A review by weird_but_fucking_beautiful
Fairy Tale by Stephen King

adventurous emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

I remember Misery was the first Stephen King novel that I read. I also remember vividly getting to a certain part in the book and tossing it across the room because I was horrified and disgusted. I swore I’d never pick up another book of his again. That lasted a whole couple of hours as I did finish reading Misery and soon after, I devoured most of his entire catalog. I loved his earlier works, but the last ten or fifteen years or so I’ve read fewer of his new releases. I just wasn’t as entranced with his storytelling like I once was. I felt the stories were lacking that magic and horror that kept me up nights, turning the pages well into many an early morning like the good little Constant Reader I was.  It was with reluctance that I picked up Fairy Tale. I wasn’t expecting much, and the first 200 pages were essentially a long drawn out daily diary of every little thing protagonist Charlie Reade did. I was beginning to think that nothing much had changed…until it did. I was completely amazed, horrified, and entranced. Charlie stepping through the hanging vines into the world of Empis was on par with Dorothy leaving the world of black and white Kansas and stepping into the vibrant wonder of Oz. I don’t think I have been this much invested in a King novel since little Georgie Denbrough chased a paper boat down an overflowing gutter. Thank you Uncle Stevie for restoring my faith in your ability to tell a damn good yarn.