A review by lindseyrinehart
Revival by Stephen King

dark sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

The first section of this book, Jaimie’s Childhood, I enjoyed.

However, Jaimie’s life as a drug-addicted guitar player was boring and it becomes mind-numbingly boring in his sober years. Basically, Jaimie is an uninteresting adult person and the story should have followed Charles Jacobs who actually lived a very interesting life and was the only interesting thing about Jaimie’s life. However, somewhere between Jaimie’s healing and the tent revival version of Jacobs SOMETHING HAPPENED to Charles Jacobs and his character changes completely. We don’t know why. Obsession? Long-term survivors guilt and grief? Whatever the reason, he’s off the deep end. I thought we were headed for a Pet Cematary like conclusion, but instead we get a one horrific glimpse at the other side. No, thank you to this whole ending. It wasn’t scary, it was depressing. Nihilistic. Hopeless. My least favorite Stephen King novel to date. I had no idea he could be boring.