Hi everyone
This review is about
my reread of The Shining by Stephen King.
I got my copy from Bol and it has 659 pages.
You can find all my Stephen King reviews here.
I got my copy from Bol and it has 659 pages.
You can find all my Stephen King reviews here.
“Jack Torrance’s new job at the Overlook Hotel
is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the
atmospheric old hotel, he’ll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his
family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets in, the
idyllic location feels ever more remote . . . and more sinister. And the only
one to notice the strange and terrible forces gathering around the Overlook is
Danny Torrance, a uniquely gifted five-year-old.”
*
SPOILERS *
I’ve read a few
reviews by other bloggers and/or Booktubers where they talk about how
predictable the story is. And it is. The Shining really is predictable. But in
my opinion that’s the point. You know Jack will go mad, you just know it’s
going to happen at some point. But when will it happen? Will he kill his wife
and son? Will he realize what is going on? When will it happen? Those are the
real questions.
The Shining is very
well plotted. Again, the story is predictable, especially because everyone has
seen the movie (which Stephen King himself hated) but the way the story builds
is amazing. It starts so subtle and slow and the ending is an amazing
culmination of panic, fear and madness.
The atmosphere is creepy and eerie, the isolation is almost panic inducing and It’s amazing how gradually the pace builds to where you can’t put it down.
Choosing a hotel as the setting for this was a stroke of genious too because throughout the novel you get this sense not only of isolation but also of simply not-belonging. It’s not their home, they are in a sense trespassing.
Rereading the book has made me see and appreciate the subtleties throughout the novel and the gradual buildup of tension and horror.
The atmosphere is creepy and eerie, the isolation is almost panic inducing and It’s amazing how gradually the pace builds to where you can’t put it down.
Choosing a hotel as the setting for this was a stroke of genious too because throughout the novel you get this sense not only of isolation but also of simply not-belonging. It’s not their home, they are in a sense trespassing.
Rereading the book has made me see and appreciate the subtleties throughout the novel and the gradual buildup of tension and horror.
King is a master at
characterization. Wendy is such a strong character and she is like a lion when
it comes to protecting her son. King could’ve made her a caricature very
easily, but she still feels very realistic.
Jack’s background of alcoholism and abusive behavior towards his wife and son give the story so much credibility. His road to madness is very realistic because he has these tendencies in him already. And that’s the scariest part of The Shining. A father murdering his wife and son because he truly believes he should kill them.
But they barely talk. We are privy to every thought all three main characters have, but they do not talk to each other about them. And these thoughts feel so real with unfinished sentences, pure feelings and flitting impressions. Very realistic.
Jack’s background of alcoholism and abusive behavior towards his wife and son give the story so much credibility. His road to madness is very realistic because he has these tendencies in him already. And that’s the scariest part of The Shining. A father murdering his wife and son because he truly believes he should kill them.
But they barely talk. We are privy to every thought all three main characters have, but they do not talk to each other about them. And these thoughts feel so real with unfinished sentences, pure feelings and flitting impressions. Very realistic.
I really, really
enjoyed it.
5 STARS
Happy reading!
Helena
Helena
There's nothing better than chocolate and a book.
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