11/22/63 by Stephen KingMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is Stephen King at his best. Although I still think there could have been some editing done that would have picked up the pace in the middle of the book, after reading the book in its entirety, it was worth the pacing issues to get to the end. I am going to be very careful not to give ANYTHING away in this review because the ending is great, especially if you come to it unaware. Unfortunately, another reviewer did not mark their review as a spoiler, so I had some sense of the ending. It was still impactful but I think coming at it blind would have made it amazing! So, the less you read about this one, the better. Just trust me - READ it.
Sometimes even I forget what a great writer King is ... he knows how to spin a story, develop a character and use his imagination to take you into amazing situations. This is unlike any other King novels that I've read - it's not horror, at all. It's so much more that what I think people have come to expect of King - there are supernatural aspects, historical pieces, plus some philosophy & science fiction all packaged alongside a really nice love story. It has it ALL.
King's ability to build excitement and suspense are legendary & this book is no exception. I found myself holding my breath, wondering what was coming, then shocked by something coming out of nowhere and then sighing with relief. It's an emotional roller coaster of the best kind!
I have no doubt that King did a ton of research for this book. I don't know all of the history in any level of detail but I do know that King made the time period and the experiences come alive on the page. It all felt true. It felt real. It felt like I was visiting another time and place.
Although The Stand is still my favorite Stephen King novel, this one is a close second, edging out It and the Shining as my number 2s ( I can't decide between those so I had two of them). I definitely recommend it even if you aren't a fan of his other novels ... this is a special book that I think most readers will enjoy!
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I am not a huge fan of the SK. However, I do admit that he has his moments. The first half of THE STAND, for instance. Or some of his short stories. But I think this one is different enough from his usual fare that I think I may give it a short. Thanks for the insightful review.
ReplyDeleteI really do recommend it. My mother is definitely not a fan of SK but she's about 1/4 of the way through this one and is loving it! She was really surprised to be liking it so much! If you liked the first half of the Stand, you just might like this one!
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