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A review by gyroshrike
Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cancer, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gore, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Religious bigotry
Minor: Pedophilia and Pandemic/Epidemic
It's not enacted by the characters themselves, but there is deep antisemitism and anti Romani stereotypes embedded in the depictions of the antagonists. I wouldn't be surprised if the author didn't consciously or intentionally put it there, but wow it is THERE. Heavy spoilers, but nothing for the ending: The villains have a history of being nomadic and "travelling in caravans and on camels" back in Europe, they kidnap and essentially devour children, referred to as monsters or inhuman, they are rich and have centuries of wealth stashed away. They are in the police force and even in politics if I remember correctly, in a way that allows them to evade persecution from the law. All of these are very old and well documented stereotypes.
Combine this with them spending much of the story pursing blonde haired, blue eyed characters and you have a very unfortunate depiction of the classic "scary Jew tries to steal and eat the blonde, white/Christian child" motifs in your story.