A review by emily_m_green
11/22/63 by Stephen King

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

In Stephen King’s 11/22/63, Jake Epping has been called upon by Al, owner of the local diner, to complete a mission he started but is unable to complete: preventing Lee Harvey Oswald from murdering JFK. 

Al found a “rabbit hole” inside his diner that dumps a person back in time to the same day each time they enter: September 9, 1958. In the past, Al has discovered that a person can make changes, though the past resists. Al has also discovered that every time a person returns to the past, any changes they made during the last visit are erased. Which means that while they can make changes in the past that impact the present, every time they revisit the past there is a reset. 

Jake agrees to go down the rabbit hole and save JFK—but first he must confirm that Oswald acted alone or potentially kill the wrong man and solve nothing. 

Al gives Jake a short list of instructions for entering the rabbit hole and living in the past. Almost immediately, Jake begins to break those rules. Which really makes me not like him as a character—how arrogant to mess with the past and not follow the rules. Several times as Jake breaks rules he doesn’t even notice that he is violating a rule. He would be the first to die in a horror movie. 

Worst of his mistakes is that he makes attachments in the past, which will have a rippling effect—including for the people he has grown to love. Even more dangerous, Jake begins to have no desire to return to the future. 

11/22/63 is not, in my opinion, King’s best book. One of his longer books and definitely an interesting concept, but the main character is too selfish and shortsighted for me to like him. 

Would I teach 11/22/63? I think not. The longer the book, the more difficult to teach, so a long book should be really amazing—which 11/22/63 is not.