4+ Stars

"The butterfly spreads it's wings." 

I love Stephen King and I always look forward to what he might bring us next. This book takes us to a scary place, an often sought after place but at times difficult to find, it reaches deep within the chasm, only to find a place in the heart. Love, romance, selflessness, compassion, empathy, connections, and perseverance, are all what this King novel is about. You already know that it is about JFK, about Lee Oswald, and of course time travel, but you might not realize that Stephen King is only using those subjects to explore the deeper more profound subject, the supernatural mystery that we call love.

This is a long book, but it is a very fast read. Yes, this is an oxymoron, but King's prose is easy on the eyes. There is always so much to take in that you cannot stop reading, and up you find that the hours have simply disappeared. This book has a great deal of humor, fun, nostalgia, and down right likability. Funny thing, I connected more with and this book about the early 60's, which was before my time, then I did with the way overhyped 80's novel (My Era), Ready Player One. King does a truly amazing job at making us feel what it might have been like to live in that time period, enjoying a root beer, while reminiscing with friends.
King has a way that make his words paint pictures in our head.

Jake is a larger than life man that tries to take it all on his own. He feels the need to make things right and it drives him ever forward. Sadie is a super strong, amazing heroine, who gave this book it's depth and feel, and of course dancing. I loved all the chapters that centered on her the most. An amazing and colorful supporting cast, literally, as one is called  "The Yellow Card Man". This is a character novel, and King does not disappoint.

I am not going to summarize the book as many other better reviewers than me have already done a much better job than I can. I will offer up, that if you are a Stephen King fan, you should not miss this one, as he bravely takes us on a supernatural trip of the heart. 

"Here's another thing that I do know. The past is obdurate for the same reason a turtle's shell is obdurate: because the living flesh inside is tender and defenseless. 
  And something else. The multiple choices and possibilities of daily life are the magic we dance to. They are like strings on a guitar. Strum them and you create a pleasing sound. A harmonic. But then start adding strings..."

I really was surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. It will stay with me for a while. It is not however without faults as I found the nearly 200 pages that told the story of Owsald and Mairna to be incredibly boring...I simply did not care to see the monster in any normal light. Ultimately though, that part of the book did nothing for our story, and it brought the plot to a standstill for far too long.

In the end, this is a great read..

Read this book!!!