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3.83 AVERAGE
3.83 AVERAGE
Een collectie aan kortverhalen met zeer verschillende kwaliteiten. De helft is van vrij vergetelijke kwaliteit, terwijl de andere helft werkelijk geweldig is. 1408, Riding the Bullet, Little Sisters of Eluria, Everything's Eventual... zijn allemaal op en top klassiekers, spijtig van de andere mindere helft, want dit had echt een super collectie kunnen zijn.
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
SK writes the best short stories I've ever read. Lots of fun. (Skipped 2 of the 14 in this book.)
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
dark
tense
medium-paced
I liked this collection of short stories (which I read in between other books). I only gave it three stars as some of the stories were amazing, but I could put the book down for long periods, so there was no hook for me. Maybe because it was a collection?
It has reignited my love for Stephen King though, I am now thinking of going back and starting at the beginning and going all the way through....
It has reignited my love for Stephen King though, I am now thinking of going back and starting at the beginning and going all the way through....
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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:
Complicated
So good. Loved the gunslinger short story in particular, always great to peek into Roland's world a bit more.
I'm always amazed at how varied his subjects can be. He is certainly not "just" a horror writer.
05/2015
Introduction 5 stars. I love King and when he is brutally honest (when is he not?) I love him all the more.
Autopsy Room 4 4 stars I've actually seen the AHP episode that inspired this and Cotton was amazing. I love that only King could mention Michael Bolton and then bring up the fact that Percy is probably rolling in his grave at Bolton's rendition of "When a Man Loves a Woman." This story is scary because...well, who knows?! It could be us, any day, any way.
The Man in Black 5 stars I can't say what it is about this story that I love. I guess that's why it won awards. Who but King can say "he skun his knee" and we not only accept it but realize how true that is? People spoke that way. He uses words to paint a world and mood, and he is a master.
All that You Love will be Carried Away 5 stars I know King likes to drive, so I can only imagine he has actually seen all the graffiti described in the pages of this little tale. I really feel for Alfie by the end, but I think he is just the excuse King needs to get these little (weird) gems on the page.
The Death of Jack Hamilton 4 stars Dillinger has always been a fascinating guy. He had charisma, and that will get you so much farther in life than almost any other trait. Many say charisma was Kennedy's ace in the hole. This read to me like King testing the waters for the eventual 11/22/63. Rabbits was an endearing character, and King's ability to create so many characters we can connect to in such a limited number of pages is one of the things I love about him.
In the Deathroom 4 stars This is such a novel way to end this sort of story. It reads like a scene from Scarface and yet...he gets away. There's no way to be sure it's Fletcher buying smokes at the end, but I choose to believe it is him.
The Little Sisters of Eluria 5 stars Like many of King's fans, I love Roland and his world. This story was lovely. The phrases King uses when he is in Dark Tower mode have a certain magic to them. Like he is a different writer when he is telling DT tales. Two quotes from this that I highlighted are "Good liars were common. Honesty, on the other hand, was dear." and as Roland ran his hands through Jenna's hair he thinks "it felt like rain, rain with weight." Both beautiful, beautiful examples of the language the Dark Tower tales insist upon. It gives me a little thrill to read the different accents/versions of the High Speech as well. "Sai" and "thee." They make you feel a part of that world, not just an observer.
Everything's Eventual 5 stars More if I could! I am so glad this is the title tale of the collection. This story has always reminded me a bit of [b:The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet|33845111|The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, June 1984 (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, #397)|Edward L. Ferman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1484248767l/33845111._SX50_.jpg|45733944]. Dinky's shapes are a bit like "fornits." I am always thrilled when an author can just pull stuff out of their ass and make me not only accept, but genuinely believe in it! King does that here. I truly believe (as I read) that people can do what Dinky does, that other people can "see" the Dinkys of the world, and that there could be an organization (Shop, anyone?) that would finance and set it all up. Even setting Dinky up in this mild, almost cashless existence makes sense. I want another story about a Tranny from a privileged life to see how they would deal with that.
L.T.'s Theory of Pets 3 stars While I find King's musings about marriage and how it works incredibly true in this story, it always leaves me unsatisfied. There is no real ending. Usually, I can accept that, but for some reason, I just can't in this case. Why do we need to know about L.T. breaking down, but have no clue what happens to Lulu? Why do we need to know Holly took a shine to him, but not if it will lead anywhere? It does contain a great quote, though: “It might be that the biggest division in the world isn't men and women, but folks who like cats and folks who like dogs."
The Road Virus Heads North 3 stars I think it's fascinating that King really owns this picture, but that doesn't make the story any better for me. I think it's a bit silly.
Lunch at the Gotham Café 4 stars I don't think the story rates the stars, but the way in which it is told does. None of what happens makes any sense, and we are given no reasons, which I am ok with. I do really want to know what made Diane so unhappy, though. That's one question I really, really want an answer to.
That Feeling, The One You Can Only Say What it is in French 2 stars King says in his note that he believes Hell may be repetition. I could not agree more. I really dislike stories that show the same scene over and over, like this one. It's just so frustrating to read or watch on film. It feels like a colossal waste of time.
1408 5 stars This a great story and has a [b:The Yellow Wallpaper|8217236|The Yellow Wallpaper|Charlotte Perkins Gilman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1276430319l/8217236._SX50_.jpg|17352354] feel to it. I like that King makes it very clear this is not a haunted hotel room, because haunting is done by something that was once alive, but is instead just...wrong. I also applaud his choice to allow Mike to live through the ordeal. To have him die would have felt almost cliché. I have yet to see the movie because I am afraid it won't be a fair adaptation, but I did imagine Cusak as Mike as I read this time. Perfect casting.
