79. The Shining
The Shining by Stephen KingPages: 683
Finished: May 1, 2008
First Published: 1977
Genre: horror
Rating: 4/5
First Sentence:
Jack Torrance thought: Officious little prick.
Reason for Reading: Next up for my Stephen King Chronological Project. Chunkster challenge
Comments: Jack Torrance is a man with personal demons. After spending a childhood full of abuse, he turns into an alcoholic and one night breaks the arm of his three year old son. He and his buddy, just as much a drunk as he, are driving home one night and hit a bike in the middle of the highway, they can find no body anywhere but the shock scares them both into sobriety. Jack still thirsts for a drink every day of his life and in a fit of anger he attacks a student at the school where he works as a teacher. As the book opens we find Jack newly fired from his job and now interviewing for the position of off-season caretaker at a hotel up in the mountains, The Overlook.
The Overlook has its own demons and is not so much a building as a being intent on increasing its power. The hotel finds a source in Jack's five year old son who has an incredibly strong psychic power which allows him to see events that will happen and to see things not of this world. Since it cannot get to the son on its own it goes through Jack instead and a living nightmare begins.
The Shining is one of King's most brilliant works. The rising tension of the novel is taut. What starts off as uneasiness as Jack slowly starts to loose his mind turns to blood chilling fright as he chases after his family with a mallet. There is also an uncomfortable feeling throughout where one is not quite sure whether there really is an evil presence or whether Jack has gone insane. This is also King's first book that relies heavily on his signature style of stream-of-consciousness writing where his character's thoughts interupt the narrative frequently.
A wonderful book on many levels and a classic of the horror genre. This book showcases King's style and is highly recommended and would make a great place to start for those who haven't read any King.
This is the one that Joey from Friends put in the freezer, isn't it? And then my friend followed suit. Haha
ReplyDeleteI haven't yet read it, but I want to. Thanks for the great review!
Man....I haven't read this book in years!! I keep saying this everytime you review one of the King's. But I've got to go back and read these again!! Such Classics!!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read the book due to its intimidating length, but I love love love the movie and I hope to someday tackle the book.
ReplyDeleteCharley, I have to say this is one of those big books that reads incredibly fast. It is an easy read and the suspense just keeps the pages turning. I say give it a shot!
ReplyDeleteI read this book years ago and loved it. It totally freaked me out - it was one of the scariest, most chilling books I'd ever read. I don't think I'd have the fortitude to read it again, now that it has become, mercifully, a hazy memory. If I had a copy, I think I'd have to keep it in the freezer. :-)
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