#3 – The Shining

Plot

Jack Torrance’s new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he’ll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But as the harsh winter weather sets in, the idyllic location feels ever more remote . . . and more sinister. And the only one to notice the strange and terrible forces gathering around the Overlook is Danny Torrance, a uniquely gifted five-year-old.

Review

Having watched The Shining and understanding it as one of the better horror movies of all-time, I was not entirely excited to begin reading the novel.  I already knew the plot; I already knew the twists and I already had a mental image of Jack Nicholson as Jack Torrance.  Or so I thought.  

I was always a little confused as to why Stephen King hated the movie based after this book so much because I generally thought the film was well done.  However, immediately after reading The Shining I completely understood King’s disdain.  The movie – while certainly scary – does not honor the true bones and feelings of the novel.  In fact, it completely ignores them.  

The book is about family.  It’s about struggling to overcome addictions.  It’s about a little boy surviving a troubled family and marriage.  It’s about how Jack Torrance becomes susceptible to the supernatural forces of the hotel.  Jack is a victim, not a lunatic as portrayed in the film.

Staying focused on the book, The Shining has everything you could ask for in a novel.  It has well developed characters with interesting and complex story arcs.  It has just enough paranormal horror to be classified as a scary tale.  It also has shifting perspectives throughout, with the most compelling coming from the five-year-old Danny.  

Details

Pages: 674

Dates Read: March – April 2019

Quote: “Sometimes human places, create inhuman monsters.”

Best Part: Ever hit yourself upside the head for forgetting something or for doing something stupid? The Shining has a great self-mutilation scene.

Hint for #2: The only non-fiction book to appear on this list.

 

Until next time, peace be the journey.