Riding the Bullet 5 stars I've always felt this one and The Woman in the Room were about King's mother's death, and he confirms that in his author's note. I love when a story is told in such a way that you can believe in the supernatural parts or not - as you choose. King gives us that choice with this little tale.
Lucky Quarter 5 stars King writes in the voice of women so well, and the voice of single mothers best of all. This poor woman is doing all she can and getting jack crap for it. Such is life, and this story rings so incredibly true because of it. I like to think it ends just the way her fantasy ended, and King lets me think that because he doesn't say. How sweet...
05/2015
Introduction 5 stars. I love King and when he is brutally honest (when is he not?) I love him all the more.
Autopsy Room 4 4 stars I've actually seen the AHP episode that inspired this and Cotton was amazing. I love that only King could mention Michael Bolton and then bring up the fact that Percy is probably rolling in his grave at Bolton's rendition of "When a Man Loves a Woman." This story is scary because...well, who knows?! It could be us, any day, any way.
The Man in Black 5 stars I can't say what it is about this story that I love. I guess that's why it won awards. Who but King can say "he skun his knee" and we not only accept it but realize how true that is? People spoke that way. He uses words to paint a world and mood, and he is a master.
All that You Love will be Carried Away 5 stars I know King likes to drive, so I can only imagine he has actually seen all the graffiti described in the pages of this little tale. I really feel for Alfie by the end, but I think he is just the excuse King needs to get these little (weird) gems on the page.
The Death of Jack Hamilton 4 stars Dillinger has always been a fascinating guy. He had charisma, and that will get you so much farther in life than almost any other trait. Many say charisma was Kennedy's ace in the hole. This read to me like King testing the waters for the eventual 11/22/63. Rabbits was an endearing character, and King's ability to create so many characters we can connect to in such a limited number of pages is one of the things I love about him.
In the Deathroom 4 stars This is such a novel way to end this sort of story. It reads like a scene from Scarface and yet...he gets away. There's no way to be sure it's Fletcher buying smokes at the end, but I choose to believe it is him.
The Little Sisters of Eluria 5 stars Like many of King's fans, I love Roland and his world. This story was lovely. The phrases King uses when he is in Dark Tower mode have a certain magic to them. Like he is a different writer when he is telling DT tales. Two quotes from this that I highlighted are "Good liars were common. Honesty, on the other hand, was dear." and as Roland ran his hands through Jenna's hair he thinks "it felt like rain, rain with weight." Both beautiful, beautiful examples of the language the Dark Tower tales insist upon. It gives me a little thrill to read the different accents/versions of the High Speech as well. "Sai" and "thee." They make you feel a part of that world, not just an observer.
Everything's Eventual 5 stars More if I could! I am so glad this is the title tale of the collection. This story has always reminded me a bit of [b:The Ballad of the Flexible Bullet|33845111|The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, June 1984 (The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, #397)|Edward L. Ferman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1484248767l/33845111._SX50_.jpg|45733944]. Dinky's shapes are a bit like "fornits." I am always thrilled when an author can just pull stuff out of their ass and make me not only accept, but genuinely believe in it! King does that here. I truly believe (as I read) that people can do what Dinky does, that other people can "see" the Dinkys of the world, and that there could be an organization (Shop, anyone?) that would finance and set it all up. Even setting Dinky up in this mild, almost cashless existence makes sense. I want another story about a Tranny from a privileged life to see how they would deal with that.
L.T.'s Theory of Pets 3 stars While I find King's musings about marriage and how it works incredibly true in this story, it always leaves me unsatisfied. There is no real ending. Usually, I can accept that, but for some reason, I just can't in this case. Why do we need to know about L.T. breaking down, but have no clue what happens to Lulu? Why do we need to know Holly took a shine to him, but not if it will lead anywhere? It does contain a great quote, though: “It might be that the biggest division in the world isn't men and women, but folks who like cats and folks who like dogs."
The Road Virus Heads North 3 stars I think it's fascinating that King really owns this picture, but that doesn't make the story any better for me. I think it's a bit silly.
Lunch at the Gotham Café 4 stars I don't think the story rates the stars, but the way in which it is told does. None of what happens makes any sense, and we are given no reasons, which I am ok with. I do really want to know what made Diane so unhappy, though. That's one question I really, really want an answer to.
That Feeling, The One You Can Only Say What it is in French 2 stars King says in his note that he believes Hell may be repetition. I could not agree more. I really dislike stories that show the same scene over and over, like this one. It's just so frustrating to read or watch on film. It feels like a colossal waste of time.
1408 5 stars This a great story and has a [b:The Yellow Wallpaper|8217236|The Yellow Wallpaper|Charlotte Perkins Gilman|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1276430319l/8217236._SX50_.jpg|17352354] feel to it. I like that King makes it very clear this is not a haunted hotel room, because haunting is done by something that was once alive, but is instead just...wrong. I also applaud his choice to allow Mike to live through the ordeal. To have him die would have felt almost cliché. I have yet to see the movie because I am afraid it won't be a fair adaptation, but I did imagine Cusak as Mike as I read this time. Perfect casting.
Riding the Bullet 5 stars I've always felt this one and The Woman in the Room were about King's mother's death, and he confirms that in his author's note. I love when a story is told in such a way that you can believe in the supernatural parts or not - as you choose. King gives us that choice with this little tale.
Lucky Quarter 5 stars King writes in the voice of women so well, and the voice of single mothers best of all. This poor woman is doing all she can and getting jack crap for it. Such is life, and this story rings so incredibly true because of it. I like to think it ends just the way her fantasy ended, and King lets me think that because he doesn't say. How sweet...