A review by abyissmal
The Long Walk by Stephen King, Richard Bachman

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

fuck this book (affectionate). this book is such a page turner the second i flick open that first page! i wasn't quite sure if i was invested initially, but the more i read it, the more the urge to put it down became difficult. this was the first time i finished a book this quick in almost two months! "the long walk" is a thrilling yet heart-wrenching story set in dystopian america where they hold an annual walking competition as the country's major source of entertainment. this book is grueling in some parts with an ending that i thought was quite underwhelming, but in a way that's disconcerting. because you don't get the sense of satisfaction of knowing who the victor. rather, you understand very well the journey had left the victor haunted and in turn, you're haunted as well. at least, i was.

despite the gore-y parts of the book, i didn't feel those parts to be the source of the horror. the horror lies in being aware just how much these kids are being treated as a spectacle. at some point even referred those who are watching the competition as 'watchers'. it's uneasy, really.

all in all, i really enjoyed this book! it was a great swift and thrilling read. despite the fact the ending left me SCREAMING because i wasn't really expecting certain things to happen in a certain way. keeping things as vague as possible just so people could read this book if you need a quick horror read!