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3.49 AVERAGE
3.49 AVERAGE
A perfect addition to the collection of any true Stephen King fan. I’ll admit I was surprised by the size of the book, which can actually be characterized better as a novella, but it’s just perfect for a brisk afternoon read. The plot is a little out there although not even remotely out of King’s wheelhouse.
Best part of this book is how the main character’s cheerful optimism completely flaunts the absurdity of his situation as well as some pretty set in stone societal norms when it comes to dealing with issues such as gay right and female assertions. There is a wholesome, communal feel that was a real chicken soup balm for my weary soul. By the end, the main character has amassed a small group of close friends, the only ones privy to the horrific reality of his situation, and the only ones present to witness his final moments (but not in the way you’re thinking). It’s quite literally an uplifting novel.
Although I’m not quite sure how I feel about this quick read, I can undoubtably tell you that once again Stephen King has freakin’ nailed it!
Best part of this book is how the main character’s cheerful optimism completely flaunts the absurdity of his situation as well as some pretty set in stone societal norms when it comes to dealing with issues such as gay right and female assertions. There is a wholesome, communal feel that was a real chicken soup balm for my weary soul. By the end, the main character has amassed a small group of close friends, the only ones privy to the horrific reality of his situation, and the only ones present to witness his final moments (but not in the way you’re thinking). It’s quite literally an uplifting novel.
Although I’m not quite sure how I feel about this quick read, I can undoubtably tell you that once again Stephen King has freakin’ nailed it!
Yeesh, this book is a stinker. Elevation is about a guy named Scott, a 42-year-old who lived in a bubble for his entire life, I guess, realizes that people in his small Maine town of Castle Rock don't like lesbians after Trump is elected president and around this time he starts rapidly losing weight (without a change in appearance) and assumes he's just going to float away.
There are a lot of these people -- the ones who think the world is suddenly a "bad" place now that Trump is president, not ones who are floating away. So the perspective isn't an unrealistic one, except that all the themes in this book, if it can be said to have any, are acknowledged only at the most basic, stereotypical level. Scott even just accepts his eventual complete weight loss, which he calls Zero Day, and makes preparations to just float away. Bye bye!
The book's set-piece is a 12K Turkey Trot, and even though I'm fundamentally opposed to running, I've run a couple of 5Ks in my day. Is it common for people running a seven-mile race to just drop to the ground and writhe in pain? This race feels more like the beginning of the Hunger Games, when they all rush for the cornucopia, than a casual Thanksgiving Day foot race. Bodies are scattered all over the side of the road! I mean, they're not dead, but wouldn't people just like, I dunno, take a break? Get some water? Stand there instead of rolling around on the ground?
Also, the winner gets to light the Christmas tree, but that doesn't happen until, like, a week later. They say that no local resident has ever won the race, because people travel to Castle Rock just for the Turkey Trot, does that mean people then travel back just to light a Christmas tree in a small(ish) Maine town? How big is this place? None of this feels real to me.
And the ending!
There are a lot of these people -- the ones who think the world is suddenly a "bad" place now that Trump is president, not ones who are floating away. So the perspective isn't an unrealistic one, except that all the themes in this book, if it can be said to have any, are acknowledged only at the most basic, stereotypical level. Scott even just accepts his eventual complete weight loss, which he calls Zero Day, and makes preparations to just float away. Bye bye!
The book's set-piece is a 12K Turkey Trot, and even though I'm fundamentally opposed to running, I've run a couple of 5Ks in my day. Is it common for people running a seven-mile race to just drop to the ground and writhe in pain? This race feels more like the beginning of the Hunger Games, when they all rush for the cornucopia, than a casual Thanksgiving Day foot race. Bodies are scattered all over the side of the road! I mean, they're not dead, but wouldn't people just like, I dunno, take a break? Get some water? Stand there instead of rolling around on the ground?
Also, the winner gets to light the Christmas tree, but that doesn't happen until, like, a week later. They say that no local resident has ever won the race, because people travel to Castle Rock just for the Turkey Trot, does that mean people then travel back just to light a Christmas tree in a small(ish) Maine town? How big is this place? None of this feels real to me.
And the ending!
Spoiler
Scott floats into the sky and lights a firework. To me, it seemed like he was going to blow himself up. The firework explodes, but the last line says he "continued to gain elevation, rising above the earth's mortal grip with his face turned toward the stars." Is his face still attached to his body?
I enjoyed Elevation. It was a good story that differed from classic Stephen King a bit, and I enjoyed that. However, I didn’t like Lori (or Glory—couldn’t tell because I listened to audiobook) that much. When it was finished, I was left feeling like “that’s it?”
It’s worth a listen or read, but do it for Elevation and not the second short story.
It’s worth a listen or read, but do it for Elevation and not the second short story.
I don’t know how I feel about this book. It’s definitely not horror, so not the best intro to Stephen King (though being scarred from the original It movie might be enough).
Edit: Now that it's not 2am, there is one MAJOR problem I have with this book: a cishet man is needed to help the only lesbian couple. Maybe that's King's way of showing what it means to be a good ally, but it is not good.
Edit: Now that it's not 2am, there is one MAJOR problem I have with this book: a cishet man is needed to help the only lesbian couple. Maybe that's King's way of showing what it means to be a good ally, but it is not good.
Picked this up at my library because it was a cool cover and seemed to be about space. Interesting little read. I'm still trying to understand what I've just read.
This book took me by absolute surprise. For the first 15 pages, I was convinced I wouldn't like it. Elevation is somehow both somber and hopeful and absolutely wonderful.
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Honestly it being such a short book was why I chose it next out of my mission to read all of Stephen king, and the length was probably the only reason I didn’t DNF it. This book was truly just a whole load of nothing. The premise wasn’t an interesting enough thought experiment to me, and really the implications had nothing much to do with the plot. Probably the first King book I would genuinely recommend to skip.