Author: Stephen King
Genre: Historical Fiction, Science Fiction,
Suspense, Thriller
Reading Experience: 7/10
Story: 8/10
Writing: 7/10
My Verdict: 7.5/10
We all know what happened that 22nd of November in 1963. The world stood still and fell silent, to mourn John Fitzgerald Kennedy, as he was assassinated while strolling down the street of Dealy Plaza in Dallas, Texas, in his motorcade. It shook not only the United States to its core, but also the world. Every human held their breath, as they watched in horror the development of this tragedy.
Theories and conspiracies began to surface about the man that shot JFK. Why did he do it? Was he hired? Who hired him? Was it an inside job? Was he working alone or someone from the government hired him? They kept coming; more questions and less answers. But it all lead to the man that pulled the trigger: Lee Harvey Oswald.
We all know that it happened; either we've read about it on history books or we were there when it happened. We can all agree that it was tragic and life-changing.
But what if someone could go back in time and change that? What if a man could travel back in time and make his own investigation? What if he can put all the theories and conspiracies to rest once and for all... by being there when it all happened? What if JFK survived?
That's the mission Jake Epping, a high school English teacher, is entrusted with. There's a portal in the pantry of a diner, which was used by its owner, Al Templeton, to not only buy cheap burger meat for his diner, but also make his own investigation on what really happened before the assassination, and see if he could stop it.
But Al was getting old and sick, and he could no longer continue his mission to save JKF, so he enlists Jake, whose curiosity and even skepticism leads him down an invisible set of stairs and into 1958.
So Jake decides to see what changing one thing affects the future, his present. He first makes a test of sorts, to see what the butterfly effect can do. The results are astonishing, so he decides to embark on the mission to save JFK. He has to live five years in the past, following the soon-to-be assassin Lee Oswald, his family and his acquaintances. Was he working alone? Was he hired? Jake doesn't know, but he has to find out before that dark day of November, 1963.
But the past resists and fights back: it doesn't want to be changed. And Jake receives different kind of obstacles, which will make him question what he is doing and where it's leading. A life, a woman and a chance to start over in a little town in Texas. What path will he choose?
Reading Experience: 7/10
Stephen King is and forever will be my favorite writer. I made it one of my goals in life to read every single story made by him and his alter ego Richard Bachman. To me he is a master storyteller, a brilliant writer and a force to be reckoned with in literature. No two stories of his are alike, and they are so unique that they can only be considered a "Stephen King story" whenever you come across one.
I read this book mainly because I was fascinated with someone wanting to tamper with one of the biggest tragedies in American history: the assassination of JFK. Also, the idea of a story with a setting in the 1950's was too tempting to let it pass. I hesitantly picked up the enormous book and began reading it.
I have to admit, I put it off a few times because of its length. It's over 800 pages, and that part didn't appeal to me as much, but I carried on.
To be honest, it's my least favorite book of his, so far. Not because it was bad, but because it's the one I've liked the least. Maybe it's because I'm used to Stephen King being gory and scary. Maybe I expected something else entirely. But I didn't like it that much.
Don't get me wrong, the book is EXCELLENT in terms of plot, characters and writing. It's a very ambitious book, with an even more ambitious idea. I mean, we're talking about one of history's biggest and well known tragedies! And Stephen King has made Jake Epping try and go back in time to stop it! That deserves a tip of the hat by itself. Well, done Mr. King!
But I found it hard to read sometimes. I can't put a finger on it, but some parts of the book had me dragging myself through the paragraphs. Too much political views at some points, and the climax was too far from the story for my taste.
Stephen King has a way of writing that will never, EVER, be awful. It's interesting and pleasant in its way. That wasn't the problem. To me, I think it might've been the fact that it took too long to develop. There were really good parts, and many of the scenes and events were "necessary", but mostly, the book had me longing for the end:
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| "I don't have all day...let's go! Keep it movin'!" |
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| "Whoa! Where did that come from?" |
And also many moments of:
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| "Oh. My. God!" |
But sadly, more than 80% of the book had me like:
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| "Okay, let's get this over with..." |
And after I finished the book?
