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A review by ruth24
The Institute by Stephen King
5.0
[b:The Institute|43798285|The Institute|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1549241208l/43798285._SY75_.jpg|68147322] is so entertaining that I wish it was longer than it's already 500+ pages. If you're not into horror, don't be put off. I would actually categorize this as more thriller/SciFi - plenty of horrifying things happen, but I didn't have to sleep with the lights on! The 'villains' are more subtle and realistic than an axe-wielding serial killer. Sure, they're sadistic, but they're also (mostly) normal people who think they're doing what's right for the greater good. Maybe that's more unsettling than typical horror after all.
If you've read the blurb, then the story begins kind of unexpectedly with Tim, an ex-cop who, at a loss, decides to hitchhike his way to New York City. After a brief set-up, the perspective shifts to Luke, a 12-year-old prodigy who is kidnapped and taken to the Institute where he discovers children like him are being put through cruel and mysterious experiments. I particularly liked Luke, Kalisha and Avery as characters and seeing how each of the kids reacted differently to the Institute. Some of what happens is pretty shocking and made me feel uncomfortable, but I liked exploring the moral dilemma of right and wrong and the greater good. Tim nicely bookends the story, appearing both at the beginning and the end. The climax was not as climatic (for lack of a better word) as it could have been (I was a little confused at parts), but I was satisfied enough with the ending. I enjoyed that the story is current but some of the dialogue, for example referencing Trump, was a bit overkill/cheesy for me.
Overall this was a fun and entertaining read that lived up to my expectations.
If you've read the blurb, then the story begins kind of unexpectedly with Tim, an ex-cop who, at a loss, decides to hitchhike his way to New York City. After a brief set-up, the perspective shifts to Luke, a 12-year-old prodigy who is kidnapped and taken to the Institute where he discovers children like him are being put through cruel and mysterious experiments. I particularly liked Luke, Kalisha and Avery as characters and seeing how each of the kids reacted differently to the Institute. Some of what happens is pretty shocking and made me feel uncomfortable, but I liked exploring the moral dilemma of right and wrong and the greater good. Tim nicely bookends the story, appearing both at the beginning and the end. The climax was not as climatic (for lack of a better word) as it could have been (I was a little confused at parts), but I was satisfied enough with the ending. I enjoyed that the story is current but some of the dialogue, for example referencing Trump, was a bit overkill/cheesy for me.
Overall this was a fun and entertaining read that lived up to my expectations.