Scan barcode
A review by zmull
The Stand by Stephen King
5.0
2021 reread: I first read The Stand in 1992, then again a few years later. I'd been a pretty avid reader since I was a kid and had lots of exciting experiences with books. But nothing like the first time I read The Stand. It was one of those truly immersive experiences that you can have with a great book. I didn't want it to end and I've jonesed for that experience ever since. Stephen King is good at that sort of book. At his best he's a master of plot and pacing. His prose is much better than he generally gets credit for. And his characters, while never a naturalistic as he seems to think them, are generally wonderful. The Stand is peak Stephen King. He was good before it and good after, but the shots never lined up quite as effortlessly as they do here. The ending has been debated ever since the book was released. It doesn't work for many readers, but I think its one of his best. It's a bold choice and slightly bonkers. I love it.
One thing did jump out on this reread. There's a lot of racist language in this book. Especially in the first act. None of it is particularly justified by the needs of the book. ALL of it should have been removed in the 1990 revision. It's a shadow on the book that could have been easily fixed. King has some ongoing issues with race. His use of the Magical Negro trope was a persistent failing for much of his career. It's a shame not only because it is wrong to use racist language casually but it also dates the book terribly. People just don't talk like this anymore. And that's a good thing.
One thing did jump out on this reread. There's a lot of racist language in this book. Especially in the first act. None of it is particularly justified by the needs of the book. ALL of it should have been removed in the 1990 revision. It's a shadow on the book that could have been easily fixed. King has some ongoing issues with race. His use of the Magical Negro trope was a persistent failing for much of his career. It's a shame not only because it is wrong to use racist language casually but it also dates the book terribly. People just don't talk like this anymore. And that's a good thing.