2026 Reading Challenge
The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon

Questions About The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon

by Stephen King (Goodreads Author)

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, please sign up.

Answered Questions (15)

Would this be a horror novel? And who does the wasp-priest represent?
Tom Baker I will say that the wasp priest represents death.
flag
Is this book suitable for a 12 year old boy?
Chris Yes. It just has some language in it
flag
I know this may sound stupid but is this a horror story? I can't really tell from the reviews.. =/
Jan Pelosi It's a psychological thriller, not true horror -- no vampires, rabid dogs, or typical SK stuff…moreIt's a psychological thriller, not true horror -- no vampires, rabid dogs, or typical SK stuff(less)
flag
What makes it a good book can I have some examples?
Carolyn King has a gift for putting the reader right into the story. You feel what Trish feels as you read along. He builds tension, then exposes the cause, l…moreKing has a gift for putting the reader right into the story. You feel what Trish feels as you read along. He builds tension, then exposes the cause, like the bees, getting scraped up by the brambles, followed by a presence that turns out to be an animal, and age-appropriate feelings of the girl who is lost.(less)
flag
Did anyone else notice that King (or his editor/publisher) spells Jason Varitek's name wrong every time he mentions him in the book? It is Varitek, not Veritek! Pretty rough that he gets his name wrong the half dozen times he mentions him when King is such a baseball and Red Sox fan. Curious if maybe there was a later version released that fixes this mistake. I read the 1999 Scribner release.
Kathy No, I didn’t notice. I’m not a baseball fan so wasn’t aware of this mistake. King does mention though that the Tom Gordon in the book wasn’t the ‘real…moreNo, I didn’t notice. I’m not a baseball fan so wasn’t aware of this mistake. King does mention though that the Tom Gordon in the book wasn’t the ‘real’ Tom Gordon. He was a work of fiction. So maybe Veritek wasn’t Varitek either.
Did you notice the rain poncho issue? When she stopped to eat on that first afternoon, she took the poncho off, looked down at herself, covered in pine needles… Then a couple pages later, after she’d eaten, there were mosquitoes inside the hood of her poncho. The one she’d just taken off. I was wondering if this gaff was fixed in later editions.(less)
flag

Unanswered Questions (1)

About Goodreads Q&A

Ask and answer questions about books!

You can pose questions to the Goodreads community with Reader Q&A, or ask your favorite author a question with Ask the Author.

See Featured Authors Answering Questions

Learn more