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caribbeangirlreading's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
I don't even know how to begin reviewing this book. It's all over the place. But I will try.
Audiobook narration - FIVE STARS. Seth Numrich definitely earned that Audie Narrator Award. And the surprise of having Stephen King play the grumpy Mr. Bowditch was chef's kiss.
The first 1/3 of the book was a solid four stars. I LOVED the writing, the characters, and the story. And then that big event happened that completely changed this book. This 2/3 of the book is where the actual "fairy tale" happens. For the next 1/3 of the book, we had the mc, 17yo Charlie (narrating as his adult self) doing a lot of telling and not a lot of showing. I was bored. I only made it through this section of the book on the back of the outstanding audiobook narrator. Then Charlie arrived at "the city" and the plot finally started to move along. At the end, all I can say about last 2/3 of the story is that it was ok.
But I can't end this review w/o discussing some issues. First, there was a LOT of lazy writing in this book. Charlie was constantly telling us how the beings/situations/locations in his journey reminded him of xyz fairy tale. If he mentioned Rumpelstiltskin one more time . . . Heck, King even name dropped one of his books! This book also felt like it borrowed (and not well) from Tolkien, The Hunger Games, and other stories. Second, can we talk about the sexist language in this book? The constant use of the words b*tch and c*nt to describe women that were unlikeable. But, OF COURSE, the princess was beautiful . . . and blonde. Which leads me to King/Charlie's love of racist H.P. Lovecraft and the trope in which the saviors/royals and blonde and blue-eyed. Just no.
This book could have been a three, but the lazy writing and overt sexist language and depiction of the women in the story left a sour taste in my mouth.
Audiobook narration - FIVE STARS. Seth Numrich definitely earned that Audie Narrator Award. And the surprise of having Stephen King play the grumpy Mr. Bowditch was chef's kiss.
The first 1/3 of the book was a solid four stars. I LOVED the writing, the characters, and the story. And then that big event happened that completely changed this book. This 2/3 of the book is where the actual "fairy tale" happens. For the next 1/3 of the book, we had the mc, 17yo Charlie (narrating as his adult self) doing a lot of telling and not a lot of showing. I was bored. I only made it through this section of the book on the back of the outstanding audiobook narrator. Then Charlie arrived at "the city" and the plot finally started to move along. At the end, all I can say about last 2/3 of the story is that it was ok.
But I can't end this review w/o discussing some issues. First, there was a LOT of lazy writing in this book. Charlie was constantly telling us how the beings/situations/locations in his journey reminded him of xyz fairy tale. If he mentioned Rumpelstiltskin one more time . . . Heck, King even name dropped one of his books! This book also felt like it borrowed (and not well) from Tolkien, The Hunger Games, and other stories. Second, can we talk about the sexist language in this book? The constant use of the words b*tch and c*nt to describe women that were unlikeable. But, OF COURSE, the princess was beautiful . . . and blonde. Which leads me to King/Charlie's love of racist H.P. Lovecraft and the trope in which the saviors/royals and blonde and blue-eyed. Just no.
This book could have been a three, but the lazy writing and overt sexist language and depiction of the women in the story left a sour taste in my mouth.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Sexism, Terminal illness, Blood, Car accident, and Death of parent
mr255405's review
adventurous
dark
funny
hopeful
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Wonderful fairy tale with very clear connections to The Dark Tower.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Death, Blood, and Death of parent
midwifereading's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
It took me awhile to figure out how I felt about this book. I started it on audio, and finished the last 25% via hardback at 2:00 am.
King really is a good storyteller in so many ways, and this book is no exception. It starts slowly, establishing the protagonist, his motivations, and his character really well. I loved the first third of the book the most, actually. Getting to know Charlie, his dad, Mr. Bowditch, and Radar (the best doggo) was wonderful! I liked each of them so much, for different reasons.
Speaking of his dad, I loved him! It's always refreshing to meet a healthy father figure in storytelling. His dad battles alcoholism, enters recovery, stays sober, and is so very present for Charlie. 10/10 dad. Not because he's without fault, but because he does the work of healing without making Charlie his support.
I also enjoyed the hints at something more, something magical lurking in the background somewhere. The world-building is interesting and a bit weird, which is great for an "otherworld" setting. Everything is just familiar enough, but off in all the right ways.
Did I mention the incredible illustrations at the beginning of each chapter? They remind me of illustrations in classic horror novels like Dracula or War of the Worlds! All books should have those whenever possible.
I did have a few issues though, which is why my star rating isn't higher.
1) Swearing. Of course, I expect it. It is Stephen King, soooo... However, when did we start limiting it almost exclusively to the f-bomb? I wouldn't call it gratuitous, but dude. No one talks like that. It distracts from the story at times. Drives me crazy.
2) Charlie is supposed to be 17 years old, in present day. He's Gen Z. But he feels Gen X. His references are those from a kid who grew up in the 80's or early 90's. The TCM movie references make sense, because of his relationship with his dad, though. Either Charlie is an old soul (he's not), or King hasn't hung out with Gen Z-ers enough. Still, he's well written as a whole.
3) The payoff doesn't quite match the setup... There's a massive evil creature to defeat at the end, and his defeat is somewhat anticlimactic for me. Some great imagery, for sure, but it feels too fast.
4) The weird language thing. At first, Charlie discovers he can't say certain words in the Other world, and figures out that he's speaking their native language, not English. Cool thought, methinks. But near the end, he CAN say English words that don't have a native translation, and they just don't understand him. So, it felt inconsistent. I wish an editor had caught that and had King polish it up.
Overall, it was a fun read, complete with a Chosen One and a happy ending. A good October read.
