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A review by itshardizzy
The Shining by Stephen King
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This was my first time reading Stephen King and I liked his writing style and how he describe certain things in a way that I wouldn't describe or that I wouldn't imagine being describe in the way that was. He plays really well with time gaping, intertwining past, present and future with an amazing facility. He really doesn't have a filter or a limit of how gruesome he can go with his characters/plot and that was at the same time nice as it was shocking.
The plot kinda reminded my of the Hunting of Hill house but way more violent. The hotel really takes your ugliest emotions and feelings and amplify it — which is a bad combination when encounters Jack, a very problematic character. Jack was an easy character to hate, because even though sometimes he showed the he wanted to change, other times he put himself at a victim place. He really thinks that he is a bad person because of the way he grow up – which is probably one of the reasons but don't change the fact that he is a shitty person.
King didn't hold back on showing his characters deepest feelings. We really went deep into their thoughts and emotions – specially Jack's. We saw the character without any filter even the most horrible thoughts that was very usual for him to have. And I loved how Jack was being manipulated by the hotel but didn't wanted to acknowledge it, because he wanted so bad to be ok and to believe he was ok that he turned a blind eye to all the things happening.
Danny is a really interesting character, so interesting as Jack. He is a child but at the same time he is so smart and has a deeply understanding of life than his parents. King did a good job with his abilities, he wrote it so well that it was almost like his abilities are something totally normal. And his compassion towards his dad is heart warming but at the same time heart breaking.
Wendy is another one that suffers a lot because of Jack. She is really strong and is as compassionate as her kid. She wants to believe that Jack can change but at the same time she know that he can't. And she has so much love for Danny, so much love that she is willing to do anything for him. She is the one that believes in Danny when he talks about his abilities and she is the one that tried the hardest to get them out of there.And even when Jack is possessed by the house and trying to kill them, she tries to protect his image and explains to Danny that he isn't the Jack that they know, which was a very selfless act for someone who is a victim of domestic violence
I believe that this is a great book to start reading Stephen King and I'll definitely be reading more stuff that he writes.
The plot kinda reminded my of the Hunting of Hill house but way more violent. The hotel really takes your ugliest emotions and feelings and amplify it — which is a bad combination when encounters Jack, a very problematic character. Jack was an easy character to hate, because even though sometimes he showed the he wanted to change, other times he put himself at a victim place. He really thinks that he is a bad person because of the way he grow up – which is probably one of the reasons but don't change the fact that he is a shitty person.
King didn't hold back on showing his characters deepest feelings. We really went deep into their thoughts and emotions – specially Jack's. We saw the character without any filter even the most horrible thoughts that was very usual for him to have. And I loved how Jack was being manipulated by the hotel but didn't wanted to acknowledge it, because he wanted so bad to be ok and to believe he was ok that he turned a blind eye to all the things happening.
Danny is a really interesting character, so interesting as Jack. He is a child but at the same time he is so smart and has a deeply understanding of life than his parents. King did a good job with his abilities, he wrote it so well that it was almost like his abilities are something totally normal. And his compassion towards his dad is heart warming but at the same time heart breaking.
Wendy is another one that suffers a lot because of Jack. She is really strong and is as compassionate as her kid. She wants to believe that Jack can change but at the same time she know that he can't. And she has so much love for Danny, so much love that she is willing to do anything for him. She is the one that believes in Danny when he talks about his abilities and she is the one that tried the hardest to get them out of there.
I believe that this is a great book to start reading Stephen King and I'll definitely be reading more stuff that he writes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing and Suicidal thoughts