The Shining by Stephen King - Book Review #98

The Shining

by Stephen King

Danny is only five years old, but he is a 'shiner', aglow with psychic voltage. When his father becomes caretaker of an old hotel, his visions grow out of control. Cut off by blizzards, the hotel seems to develop an evil force, and who are the mysterious guests in the supposedly empty hotel?
From goodreads.com

Why is it so enormously hard for me to write reviews on Stephen King’s books? And the problem is not that I don’t have anything to say. It’s actually quite the opposite – I have so much to say, but somehow I cannot transform my feelings and my thoughts into the written word. I’m usually giving myself time after I finished a book before starting a review. And usually it helps me to write reviews – feeling and emotions are becoming less vital, reason and logic are resurfacing. However, in case of Stephen King’s books no matter how much time I give it for the book to settle in me – emotions are still staying raw and untransferable into the paper.

If I say that Stephen King is a genius, I wouldn’t say anything new… However I still want to say it – he is a genius. I probably won’t say anything new in this review at all: The Shining was published in 1977; it is wildly popular around the globe; thousands, tens thousands, hundreds thousands reviews have been written.

Should I talk about amazing characterizations and character development? It has been said not once already. Should I talk about King’s marvelous writing style – his use of italics, caps, brackets? It has been said. Should I talk how this book is about the evil in the hotel, Danny’s unusual talent, father-son relationship, alcoholism, child abuse, psychosis and dysfunctional family? It has been said million times. Should I talk about incredible pace of the novel? Or should I…?

There is only one thing left for me to say – I loved it, it is a masterpiece. And Stanley Kubrick might be a genius, but I prefer Stephen King anyway.

Red… Rum… Red-Rum… RED-RUM, RED-RUM, REDRUM, REDRUM, REDRUM (feel the beat) and “come out and take your medicine!”