A review by calebmatthews
Doctor Sleep by Stephen King

5.0

This was one of the best Stephen King books that I’ve read. Better than the shining in my opinion. The AA stuff was so good. Where the Shining is about how denial eats Jack Torrance, Doctor Sleep is how healing saves Dan Torrance. Intergenerational trauma gets a happy ending.

Sidebar: Mike Flannigan’s movie version of doctor sleep gives somehow even more depth than the book. The movie scene that is not in the book where Dan gets to talk to Jack in the overlook was too good and so necessary. Highly recommend the directors cut of the film.

It also felt a little weird to make Dan and Abra actually be related. I liked it more when he was helping her just because she was another person who could shine. It meant more in my opinion.

Also good on Mike taking out the grandma and the knot all dying from sped up cancer.

Even more good on Mike for having the overlook ghosts battle Rose. I expected that in the book and was a bit let down when it didn’t happen. What a wicked and wonderful scene!

Another rare case where the movie is better than the book.