what he is doing actual penance? Questions - I like.
Why We're in Vietnam - the mamasan follows the man after his time at war, or is it that the man can not leave that hell once he has been there no matter how many miles nor how much time you pile up.
Another short look at Vietnam and how it's ripples carry. This section really starts to tie everything back together and again we see some of the worst of men and possibly some hope of redemption too. Sully John has a different perspective than that of the characters of our prior sections, the peaceniks and the repentant, he was just a simple young guy who went off to war and it changed him like everyone else, how could it not. His life went on, but with the ghosts of the past tagging along and questions that he knows he will never have answered. Loss of innocence... perhaps for the country, at least of a generation.
Heavenly Shades of Night Are Falling - short, sum-up, put a bow on it.
Brings the stories together and back full circle to where we started, much as one might expect. Not bad or disappointing, but for me not wholly satisfying either.
Altogether this is a fun read. I may be under-rating this book, but I was just left with mixed feelings and this is as close to accurate as I felt I could safely get. The sections create a somewhat disjointed feeling, mostly between the first section and the rest, and while I understand that the first was the only one that really had any prior-to-loss-of-innocence material and that is largely the reason, I still had a hard time loving the book as a whole.
*Solid book that gives some great backstory for a small slice of DT series, another reason to reread.
Hearts of Atlantis is an amazing novel, I found myself trapped in the time period. I was confused at first though, because I thought this was just a normal novel, I didn't realize that it was a series of intertwined stories. But honestly I enjoyed it this way. Had plenty of references to the Tower and felt nothing like a 'normal' King horror novel. This book had it all.
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-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
inspiring
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
An enjoyable read some of the stories are really interesting but some are kind of boring 3.5 out of 5 stars
challenging
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Hearts in Atlantis is composed of five linked stories set in the years from 1960 to 1999. Each story is deeply rooted in the sixties, and each is haunted by the Vietnam War.
Full of danger, full of suspense, most of all full of heart, Hearts in Atlantis will take some readers to a place they have never been...and others to a place they have never been able to completely leave.
Full of danger, full of suspense, most of all full of heart, Hearts in Atlantis will take some readers to a place they have never been...and others to a place they have never been able to completely leave.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious