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A review by cjeverafter
Salem's Lot by Stephen King
5.0
“At three in the morning the blood runs slow and thick, and slumber is heavy. The soul either sleeps in blessed ignorance of such an hour or gazes about itself in utter despair. There is no middle ground.”
Just past the road sign that marks the entrance to my community is a farm house. It’s white with red trim and is set back from the road. The trees and alders that line the drive are overgrown and the narrow path dips down before steadily rising to an incline that places the house slightly above the main road. From this vantage point, the house itself is at least partially visible to anyone passing by. Most do so without so much as a glance in its direction, but I’m not most people. It is my own Marsten House and has been my entire life.
I’m not sure exactly when or why I marked this particular house as sinister but I cannot recall a time when it didn’t make my skin crawl. When I look at it, I can’t help but feel like it’s staring right back. That feeling, whatever you might like to call it, is the same one I had while rereading Salem’s Lot.
This book has a lot of classic horror themes and plays on some of the most common childhood fears: the dark, the woods, a haunted house and things that go bump in the night. Combined these with King’s disturbing writing style and it makes for a terrifying read, and what better month to pick it up than this one?
Also, it wouldn’t be a King book with trigger warnings. Please take a moment to review them before you proceed with this story.
*TW: Child Abuse/Loss & Sexual Assault/Rape*
Update: After I wrote this review, I decided to make a trip to the house that has always, for some reason or another, sent a chill down my spine. I went in broad daylight and stayed just long enough to snap a few photos {one of which is featured above} I’d like to say that I conquered my fear and felt nothing when I was there but that would be a lie. I felt like I was intruding, I felt invasive, and when I turned to leave, I had the overwhelming sense that the house itself was willing me to go.
Just past the road sign that marks the entrance to my community is a farm house. It’s white with red trim and is set back from the road. The trees and alders that line the drive are overgrown and the narrow path dips down before steadily rising to an incline that places the house slightly above the main road. From this vantage point, the house itself is at least partially visible to anyone passing by. Most do so without so much as a glance in its direction, but I’m not most people. It is my own Marsten House and has been my entire life.
I’m not sure exactly when or why I marked this particular house as sinister but I cannot recall a time when it didn’t make my skin crawl. When I look at it, I can’t help but feel like it’s staring right back. That feeling, whatever you might like to call it, is the same one I had while rereading Salem’s Lot.
This book has a lot of classic horror themes and plays on some of the most common childhood fears: the dark, the woods, a haunted house and things that go bump in the night. Combined these with King’s disturbing writing style and it makes for a terrifying read, and what better month to pick it up than this one?
Also, it wouldn’t be a King book with trigger warnings. Please take a moment to review them before you proceed with this story.
*TW: Child Abuse/Loss & Sexual Assault/Rape*
Update: After I wrote this review, I decided to make a trip to the house that has always, for some reason or another, sent a chill down my spine. I went in broad daylight and stayed just long enough to snap a few photos {one of which is featured above} I’d like to say that I conquered my fear and felt nothing when I was there but that would be a lie. I felt like I was intruding, I felt invasive, and when I turned to leave, I had the overwhelming sense that the house itself was willing me to go.