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A review by erickibler4
If It Bleeds by Stephen King
3.0
As always, King tells a good story. Two of the four novellas in this book, though, are the sort of things he's done many times in his short story collections. In Mr. Harrigan's Phone, a boy finds he's still able to communicate with his deceased employer via an iPhone. In Rat, a writer is given a chance to overcome his writer's block and finish a novel, in exchange for a dark sacrifice. I couldn't help but feel I'd read these stories before. Both have shades of "The Monkey's Paw" and old Twilight Zone episodes.
If It Bleeds is a Holly Gibney story. King readers know Holly from the Bill Hodges trilogy and The Outsider. This story's theme is the the way the news media latches onto and exploits human tragedy. I suppose that theme is what differentiates it from The Outsider, but not by much. Still, there is a suspenseful climax, and it was good to reconnect with Holly, Jerome, and Barbara.
The Life of Chuck is something different and very welcome. A three part story that's told in an unusual way. I'll just leave it at that and say I liked it a lot. Overall, I'd give this book three and a half stars if possible.
If It Bleeds is a Holly Gibney story. King readers know Holly from the Bill Hodges trilogy and The Outsider. This story's theme is the the way the news media latches onto and exploits human tragedy. I suppose that theme is what differentiates it from The Outsider, but not by much. Still, there is a suspenseful climax, and it was good to reconnect with Holly, Jerome, and Barbara.
The Life of Chuck is something different and very welcome. A three part story that's told in an unusual way. I'll just leave it at that and say I liked it a lot. Overall, I'd give this book three and a half stars if possible.