constantine2020 's review for:

Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King

3.0

dark emotional slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Genre: Mystery Thriller

Hearts of Atlantis is a collection of five short stories written by Stephen King that are all related to one another and take place in the 1960s in the United States. Each of the short stories in this collection covers the life of a different individual and addresses issues such as coming of age, dealing with the loss of a loved one, and the aftereffects of the Vietnam War.

The stories are written quite well, yet many of them are extremely upsetting. Characterization is one of King's strong points. The main characters in each of his stories are colorful and have many different sides. His style of writing is poetic and detailed, and it paints vivid pictures of the people and the places they live. Although each tale stands alone as its own adventure, taken together they form a more comprehensive account of events. It is a remarkable and profoundly moving compilation that might stick with readers long after they have finished the book, to different degrees.

The book connects with The Dark Tower series by introducing an important mysterious stranger named Ted Brautigan, who will later appear in The Dark Tower series. One of the biggest drawbacks of this book is that, at times, it felt confusing, which is due to its nonlinear structure and numerous flashbacks. The other thing is that I am personally not too keen on stories that deal with the aftereffects of war. I find them disturbing. Hearts in Atlantis was not an exception. If this was not part of my Dark Tower reading plan, I might not have picked it up. I don’t feel the open ending in this book served it well, as many questions were left unanswered. It is still a decent book, but keep in mind all the trigger warnings if you are going to pick it up.