Back in the Day Stellar Reading Challenge – 1970s
Published 1977
4.25/5 I determined to return to adult literature for my 1970s entry for the Back in the Day Stellar Reading Challenge (SRC). Still, I wanted to read something a little different from my usual fare and I chose a book from the Horror genre. While I have read several books by Stephan King, a few of his Horror books even, I had yet to read The Shining.
“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.”
I must note that one reason it took me several months to read The Shining was that I had to check in the book several times. Another would be that it was scary enough that I restricted my reading to certain times of day. King’s an amazing writer, providing evocative descriptions of characters and settings. I especially liked Dick Hallorann and I greatly cared about what happened to Danny Torrance. Several other characters were empathetic, too. I took off a partial star, though, for some of the rough parts, (yes, I know that this is definitely Horror) and an abundance of gratuitous details (again, I know). Will I read Doctor Sleep, the next in the series? Maybe after I read some lighter, cozier books. Still, I get why Stephen King reigns supreme. Also, I appreciated being able to step out of my reading comfort zone for this SRC.
Quotes come from book flaps/cover and are featured on color blocks.
Starry Night Elf 