Book Review
A Review of Elevation by Stephen King
Scott Carey is losing weight rapidly. As he does so, his body doesn’t change physically at all and his weight stays the same with or without clothes. He confides in his retired doctor friend, Dr. Bob Ellis, who agrees to monitor him and his strange affliction.
Scott has new neighbors, a married couple named Deirdre and Missy, who have opened a new restaurant in town. The patronage at their restaurant isn’t very good, a fact they contribute to the town’s prejudice against their same-sex marriage. When the couple’s dogs continue to mess up Scott’s yard, he takes in upon himself to talk to the ladies about the issue. It doesn’t go too well, as Deirdre is the colder of the two women and isn’t warming up to Mr. Carey.
The Castle Rock Turkey Trot race presents an opportunity for Scott to interact with the women on their own turf, forming new relationships. With his weight decreasing rapidly, Scott must face what is to come.
This tale of friendship is easy to read. Just shy of 200 pages, you can easily consume it in a day or two. Not what I expected from King, but I was pleasantly surprised. This novel took some getting used to, but in the end I was glad I read it. The themes of friendship and caring about your fellow human had me in tears by the end. Elevation is a beautiful story, and definitely worth the read.
A Review of The Outsider by Stephen King
This book tells the story of a murder investigation of gruesome proportions, and the strange occurrences surrounding it. When little league baseball coach Terry Maitland is arrested for the murder, the fictional town of Flint City, Oklahoma can scarcely believe it. How could someone who worked so closely with children turn and murder one of the town’s very own kids. The physical evidence is overwhelming against Maitland, until his alibi is confirmed with its own undeniable evidence. Could he really be in two places at once? Does this open up the suspect pool to other individuals, or other entities entirely?
The different points of view provide a well-rounded look at all facets of the investigation and how it affects different people. The book definitely starts out as a typical crime story, but as it progresses it turns into the thriller that King meant for it to be all along. Of course, this comes with the typical King style of breathy, overly detailed writing. Some people may be left thinking “get to the point!” while those who enjoy King’s extensive detail will no doubt be captivated.
I had a hard time putting this one down. I seemed plagued with the typical reader’s conundrum of wanting to know what happens without wanting the book to end. It was just packed full of detailed narration that got me hooked from the beginning.
I definitely recommend this title for all King fans, as well as people who like crime novels.
A Review of Bird Box by Josh Malerman
This dystopian future novel, told in a flash-back style of writing, centers on Malorie, a young woman navigating a dangerous new world.
She had only recently found out about her pregnancy when the news breaks: there’s something out there making people go insane. With just one look at this mysterious entity, people will kill. As new incidents are reported across the globe, people begin taking precautions: boarding up windows, locking doors, staying inside. More and more people are committing suicide and attacking neighbors. It seems as if no one is safe anymore.
Malorie remembers her story as she is floating down the river with her children, escaping the safe house she has been in for four years. They are blindfolded, and relying only on their ears to get them to safety. All the while she knows whatever is doing this to people is still out there, and waiting to be seen.
I picked up Bird Box not expecting too much. It was rather short, about 300 pages, and I hadn’t heard much about it all. I knew it was made into a movie for Netflix, but I still wasn’t too hopeful. As I read the first page, however, I was hooked. This story was absolutely riveting. I found myself turning page after page, simply needing to know what happened next.
I was scared, I was sad, and did I mention I was scared? The thought of running from danger while totally blind terrified me. I could feel the dread every time a character walked outside.
Novels usually take me a week or more to finish. I devoured this book in 24 hours. I highly recommend that you give it a shot, and I’d easily put it in my top 5 books I’ve read this year. Do yourself a favor and pick this one up asap.