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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
Foi minha primeira experiência lendo King em inglês e, por isso, foi bem interessante. Ele realmente tem um estilo específico e único. Porém eu tenho sérias dificuldades em me conectar com histórias mais curtas dele e, por isso, o meu favorito foi o maior deles - o primeiro. O segundo, que foi o motivo para comprar esse livro, me desanimou porque eu já conhecia a história e não achei que foi melhor que o filme (pasme!). Os dois últimos são legais mas nada muito surpreendente! No geral não tem nenhum conto RUIM, o que, sendo King, já é lucro! No fim, fiquei entre 3,5 e 4 e estou bem ansiosa para ler outros contos dele.
dark
mysterious
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
adventurous
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is a collection of stories including The Langoliers, Secret Window, The Sun Dog, and Library Policeman. A trigger warning for Library Policeman, there is a huge part of the plot revolving around SA of a child. This is typical I’m King’s stories, but even more so in that story and it really sticks out to me even years after reading it.
These stories are all quite good, two of the, have been made into movies that are pretty good as well. I listened to these on audible and would recommend it.
These stories are all quite good, two of the, have been made into movies that are pretty good as well. I listened to these on audible and would recommend it.
What always amazes me is how King can take simplest of ideas, and make a wonder out of them. I mean how many times have you stopped and actually contemplated this thing we call "time" and all the hows, and ifs and buts that can be associated with it. If you have, you'll know how scary it can be, just not being able to make sense of "time" and what games it can play with you.
📘
So, if you find this subject interesting, this collection of four novellas is for you, all dealing with the idea of time.
Of these my favorite was "secret window, secret garden", followed by "langoliers", both equally fascinating. "The library policeman" got a bit too dark for my taste, and "the sun dog" was a bit of a let down imo, but crazy & amazing as always.
📘
Also, love the intros to every story ❤
📘
So, if you find this subject interesting, this collection of four novellas is for you, all dealing with the idea of time.
Of these my favorite was "secret window, secret garden", followed by "langoliers", both equally fascinating. "The library policeman" got a bit too dark for my taste, and "the sun dog" was a bit of a let down imo, but crazy & amazing as always.
📘
Also, love the intros to every story ❤
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Four Past Midnight is a collection of four Stephen King novellas. I was able to get through three of the four compiled in this book.
1. The Langoliers
As if I needed another reason to hate flying? A group of about 9-10 individuals going from LAX to Boston wake up mid-flight to discover that everyone else has disappeared including the flight attendants and the pilots. They are forced to figure out what happened while they were sleeping and why the world below seems completely quiet, completely abandoned.
2. Secret Window, Secret Garden
A well-known writer is living in his vacation home after his divorce when he is visited by a man named Shooter who claims that he stole one of his stories. Shooter wants to know how our main character managed to steal his story and what he plans to do to make things right with events escalating into further and further violence.
3. The Library Policeman
Sam - Realtor/Insurance Agent - is called upon to give a speech to the Rotary Club after the original speaker has an unfortunate accident. He finds himself heading to the public library so he can take out some books that might help him liven up his speech, coming in contact with the strange librarian named Ardelia Lortz. Lortz encourages Sam to return the books on time or else she is going to send the Library Policeman (depicted menacingly in a poster in the kid's section of the library) to obtain them. Is there really a Library Policeman? Is there really even an Ardelia Lortz?
4. The Sun Dog
The story I decided not to read.
The three stories I did finish were average. Three stars out of five. Like most of King's work, the three novellas I read started off very strong with good characters, a tense setting, they made me feel paranoid in sections, and I found myself being really invested in what was taking place. Like most of King's work, the endings happened. They didn't pack the punch needed to support the rest of the story. The most disappointing ending of the three was The Langoliers. I spent all that time wondering what the heck The Langoliers were and was excited to find out. When I did, I had this, "Oh....really?" reaction. The one that made me most tense was Secret Window, Secret Garden. The thought of Shooter lurking outside Rainey's home or even inside his home freaked me out a little! The most disturbing one content-wise was The Library Policeman and it was because of the trigger warning that came when Sam found out who his own personal Library Policeman was (trigger warning: sexual assault). It made me uncomfortable. In the end, I decided not to read the last story because I didn't want to take the chance that it would start off strong and end up like the other three. Maybe someday I'll come back and read The Sun Dog. For now, I'm going to avoid a reading slump and try and choose a better read!