King really is a good storyteller in so many ways, and this book is no exception. It starts slowly, establishing the protagonist, his motivations, and his character really well. I loved the first third of the book the most, actually. Getting to know Charlie, his dad, Mr. Bowditch, and Radar (the best doggo) was wonderful! I liked each of them so much, for different reasons.
Speaking of his dad, I loved him! It's always refreshing to meet a healthy father figure in storytelling. His dad battles alcoholism, enters recovery, stays sober, and is so very present for Charlie. 10/10 dad. Not because he's without fault, but because he does the work of healing without making Charlie his support.
I also enjoyed the hints at something more, something magical lurking in the background somewhere. The world-building is interesting and a bit weird, which is great for an "otherworld" setting. Everything is just familiar enough, but off in all the right ways.
Did I mention the incredible illustrations at the beginning of each chapter? They remind me of illustrations in classic horror novels like Dracula or War of the Worlds! All books should have those whenever possible.
I did have a few issues though, which is why my star rating isn't higher.
1) Swearing. Of course, I expect it. It is Stephen King, soooo... However, when did we start limiting it almost exclusively to the f-bomb? I wouldn't call it gratuitous, but dude. No one talks like that. It distracts from the story at times. Drives me crazy.
2) Charlie is supposed to be 17 years old, in present day. He's Gen Z. But he feels Gen X. His references are those from a kid who grew up in the 80's or early 90's. The TCM movie references make sense, because of his relationship with his dad, though. Either Charlie is an old soul (he's not), or King hasn't hung out with Gen Z-ers enough. Still, he's well written as a whole.
3) The payoff doesn't quite match the setup... There's a massive evil creature to defeat at the end, and his defeat is somewhat anticlimactic for me. Some great imagery, for sure, but it feels too fast.
4) The weird language thing. At first, Charlie discovers he can't say certain words in the Other world, and figures out that he's speaking their native language, not English. Cool thought, methinks. But near the end, he CAN say English words that don't have a native translation, and they just don't understand him. So, it felt inconsistent. I wish an editor had caught that and had King polish it up.
Overall, it was a fun read, complete with a Chosen One and a happy ending. A good October read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcoholism, Cancer, Death, and Medical trauma
Minor: Sexual content
poppy_dandybee's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
The first Stephen King book I have engaged with. Listened to it on audio. Very entertaining story, I always wanted to know what was going to happen next and I was always trying to figure out what was happening and why. Some gore and some peculiar things. Not a scary story to me. Similar to any fantasy adventure I've read.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Gore, Excrement, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Sexual content
elisacarlene's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, and Death of parent
abernathy_33's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Violence, and Death of parent
Moderate: Death, Torture, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal cruelty, Cancer, and Sexual content
klthomp42's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing and Death
Minor: Grief and Death of parent
I was torn on the rating for this book, part of me wanted to put it at 3.75. But I ended up with a 4. This was my first Stephen King book. I know he writes horror books, but I definitely wouldn't put this under that category. There was a small section with more gore than I would have liked, but that doesn't last too long thankfully. I liked the idea of the world he created. It was a cool, fantastical world. I enjoyed the characters. I enjoyed the plot. But some parts dragged on longer than I would have liked. There were some things that were left unanswered. I guess that's okay. It also had a good ending, which I enjoyed. I honestly thought he was going to kill the main character, but he didn't. Overall an okay read. Not one I would pick up again, but still good.chrysalissa's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death and Violence
Moderate: Body horror and Death of parent
nikimorr's review
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
There are few books which I purposely read slowly because I do not want it to end. This was one. In fact, it may be Stephen King’s best novel to date (although IT is still a strong contender for #1).
This book is easily 4 full stories in 1. First, the story of Howard Bowditch. Second, the journey with and for Radar. Third, Deep Maleen. And fourth, saving Empis. Essentially, you get a full series in a single book.
Every part of this book was special. Even in the very beginning, when there is no fantasy, I was entranced. Charlie is such an endearing character from the beginning. In essence, Charlie loses his mother in a terrible accident. Charlie’s father becomes an alcoholic thereafter. Charlie prays one night as a child for God to make his dad sober, and, in turn, he would return the favor. Charlie’s father becomes sober, and Charlie begins his journey of trying to repay the promise. This is a theme through the entire book.
This leads to Charlie helping Mr. Bowditch, a man down the street who takes a fall and needs help, in an effort to repay the promise. And of course, Charlie falls in love with Mr. Bowditch’s dog, Radar. Just this part of the story - the friendship, the love of the dog, Charlie dedicating his life to repaying this promise - could have been a book in and of itself.
But this is just the beginning. Charlie will eventually come to learn that Mr. Bowditch has an access to another world in his backyard. And this world may just be able to save the dog, Radar, from old age.
From here is adventure that you have to read to appreciate. This adventure would not happen if not for the Charlie’s desire and goal of saving Radar. As a dog lover, this is the best. I would do so much for my dog - and Charlie faces grave danger for a chance at more time with his dog.
At first, I thought Charlie’s travels to the sundial to reverse time and make his dog younger went too smoothly. Come to find out, we were sailing along just to end up in Deep Maleen, prison for those captured in the city after dark. This was one of the most page turning parts of the story. Then for it to build to prisoners being forced to fight in the Fair One - battles to the death for the entertainment of others - was reminiscent for me of the Hunger Games.
So much wonder and adventure happens that it’s difficult to appreciate it all in one review like it deserves.
Although the ending was still wonderful, it was way more about the journey for me. The only thing I wish was that I was more read up on my fairy tales to appreciate all the references.
So much wonder and adventure happens that it’s difficult to appreciate it all in one review like it deserves.
Although the ending was still wonderful, it was way more about the journey for me. The only thing I wish was that I was more read up on my fairy tales to appreciate all the references.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Death of parent, and War
abbyynormal's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Gun violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Medical content, Car accident, and Death of parent