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thereedyboy's review against another edition
5.0
I started this book in January and read the first novella- Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. After that, I put it away for a while and came back to it last week. Since then, I have read the rest of the book incessantly.
All four novellas in this book are great. Admittedly The Breathing Method falls a bit flat in comparison to the other three, but it still doesn't stop this collection being five-star material.
In order of enjoyment, I would list it as
1) The Body
2) Apt Pupil
3) Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption
4) The Breathing Method.
I initially bought this book because of the film Stand By Me being my favourite film. The book does not disappoint. It is as desperately real, emotionally touching and heartbreaking as the film counterpart, and I felt empty after reading it.
In all of the novellas, King creates characters that you want to know more about. Even though he gives a rich backstory to all of them, it's not always enough. Whether they are typically 'good' characters or traditionally 'bad' characters, you are left feeling like you know them so well.
I would definitely recommend this collection of short stories to anyone. Proof that King can produce some really thought-provoking literature.
All four novellas in this book are great. Admittedly The Breathing Method falls a bit flat in comparison to the other three, but it still doesn't stop this collection being five-star material.
In order of enjoyment, I would list it as
1) The Body
2) Apt Pupil
3) Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption
4) The Breathing Method.
I initially bought this book because of the film Stand By Me being my favourite film. The book does not disappoint. It is as desperately real, emotionally touching and heartbreaking as the film counterpart, and I felt empty after reading it.
In all of the novellas, King creates characters that you want to know more about. Even though he gives a rich backstory to all of them, it's not always enough. Whether they are typically 'good' characters or traditionally 'bad' characters, you are left feeling like you know them so well.
I would definitely recommend this collection of short stories to anyone. Proof that King can produce some really thought-provoking literature.
dargor's review against another edition
4.0
El último cuento, con explícita influencia lovecraftiana es maravilloso, a excepción del segundo, todos son increíblemente buenos y por mucho el mejor libro de King que he leído
nfk808's review against another edition
4.0
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption: 5/5 I loved it, so similar to the movie and I love the movie so it was a great read
Apt Pupil: 5/5 my favorite of the four, so chilling and such a good story
The Body: 4/5 pretty good, but not as mind blowing as it has been hyped up to be
The Breathing Method: 3/5 good ending, but really frustrating framing device—too much left unsaid about the club
Apt Pupil: 5/5 my favorite of the four, so chilling and such a good story
The Body: 4/5 pretty good, but not as mind blowing as it has been hyped up to be
The Breathing Method: 3/5 good ending, but really frustrating framing device—too much left unsaid about the club
hanathema's review against another edition
4.0
A difficult one to rate, given that it's 4 short stories!
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption: 5 stars
Apt Pupil: 3 stars
The Body: 4 stars
The Breathing Method: 3 stars
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption: 5 stars
Apt Pupil: 3 stars
The Body: 4 stars
The Breathing Method: 3 stars
megankirby's review against another edition
3.0
Once again, I wish that Goodreads gave half-star options, because I think this novella collection is more of a 3.5 but not strong enough for a 4... Mostly because Apt Pupil was such a gristly and unpleasant read that I ended up marathoning it on a Saturday afternoon just so I could be finished.
It took me a long time to get through this book--which is fine for a collection of stories like this. I liked seeing King flex his muscles in a non-horror realm (though they all have moments of horror, and I'd argue that the last story is just straight-up horror).
I watched Stand By Me for the first time immediately after finishing The Body, and I was impressed by how much of the narration and dialogue was directly from the novella.
Anyway! A fine collection, definitely worth it for King fans, but I lowkey wish I never read Apt Pupil!!! I'll never forget it but I wish I could!!!
It took me a long time to get through this book--which is fine for a collection of stories like this. I liked seeing King flex his muscles in a non-horror realm (though they all have moments of horror, and I'd argue that the last story is just straight-up horror).
I watched Stand By Me for the first time immediately after finishing The Body, and I was impressed by how much of the narration and dialogue was directly from the novella.
Anyway! A fine collection, definitely worth it for King fans, but I lowkey wish I never read Apt Pupil!!! I'll never forget it but I wish I could!!!
jrmiller131's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this book...Shawshank Redemption was amazing, but I expected that! Apt Pup was a little long and disturbing but had me hooked. Loved The Body - now I have to watch Stand By Me! And Breathing Method was creepy...
mameshiba_reads's review against another edition
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
zinkognito's review against another edition
5.0
I tried not to list compilation books, but this is far too good to ignore, and besides, these were NOVELLAS. Not only does it feature Apt Pupil and the story that inspired “Stand By Me”, it also had the original “Shawshank Redemption” story (Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption) and possible my favorite short story of all time from Stephen King, THE BREATHING METHOD.
It’s split into four parts, one representing each Season.
Part One is “Hope Springs Eternal”, The Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption story.
This is the story of inmates in a sadistic Prison, a man who can “get” things for you, a man unjustly accused of murder, but more than anything else, it’s about how having HOPE can motive you. A terrific story. The Tim Robbins film was pretty good too!
Part Two is “Summer Of Corruption”, “Apt Pupil” This was also made into a movie with Ian McKellen. This is the story of a boy who finds out a Nazi war criminal is living incognito in his town, and blackmails him into revealing all the dark memories he has, eventually corrupting both the Nazi and the boy.
Part Three is “Fall From Innocence”, the famous Stephen King story that inspired Rob Reiner’s Stand By Me, THE BODY. Four boys growing up make a trip to see a dead body, and encounter things that will change their lives.