1. The Langoliers
As if I needed another reason to hate flying? A group of about 9-10 individuals going from LAX to Boston wake up mid-flight to discover that everyone else has disappeared including the flight attendants and the pilots. They are forced to figure out what happened while they were sleeping and why the world below seems completely quiet, completely abandoned.
2. Secret Window, Secret Garden
A well-known writer is living in his vacation home after his divorce when he is visited by a man named Shooter who claims that he stole one of his stories. Shooter wants to know how our main character managed to steal his story and what he plans to do to make things right with events escalating into further and further violence.
3. The Library Policeman
Sam - Realtor/Insurance Agent - is called upon to give a speech to the Rotary Club after the original speaker has an unfortunate accident. He finds himself heading to the public library so he can take out some books that might help him liven up his speech, coming in contact with the strange librarian named Ardelia Lortz. Lortz encourages Sam to return the books on time or else she is going to send the Library Policeman (depicted menacingly in a poster in the kid's section of the library) to obtain them. Is there really a Library Policeman? Is there really even an Ardelia Lortz?
4. The Sun Dog
The story I decided not to read.
The three stories I did finish were average. Three stars out of five. Like most of King's work, the three novellas I read started off very strong with good characters, a tense setting, they made me feel paranoid in sections, and I found myself being really invested in what was taking place. Like most of King's work, the endings happened. They didn't pack the punch needed to support the rest of the story. The most disappointing ending of the three was The Langoliers. I spent all that time wondering what the heck The Langoliers were and was excited to find out. When I did, I had this, "Oh....really?" reaction. The one that made me most tense was Secret Window, Secret Garden. The thought of Shooter lurking outside Rainey's home or even inside his home freaked me out a little! The most disturbing one content-wise was The Library Policeman and it was because of the trigger warning that came when Sam found out who his own personal Library Policeman was (trigger warning: sexual assault). It made me uncomfortable. In the end, I decided not to read the last story because I didn't want to take the chance that it would start off strong and end up like the other three. Maybe someday I'll come back and read The Sun Dog. For now, I'm going to avoid a reading slump and try and choose a better read!
The Langoliers: 4/5
-Essentially a twilight zone episode but I eat that stuff up
Secret Window, Secret Garden 3/5
-Characters didn’t really interest me except for Shooter, was kind of hoping it was gonna go in a different direction
The Library Policeman 2.5/5
-Meh
The Sun Dog 4/5
-Pretty decent. Intriguing concept and classic castle rock characters
-Essentially a twilight zone episode but I eat that stuff up
Secret Window, Secret Garden 3/5
-Characters didn’t really interest me except for Shooter, was kind of hoping it was gonna go in a different direction
The Library Policeman 2.5/5
-Meh
The Sun Dog 4/5
-Pretty decent. Intriguing concept and classic castle rock characters
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I feel like this is a 3.5 star book. There are four novellas here and they're all good, but they're all TOO LONG. These should have been four short stories. My thoughts on each:
"The Langoliers" -- Nice mixture of paranormal trouble and human drama. Good characterization, even though there is some trouble with disability fetishization and objectification of women.
"Secret Window, Secret Garden" -- I recently read The Dark Half and it was better.
"The Library Policeman" -- Another nice mixture of paranormal and human drama. This one has problems with racist depictions of monsters. The main character is likable though and this one has a little more action.
"The Sun Dog" -- I thought this one was kind of messy (especially the predictable and silly twist at the end) and the pacing was all out of whack. The father-son teaming was nice. Always good to visit Castle Rock, too.
"The Langoliers" -- Nice mixture of paranormal trouble and human drama. Good characterization, even though there is some trouble with disability fetishization and objectification of women.
"Secret Window, Secret Garden" -- I recently read The Dark Half and it was better.
"The Library Policeman" -- Another nice mixture of paranormal and human drama. This one has problems with racist depictions of monsters. The main character is likable though and this one has a little more action.
"The Sun Dog" -- I thought this one was kind of messy (especially the predictable and silly twist at the end) and the pacing was all out of whack. The father-son teaming was nice. Always good to visit Castle Rock, too.