A review by tayahmarie
The Long Walk, by Stephen King, Richard Bachman
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-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
4.5
Wow… just wow. Talk about a phenomenal, horrific, and heartbreaking story. I was physically and emotionally exhausted all the way from page one to the end. My legs and feet were actually aching, along with the characters’. Stephen King’s skill of turning the most mundane, everyday things into something so horrific that our minds have a hard time grasping them is just admirable. I never read any novels by SK nor have I really delved into the horror genre, I was always too scared (lol) or intimidated, but I came across this story and was instantly intrigued.
This put so many things into perspective for me. When I say this has scarred me for life, it definitely has. There are so many conversations about life, death, why do we put ourselves into certain (especially hellish) situations, and more. His writing is painfully real. Along with the aches, I truly felt the anxiety, fear, and mental anguish through it. You also felt like you were on this journey with the boys and gotten to know them… which made this even sadder. I know that this story is going to stick with me for a long time.
Now, I wish I could’ve given this a 5-star rating, but there were a few racist/offensive things said in here and it was… a lot, lmao. Moving on though, what stuck out to me the most is that there is no REAL winner of The Long Walk. You essentially die before you even make it to the finish line. Either you’re met with a tragic end along the way, or you’re forever trapped in a psychological prison of torment, trauma, and overwhelming grief if you do win. Which, in all truthfulness, is a lose-lose.
This put so many things into perspective for me. When I say this has scarred me for life, it definitely has. There are so many conversations about life, death, why do we put ourselves into certain (especially hellish) situations, and more. His writing is painfully real. Along with the aches, I truly felt the anxiety, fear, and mental anguish through it. You also felt like you were on this journey with the boys and gotten to know them… which made this even sadder. I know that this story is going to stick with me for a long time.
Now, I wish I could’ve given this a 5-star rating, but there were a few racist/offensive things said in here and it was… a lot, lmao. Moving on though, what stuck out to me the most is that there is no REAL winner of The Long Walk. You essentially die before you even make it to the finish line. Either you’re met with a tragic end along the way, or you’re forever trapped in a psychological prison of torment, trauma, and overwhelming grief if you do win. Which, in all truthfulness, is a lose-lose.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Blood, and Mental illness