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thedoppk 's review for:
The Long Walk
by Stephen King, Richard Bachman
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Long Walk is a book set in a dystopian America. Every year, this country has a competition called, you guessed it, the Long Walk, where 100 boys aged 14-18ish walk at the steady pace of 4 miles an hour. Slow down under that time, and you get a warning; good news, walk for an hour without getting a new warning and you lose an old one. Bad news, if you get three warnings, and slow down a fourth time, you get shot on the spot.
The characters in this book were some who I really didn't expect to relate to. They were all very sarcastic and cynical, and although that didn't make them very easy to root for at the start, but in hindsight, their attitude makes sense; they're walking to their deaths. However, as the time goes on in this book, characters become more likeable and relatable, mainly because their behavior 50, 100, 200 miles into the walk greatly resembles the behavior of any normal person forced to walk that long.
It wasn't the characters that did it for me, though. No, it was the graphic and harsh way in which Mr. King wrote their fates in. SPOILERS AND CONTENT WARNING:Olson's basically dead body walking along, until Garranty wakes him up and he gets his guts shot out by the soldiers. Barkovitch, who RIPS HIS THROAT OUT after going insane. I didn't even know you could do that. Every other one of the Musketeers, who slowly but surely drop out to either 'get a quick break', or to just sideline into the fence. And of course, Garranty, who decides that, after winning, to start running because there's so much more walking to do. Speaking of...
The final thing I wanted to touch on was the ending. I haven't read many of Mr. King's books, but according to the other reviews I've read, he seems to (another spoiler)love his ambiguous endings. At the end of this book, after Stebbins dies, the crowd rushes Garranty. The Major pulls up, and offers him the first wish of his prize. However, Garranty sees a dark figure past the Major, beckoning him forward, and he find the strength to run past the Major and chase the figure. There are many theories online on what this means, but the main one, and the one that makes the most sense to me, is the theory that Garranty has, finally, lost his mind, and believes that the Walk isn't over as there is another Walker to 'walk down'. All in all, a depressing and unsatisfying ending, but that is to be expected.
The only complaint I really have on this book, besides the ending, is the pace of which they have to walk at. I looked it up, and 4 miles per hour is a brisk walk. 6 miles an hour, the pace at which the vanguard was walking at, is a light jog. I really don't know how anyone made it past 100 miles walking at that pace. Even looking at the cover of the book (not this cover, look it up you'll see what I mean), Garranty looks like he's walking SUPER slowly. I don't know what Mr. King was thinking when he came up with that pace, but what can you do. Besides that though, this book is just amazing beyond words.
The characters in this book were some who I really didn't expect to relate to. They were all very sarcastic and cynical, and although that didn't make them very easy to root for at the start, but in hindsight, their attitude makes sense; they're walking to their deaths. However, as the time goes on in this book, characters become more likeable and relatable, mainly because their behavior 50, 100, 200 miles into the walk greatly resembles the behavior of any normal person forced to walk that long.
It wasn't the characters that did it for me, though. No, it was the graphic and harsh way in which Mr. King wrote their fates in. SPOILERS AND CONTENT WARNING:
The final thing I wanted to touch on was the ending. I haven't read many of Mr. King's books, but according to the other reviews I've read, he seems to (another spoiler)
The only complaint I really have on this book, besides the ending, is the pace of which they have to walk at. I looked it up, and 4 miles per hour is a brisk walk. 6 miles an hour, the pace at which the vanguard was walking at, is a light jog. I really don't know how anyone made it past 100 miles walking at that pace. Even looking at the cover of the book (not this cover, look it up you'll see what I mean), Garranty looks like he's walking SUPER slowly. I don't know what Mr. King was thinking when he came up with that pace, but what can you do. Besides that though, this book is just amazing beyond words.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence
Moderate: Sexual content
Minor: Racial slurs
The main premise of the book is 'walk or get shot', so gun violence and gore is expected. Some parts of the book have sexual content, but not many. A racial slur is said near the beginning of the book, but that's it.