Reviews with content warning for Blood - Varsel

Many of the hauntings in the overlook are psychological; an internal monologue that's overtaken by an other, intrusive thoughts, daydreams and nightmares. We don't get any of that in the film. This is SCARY. So well paced.

It's definitely a little misogynistic, racist and xenophobic here and there though, so, there's that. Which is also scary.

Wanted to read a classic King beofre diving into his new book and this did not disappoint! Totally understand the friends episode where Joey puts his copy of the shining in the freezer.

Content Warnings

zombiezami's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous dark mysterious slow-paced

5.0

A well crafted novel. They aren’t made quite like this anymore

Content Warnings

mattythebookworm22's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Content Warnings

itsmeyseniab's review against another edition

Go to review page

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? Yes

2.5

Content Warnings

alaskan_bull_worm's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

My first Stephen King book! What do I think of it?

I really liked the beginning and middle more than the end. I can’t really explain it, but I wasn’t as sucked in. I feel like I end up rushing near the end of a book just because it’s in sight.
The disembodied style of the nightmare sequences weren’t as effective as they could have been. I think the looking-into-characters’-minds had the highest quality writing. (I’m not saying King was horrible in other ways. Just that you win some, you lose some.) The huge violent scenes near the end didn’t work as well with me, is what I’m trying to say. I really don’t know why. I guess my previous point was really the “why.”
I loved the parts where we get into Jack’s mind to see his slow degrade into madness (or loss of self-control, or the hotel taking over him, whichever way you see it). It was interesting to see his perception of his father shift later on. He kind of changed the story of why his father did what he did.
I have mixed feelings about Wendy. Her personality was kind of just “mother and wife,” though she certainly was a round character. I guess it’s just that near the end we see how strong she really is (willfully, mostly) compared to her more empty threats to Jack during their relationship. I mean, Jack did lots of bad things, and she was always upset about him doing that, but she rarely did much about it. I guess I like her?
So . . . yeah? Altogether it’s a pretty good book that I guess I’d recommend. I am likely to read more King in the future.

Content Warnings

kaczorlantz's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

King did a great job with the last 90 pages of the book. But the other chunk was slow and at times felt like there were unnecessary details. When the action well and truly began, though, it was intense.

Content Warnings

writingcaia's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Wow loved it!
There were some slow moments here and there but wow SK knows how to tell a horror story like no one and his characters are always so believable.
This not really a story about a haunted hotel, although it is, but about a broken family with a traumatised alcoholic father and a special child, one to be used the other to be coveted by it.
There’s a lot of suspense and mind games, and only towards the end does it get really brutal.
What a ride. I’m glad I still read it even though I was familiar with the story from the movie, but as always, the book is way better!

Content Warnings

eurekamaharjan's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Woah. This book. THIS BOOK IS JUST BRILLIANT. i had already seen the movie going in to the book but it still left me shook. This book goes in depth about not only the horror that lives among us(supernatural ghosts etc) but the horror that lives within us. King's storytelling is spellbinding in the best way possible. I felt very scared whilst reading this book, so scared that i couldn't go to the washroom alone. This is a slow burn creepy book that made my heart thump with every page, specially towards the end. What i find absolutely astounding is how king made the atmosphere of the hotel. The hotel did not feel like juts a place somehow, it felt like it had a life (which it kind of did). I am in awe with his writing, it gave me literal chills and tbh his writing was a bit hard getting used to at first (at least for me), but as i kept on reading it pulled me to a world where i got completely lost in my own imagination made by king's words. This a must read for all the horror thriller fans out there. I'm definitely gonna be reading more of king's work.

Content Warnings

More...