19. The Shining by Stephen King
Theme/Topic: book that scares you
Synopsis: 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.
My Review:
First things first. Why did this book scare me? To be honest, all books by Stephen King has scared me. I've heard that his books are really scary, but most of my perspective of this came from what I've heard about the movie versions of some of his books. I am really not a fan of horror or thriller in general, whether in movies or books. After reading The Shining, I didn't find it to be as scary as I thought it would be and I actually ended up enjoying it for the most part.
The Torrance's seem like any other average family. They have their problems, like Jack's alcoholism (even though he stays sober after the time that he broke Danny's arm, he still struggles with wanting to drink), but manage to stick it out and make it work. The only difference is that Danny can see things in the future. For me personally, I wouldn't want to have that ability. Jack does whatever it takes to sustain his family, even if it means taking a job at a remote hotel in the mountains in winter.
The hotel just happens to be haunted. When it comes to ghosts, I do believe in them only because I have had a few experiences. I don't, however, believe that ghosts want to cause any harm. I found that the things that went on were more strange than scary. Now obviously, for the sake of it being written as a thriller, Stephen King had to make the ghosts/spirits seem scary. For the movie version, more special effects can be incorporated to make it seem terrifying.
If anyone in general were to be stuck somewhere for a length of time with no one to really talk to, I'm sure their imaginations would run wild. At the end, I feel bad for Danny because he sees things and lives through things that no one should have to experience, let alone a five-year-old kid. I appreciate Jack's desire to do whatever it takes to make ends meet for his family, even though it drives him to madness and it doesn't end up as planned (if you have read the book, or seen the movie, you know what happens).
All in all, The Shining was a pretty decent book. To me, it seemed slow in the beginning, but once the ghosts started messing up things, it became more interesting.
Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!
♥Meg♥
If anyone in general were to be stuck somewhere for a length of time with no one to really talk to, I'm sure their imaginations would run wild. At the end, I feel bad for Danny because he sees things and lives through things that no one should have to experience, let alone a five-year-old kid. I appreciate Jack's desire to do whatever it takes to make ends meet for his family, even though it drives him to madness and it doesn't end up as planned (if you have read the book, or seen the movie, you know what happens).
All in all, The Shining was a pretty decent book. To me, it seemed slow in the beginning, but once the ghosts started messing up things, it became more interesting.
Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!
♥Meg♥
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