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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Obviously this is a horror classic that doesn't need my review, but I found the first half of this to be some of Stephen King's best work and the ending to take too long. The exposition at the beginning all feels so natural and perfect, but the unraveling of Jack starts to feel repetitive and lose its power by the end. But it's undeniable that this book changed haunted house stories, and the way family dynamics are explored here, and I would say it's even just worth it to compare to the movie and the ways both mediums differently interpret the same themes. An excellent time.
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
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
it did what it was meant to do. felt like someone was yelling at me for lots of it. scary.
I enjoyed reading the multiple perspectives! The book is very different from the movie. Lots of outdated language, but still a good read. I listened to it as an audiobook, but I did find I zoned out here and there. I think it would be a good one for an immersive read!
I loved coming back to this book after reading it in high school. A novel that chills you to your bones. Excited to dive into Doctor Sleep!
It’s hard not to think about the movie as I read this, just given it was how I was first exposed to the story. I find Kubrick’s changes to be such an interesting read on the material. We are meant to believe that Jack Torrance is a basically decent guy who needs to get his shit together, but Kubrick fully rejects that premise. He sees the way Jack thinks about himself and the things that he does and says pretty firmly “this is not a good guy” which I do think is a very valid read on the character, but also one I understand King having strong negative feelings about.
Anyway, really loved this. Maybe my favorite so far behind The Stand.
Anyway, really loved this. Maybe my favorite so far behind The Stand.
I didn’t realize how much this differed from the movie; I knew the ending was different, but wow, it’s quite a bit. I have to say I like the movie better, but I still enjoyed the book, especially the additional background of the characters. Overall a great Halloween read!