Stephen King: Under The Dome

Hi everyone

Stephen King's Under the Dome has been on my wishlist since it came out, but I kept putting off buying it because I don’t like movie-tie-in editions, and I wasn’t a fan of the original cover with the old man. But when this new edition was released, I had to have it. The premise sounded like something I’d absolutely love, and I was right! 
I got my copy from Bol. 

"On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when -- or if -- it will go away.
Dale Barbara, Iraq vet and now a short-order cook, finds himself teamed with a few intrepid citizens -- town newspaper owner Julia Shumway, a physician's assistant at the hospital, a select-woman, and three brave kids. Against them stands Big Jim Rennie, a politician who will stop at nothing -- even murder -- to hold the reins of power, and his son, who is keeping a horrible secret in a dark pantry. But their main adversary is the Dome itself. Because time isn't just short. It's running out." 

I loved this book. It was everything I hoped for and more.

Under the Dome is a giant book (almost 900 pages and in rather small print) but it reads so fast. There’s non-stop action, and even when there’s a lull, something important is always brewing; whether it’s planning, strategizing, or uncovering secrets. 
King’s writing is easy to read, to the point, and even thought-provoking when it needs to be.  
What terrified me most was how quickly everything and everyone in the town broke down. Sure, the process is sped up for the sake of the story, but I completely believe it could happen this fast in real life. Fear and panic are incredibly powerful forces, and when you add someone like Big Jim Rennie and his cronies to the mix, it becomes horrifyingly plausible. The way King portrays the descent into chaos is both chilling and gripping.

The characters are fantastic. I especially loved how most of the "good," sensible people are women. Whether they’re brave leaders or reluctantly part of the resistance, the characters who actually think things through, who stand against all the madness are mostly women. And Stephen King wrote them so well! They feel real, complex, and compelling.
I also really liked Dale Barbara. He’s not your typical military man, he doesn’t rely on brute force for everything. He’s intelligent, thoughtful, and cares about others, which made him such a standout character.
The resistance in this book was everything I love in a story. People come together at their own pace, for their own reasons, and everyone contributes what they’re capable of. There’s something so powerful and emotional about seeing people work together toward a common goal; it always gets to me.

As for the reason behind the dome, it’s expected, especially for a Stephen King novel. I can see why some readers might be disappointed by the lack of a thorough explanation, but I wasn’t. For me, this book is entirely about the people under the dome, not the dome itself. The human drama is what makes it so gripping.

My only disappointment was with Big Jim Rennie’s end. He deserved every terrible thing imaginable, and his fate felt a little too tame for how much I hated him. It’s been a long time since a character in a book infuriated me this much, so I was hoping for something more satisfying. But at least he’s gone for good.

Have you read Under the Dome? Did you love it as much as I did? Or did you feel differently about the ending or the characters? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Which Stephen King books should I buy next? 

Happy reading
Helena