A review by lewis666
Pet Sematary by Stephen King

dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Stephen King's Pet Sematary honestly blew me away. And is arguably one of my favourite books of his. (Now my 5th). I've obviously seen the movie, which I like but it lacks what the book offers. And what it offers I was not expecting. The level of subtle psychological horror was beyond incredible, it's never outright spoken what is actually wrong. There's just an eerie, unnerving feeling of 'more' coming from it. Whether it's about Church the cat, Jud's dog Spot, or a person. I FELT their presence! That unconquered conversation of life after death. A pull to the darkness, the temptation of a once in a lifetime chance. Oh Stephen King, you floor me. 

It's a testament to how amazing King is as a writer to take a concept that's, on the surface, not otherworldly spooky. And slaps you in the face with life's cruel certainty. Grief. 

Pet Sematary is an unbelievably tragic story. Knowing what comes after these beautiful moments among the family make it that much more gut wrenching. And the themes surrounding the book really hit home. Grief. Trauma. Coming to terms with the death of a loved one, and the lengths we'd go to have them back. There's a really human message within these pages that will resonate with just about anybody. But the atmosphere, the darkness of what lies beyond the Pet Sematary, is something that should remain dead. Absolutely in love with this book! 🐈‍⬛🪦🖤