Yet again, Stephen King creates a masterpiece and the audio made the experience even more magical.
It’s All About the Characters
Unique and imaginative cast of characters from cantankerous Harold Bowditch to weasely Christopher Polley. The book is led by Charlie, a young man who’s been dealt a rough hand. This is what King does best though, this is why I love to read his books. His characters are amazing. From Charlie’s dad to every person Charlie meets on his journey, you want to know more. You become invested in them, in their life.
Radar is a great dog and I love his storyline. I am a sucker for an animal arc in a book anyway, so this was a win-win for me. He became one of my favorite animal characters in any book.
So Many Details
As with most Stephen King books, it’s all in the details. At some points, the pacing slowed a bit due to the intricate descriptions. Although it didn’t take from the overall book, some sections moved a bit slower. Action-packed it’s not. A slow burn with horror, coming of age, fantasy, and found family elements are what make this book shine.
There’s a distinct first part and a distinct second part which had a very different feel. Though a big shift in tone, the story didn’t suffer and as a reader, it didn’t jolt me out of the world of Fairy Tale.
It’s a really fun take on fairy tales. I felt like I was hunting Easter eggs as I read. This almost became a game for me as I tried to guess what fairy tale was being referenced. I loved it.
The DIalogue is Fantastic
This was another masterclass in dialogue. The wide array of characters are not only very different but they sound different, they talk differently and their quirks shine through. The audio version made my longer drives and long walks worth my time.
The narrator, Seth Numrich, did a phenomenal job and brought the story to life in a very beautiful way. It was a special treat to listen to this book. And maybe that’s why the dialogue worked so well for me, but I don’t know, King has a way with dialogue and it goes back to the fact that he creates amazing characters!
Final Thoughts
I grew up reading Stephen King, so I admit I do have a soft spot for his books. But, there have been books I like and books that I love. This has been one of my more recent favorites from him. Between the incredible world-building, the amazing characters, and the fun twist on fairy tales, I really enjoyed this book, especially on audio!
The ending fits the book. This isn’t always the case with King, but this time, I appreciated the ending.
This one gets a full 5 stars for me!