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A review by jcstokes95
The Body by Stephen King
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
This Stephen King guy, pretty good writer...
So, this is my first King, and as a person not into horror, I chose one I had the most chance of liking, as Stand By Me was a favorite childhood movie of mine. And this far exceeded my expectations. It gut punches in so many places but never loses its sense of adventure and authenticity. I remain obsessed with Chris Chambers because he just seems like the exact friend you always hope you'd have, one who calls you on your bullshit but supports you silently and unequivocally.
It also says so much, without being didactic, about the evil of having your destiny laid out for you by circumstance. And manages to capture the allure and poison of nostalgia more than any other thing I have ever read. A thought related to this I had when reading, I think we feel we are at our most interesting at a young age because we know ourselves least then. There's so much to explore about ourselves. And this book is utterly focused on both that (slightly narcissistic) exploration of self at a young age while balancing how growing up helps you see people around you in a clearer focus. In a way, it's a book for adults about how children grow empathy. Which I think is a pretty rare subject executed very warmly here.
So, this is my first King, and as a person not into horror, I chose one I had the most chance of liking, as Stand By Me was a favorite childhood movie of mine. And this far exceeded my expectations. It gut punches in so many places but never loses its sense of adventure and authenticity. I remain obsessed with Chris Chambers because he just seems like the exact friend you always hope you'd have, one who calls you on your bullshit but supports you silently and unequivocally.
It also says so much, without being didactic, about the evil of having your destiny laid out for you by circumstance. And manages to capture the allure and poison of nostalgia more than any other thing I have ever read. A thought related to this I had when reading, I think we feel we are at our most interesting at a young age because we know ourselves least then. There's so much to explore about ourselves. And this book is utterly focused on both that (slightly narcissistic) exploration of self at a young age while balancing how growing up helps you see people around you in a clearer focus. In a way, it's a book for adults about how children grow empathy. Which I think is a pretty rare subject executed very warmly here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse
Moderate: Death and Child death
Minor: Racial slurs