Part Four is simple “A Winter’s Tale”, featuring the story The Breathing Method.
Man, The Breathing Method, what can I say. It is just fantastic. First there’s the setting. It’s set in this old English gentlemen’s club, and King takes the time to describe it quite vividly and spookily. The members of the club tell stories, from far flung to fantastic. I can’t explain it, but King describes this so well, each tale seems so eerie. And that brings us to the second good point: the tale that the story is centered around is ALSO fantastic. A great tale within a tale, a tale about a single pregnant woman practicing to give birth to her child using the at-the-time unknown Lamaze method.
I’m glad to say that The Breathing Method is the sole story in Different Seasons that hasn’t been made into a movie (yet), and for this we are truly grateful. I just don’t see how they could capture the wonder and eeriness of the story.
King followed this story up with another good short story called “The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands” which dealt with the same club and characters.
It’s split into four parts, one representing each Season.
Part One is “Hope Springs Eternal”, The Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption story.
This is the story of inmates in a sadistic Prison, a man who can “get” things for you, a man unjustly accused of murder, but more than anything else, it’s about how having HOPE can motive you. A terrific story. The Tim Robbins film was pretty good too!
Part Two is “Summer Of Corruption”, “Apt Pupil” This was also made into a movie with Ian McKellen. This is the story of a boy who finds out a Nazi war criminal is living incognito in his town, and blackmails him into revealing all the dark memories he has, eventually corrupting both the Nazi and the boy.
Part Three is “Fall From Innocence”, the famous Stephen King story that inspired Rob Reiner’s Stand By Me, THE BODY. Four boys growing up make a trip to see a dead body, and encounter things that will change their lives.
Part Four is simple “A Winter’s Tale”, featuring the story The Breathing Method.
Man, The Breathing Method, what can I say. It is just fantastic. First there’s the setting. It’s set in this old English gentlemen’s club, and King takes the time to describe it quite vividly and spookily. The members of the club tell stories, from far flung to fantastic. I can’t explain it, but King describes this so well, each tale seems so eerie. And that brings us to the second good point: the tale that the story is centered around is ALSO fantastic. A great tale within a tale, a tale about a single pregnant woman practicing to give birth to her child using the at-the-time unknown Lamaze method.
I’m glad to say that The Breathing Method is the sole story in Different Seasons that hasn’t been made into a movie (yet), and for this we are truly grateful. I just don’t see how they could capture the wonder and eeriness of the story.
King followed this story up with another good short story called “The Man Who Would Not Shake Hands” which dealt with the same club and characters.
charity_royall_331's review against another edition
4.0
It took me a long time to become brave enough to read one of Stephen King's novels, but I enjoy his shorter fiction very much. "Apt Pupil" was a little too much for me, but the other three novellas in this collection were great. I can't remember now if this is the volume (maybe it was "Skeleton Crew"?) that includes King's afterword about his own very forthright assessment of his strengths and weaknesses as a writer, but that's the piece of his writing that made me a fan of King himself, if not of his work in general.
robbhbrake's review against another edition
4.0
Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption is a heartwarming, almost jovial tale. So unlike King, yet stamped with his trademark completely.
4 out of 5
Bright-red Pennywise Clown Noses
Apt Pupil, conversely, is one of the most hateful stories he’s written to this point. Todd Bowden is his best attempt at a sociopath thus far, and the entire affair is despicable and thoroughly disgusting.
4 out of 5
Bright-red Pennywise Clown Noses
The Body is easily the worst in the collection, though it does capture youth rather well. It doesn’t make as much of an impact as it should, and it’s far too long and meandering, but there is some beautiful prose in there and it’s worth it just for King’s rumination on his own career.
3 out of 5
Bright-red Pennywise Clown Noses
The Breathing Method is probably the most conceptually interesting story in the group, and, unfortunately, also the shortest. The story-within-a-story is fantastic, and the shell story has one of the most bizarre and intriguing locations King has come up with so far: The Club. This one could have easily been turned into a full novel, with great results, I’d imagine.
3.5 out of 5
Bright-red Pennywise Clown Noses
Overall, it’s a solid collection that’s a bit uneven in its latter half. If The Body were shorter and The Breathing Method were longer, I could see this going up at least half a point, but it’s still really good.
4 out of 5
Bright-red Pennywise Clown Noses
4 out of 5
Bright-red Pennywise Clown Noses
Apt Pupil, conversely, is one of the most hateful stories he’s written to this point. Todd Bowden is his best attempt at a sociopath thus far, and the entire affair is despicable and thoroughly disgusting.
4 out of 5
Bright-red Pennywise Clown Noses
The Body is easily the worst in the collection, though it does capture youth rather well. It doesn’t make as much of an impact as it should, and it’s far too long and meandering, but there is some beautiful prose in there and it’s worth it just for King’s rumination on his own career.
3 out of 5
Bright-red Pennywise Clown Noses
The Breathing Method is probably the most conceptually interesting story in the group, and, unfortunately, also the shortest. The story-within-a-story is fantastic, and the shell story has one of the most bizarre and intriguing locations King has come up with so far: The Club. This one could have easily been turned into a full novel, with great results, I’d imagine.
3.5 out of 5
Bright-red Pennywise Clown Noses
Overall, it’s a solid collection that’s a bit uneven in its latter half. If The Body were shorter and The Breathing Method were longer, I could see this going up at least half a point, but it’s still really good.
4 out of 5
Bright-red Pennywise Clown Noses