Great story, believable characters, amazing plot... but too LONG for my taste.
Story: 8/10
The story is a brilliant one, unlike any other. Even though I didn't like how it was developed, the story remains a breathtaking, heart-stopping ride sprinkled with drama, suspense and even romance. Let's not forget that it's the 1950's! Stephen King perfectly captures the atmosphere of what could've been that setting.
It's the 50's! The Land of Ago, as Jake Epping puts it. A time of cheap prices, nice (and not-so-nice) people, beautiful cars, fedoras and tweed jackets:
... and of course, music and dancing!
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| Can you hear Glenn Miller's "In the Mood"? Or, at least, Christina Aguilera's Candyman? |
The story is fascinating and brilliant, which is why I'm giving an 8 to the story itself. If it weren't that lengthy, or that slow, I would've made this book a favorite.
Writing: 7/10
I know Stephen King writes books, at least, over 300 pages, so that wasn't technically the problem. I've read the first three books of Game of Thrones, and when you look at them, they are practically concrete bricks.
My problem with this book is its dragging parts, which were too many, in my opinion. The portal takes Jake Epping back to 1958, so we are literally five years before JFK is assassinated. To be honest, I thought it was a little bit unnecessary having to live day-by-day in Jake Epping's life. Maybe I'm not used to that, but the actual "good part" was nearly at the end. And maybe in the middle or so... but the rest drags a little in a slow, consistent pace.
As I said, the book is good... just not great. It's on the bottom of my "Stephen King favorites list",
That being said, I'm going to quote a fellow Stephen King fan that described the book as the most "human work of his". And I agree. I'm used to Stephen King being a master of horror, a man that dominates everything horror and supernatural. Not having any of that here was somewhat disappointing, and maybe that's why I didn't enjoy the book as much. But I agree with him when he says that this is his most "human" work. There's something about a man having the weight of the world on his shoulders that makes this story unique.
And I MUST add: calling Stephen King a "horror" writer makes him no justice. Stephen King can write about anything, and he excels at it. I've heard people (specifically my sister), say things like: "Oh, I don't like the fact that he is a horror writer. I don't like horror".
And I MUST add: calling Stephen King a "horror" writer makes him no justice. Stephen King can write about anything, and he excels at it. I've heard people (specifically my sister), say things like: "Oh, I don't like the fact that he is a horror writer. I don't like horror".
People are not aware that he was the one that wrote the story in which the movie Shawshank Redemption was adapted, which is, by the way, one of the most well known and most watched movies in cinema history. No horror, no supernatural entity...just humans and drama.
That's the brilliance of the book. Behind the exhausting chapters, there is always this element of humanity that only Stephen King can develop beautifully. Jake Epping's struggle with time, responsability, with the woman he falls in love with and with the little town of Jodie that, with every passing day, he starts to call home.
I may find this book a little bit boring at times, but when it comes to making vivid characters and showing the humanity of a man living with the pressure of time, past and present... Stephen King once again proves himself as the only writer that can do so, at least for me.
My Verdict: 8/10
Don't let my rambling about being boring stop you from reading it. I read this book because most people loved it, and to be honest, I do see why. It's ambitious, it's beautiful, it's unique and, in the last 100 pages or so, it becomes a thrilling, heart-stopping ride that will leave your heart in your throat as you near the moment of truth.
It earned its 8 points, here. To me it was slow and too lengthy, but that's because it was well made. It was carefully crafted into a "historical fiction" novel that seems so real that it makes you think whether or not the possibility of time travel might actually be exist!
Do I recommend it? Yes. It's for adults, though. Young adults might have a difficult time following the story and the political implications behind what happened and what might happen if Jake succeeds. That being said, if you are a young adult wanting to start with Stephen King, go ahead! Though I personally recommend my one-and-only favorite: Pet Sematary.
By the way, Hulu has released an eight-part event series! With James Franco as Jake Epping! Haven't seen it yet, but here's the trailer if you Bookworms would like to check it out!
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