jnaiburg's review against another edition
5.0
This book contains four novellas
1. Rita Hayworth and the shawshank redemption: the inspiration for the movie, this one was a nice little uplifting story and while I definitely prefer the movie it was a good read
2. Apt pupil: a much darker story that was extremely compelling and left me wondering what the hell was going to happen next
3. The body: the inspiration for stand by me. Probably my favorite of the 4, and the one with the best story for sure
4: the breathing method: one of the most heartbreaking stories I’ve ever heard. It’s really short but it’s so good that you’ll want to read it all at once
1. Rita Hayworth and the shawshank redemption: the inspiration for the movie, this one was a nice little uplifting story and while I definitely prefer the movie it was a good read
2. Apt pupil: a much darker story that was extremely compelling and left me wondering what the hell was going to happen next
3. The body: the inspiration for stand by me. Probably my favorite of the 4, and the one with the best story for sure
4: the breathing method: one of the most heartbreaking stories I’ve ever heard. It’s really short but it’s so good that you’ll want to read it all at once
christopherwilson13's review against another edition
4.0
4.5, maybe should be 5? SK showing he can do non-supernatural (but still plenty spooky at times, mind you) just fine, and most of these actually have good endings.
Shawshank - Stone-cold classic, movie stays very true to it. Delight.
Apt Pupil - This is the longest and darkest of the collection by such a wide margin. I wasn't sure how it was going to justify the length as it went but don't worry there is enough "This is extremely fucked up" to sustain itself though the end.
The Body - This made me feel like an idiot for having never seen "Stand By Me"; a wonderful journey, perfect at capturing a very precise feeling of summer adventures.
Breathing Method - Spooky on the fringes of both the main story and the framing device. Shortest of the bunch, tidy conclusion.
Also I just wanted to include his sign off because it made me smile:
Okay. Gotta split. Until we see each other again, keep your head together, read some good books, be useful, be happy
Shawshank - Stone-cold classic, movie stays very true to it. Delight.
Apt Pupil - This is the longest and darkest of the collection by such a wide margin. I wasn't sure how it was going to justify the length as it went but don't worry there is enough "This is extremely fucked up" to sustain itself though the end.
The Body - This made me feel like an idiot for having never seen "Stand By Me"; a wonderful journey, perfect at capturing a very precise feeling of summer adventures.
Breathing Method - Spooky on the fringes of both the main story and the framing device. Shortest of the bunch, tidy conclusion.
Also I just wanted to include his sign off because it made me smile:
Okay. Gotta split. Until we see each other again, keep your head together, read some good books, be useful, be happy
jxg255's review against another edition
2.0
Unsure if I didn't like this book because it didn't have King's usual vibe or the subject matter. Found it hard to stay focused on story.
lotsofwords's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? It's complicated
5.0
jaded618's review against another edition
4.0
Woah, what a ride.
I thought the beginning of this book was crazy enough, and then it just got worse and worse. I was just astonished by the ending!!
I thought the beginning of this book was crazy enough, and then it just got worse and worse. I was just astonished by the ending!!
novelesque_life's review against another edition
4.0
4 STARS
The Body - is just as great as the movie and is a grand horror story. It is very different but is so good.
Apt Pupil - is a great psychologically story where a boy blackmails an former SS soldier to find out all the details
Shawshank Redemption - Loved it as much as the movie!
The Body - is just as great as the movie and is a grand horror story. It is very different but is so good.
Apt Pupil - is a great psychologically story where a boy blackmails an former SS soldier to find out all the details
Shawshank Redemption - Loved it as much as the movie!
jcpdiesel21's review against another edition
4.0
A terrific, diverse collection of short stories. Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption and The Body are both wonderful, memorable tales chock-full of interesting events and fleshed-out characters that lend themselves perfectly to film. I was surprised to find so many details from the movies had been lifted directly from the stories, as both are incredibly faithful with minor tweaks that don't get in the way of the overall messages that King intended. Apt Pupil is a twisted story centered on a parasitic relationship between a wanted Nazi war criminal and a young boy; I appreciate the manner in which King explores these dark themes, but the story is far too long and it became almost suffocating to be privy to the thoughts of such disturbing individuals. I was underwhelmed by The Breathing Method until out of nowhere it got extremely weird; I wish King had taken a little more time with this one to perfect its buildup and ending to make it a winner all around with less dangling plot threads. I'm so glad that I finally read this book, as it has been sitting on my bookshelf and gathering dust for years!
darkestknight2911's review against another edition
Stopped after reading Shawshank redemption
koxi's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0