(Originally Published 2013, Hardcover Edition 531 pages)
It's understandable that Mr. King had a great deal of trepidation about
writing a sequel to one of his most popular books. 'The Shining' was a
claustrophobic horror book which kept the readers on the edge of their
seat the further they got into the story. Because of the author's two
previous works (Carrie, Salem's Lot,) it wasn't a sure thing that the
Torrance family was going to survive the Overlook Hotel. It was easy for
the reader to place themselves in the family's situation and freak out
to the point of puckering their sphincter muscle to a 10.0 on the ole
rump scale. I didn't envy Mr. King trying to top, let alone meet, the
quality of 'The Shining.'
'Doctor Sleep' started off great. Burdened with not only having the shine but also dealing with the mental trauma of surviving the Overlook Hotel, Dan Torrance very believably falls into alcoholism. I was rooting for the guy being able to eventually get his act together and having a decent life. Mr. King has proved, time and again, that his protagonist(s) may not necessarily get a happy ending. Midway through the book, it evolved from a heart-wrenching Dan Torrance odyssey into something almost mundane. The 13-year-old heroine, Abra, has such a powerful shine that the True Knot antagonists, who have abducted, tortured and murdered young children for hundreds of years, don't ever seem very threatening. Sure, the True Knot gypsies would be terrifying to your average everyday Joe, but Abra is like the kid, Charlie, from Mr. King's novel 'Firestarter.' She packs such a serious punch, you start feeling bad for the evil True Knot lot.
If you are inclined to pick up 'Doctor Sleep,' I strongly suggest you first read 'The Shining' or you will miss out on a lot of important back story. The novel is okay, but nowhere near as suspenseful as its predecessor.
'Doctor Sleep' started off great. Burdened with not only having the shine but also dealing with the mental trauma of surviving the Overlook Hotel, Dan Torrance very believably falls into alcoholism. I was rooting for the guy being able to eventually get his act together and having a decent life. Mr. King has proved, time and again, that his protagonist(s) may not necessarily get a happy ending. Midway through the book, it evolved from a heart-wrenching Dan Torrance odyssey into something almost mundane. The 13-year-old heroine, Abra, has such a powerful shine that the True Knot antagonists, who have abducted, tortured and murdered young children for hundreds of years, don't ever seem very threatening. Sure, the True Knot gypsies would be terrifying to your average everyday Joe, but Abra is like the kid, Charlie, from Mr. King's novel 'Firestarter.' She packs such a serious punch, you start feeling bad for the evil True Knot lot.
If you are inclined to pick up 'Doctor Sleep,' I strongly suggest you first read 'The Shining' or you will miss out on a lot of important back story. The novel is okay, but nowhere near as suspenseful as its predecessor.
(Meyers - A few years ago, I started writing, under the pseudonym Franklin the Mouse, short reviews at Amazon's web site. This is my most recent review #380)
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