11/22/63 in Book Riot's Read Harder Challenge

Feb 09, 2017 Nadine in NY Jones rated it did not like it

Shelves: audio, everyone-loved-it-except-me, alternate-planes-and-histories, time-travel, wouldnt-normally-read, era-1960s

Dang this book is long. This started out as a 3 star read/listen for me, but I became progressively more and more irritated at its excessive length, so it was downgraded to 2 stars, and then finally down to 1 star. This just didn't need to be this long.

This would be a great book if you're snowed in at your family's ski lodge,* with nothing better to do than drink hot cocoa, play gin rummy, and listen to a long-ass story. Unfortunately, I am not stranded in a ski lodge, and I resented the amount ...more

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Dec 29, 2013 Emily rated it really liked it

Shelves: fantasy-sci-fi, read-in-2013

I had avoided this for awhile thinking it was a horror book, but then so many of my friends gave it high ratings and it was discounted on Kindle, and here we are.

This is probably closer to a 4.5, but the opening dragged for me and the ending near about broke my heart (that part is not a negative). Somewhere at the midway point and Josie I got completely drawn in and will be missing that night's sleep for some time to come.

While the time travel stuff was interesting, and the use of the past and ...more

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Aug 13, 2012 Jaime rated it really liked it

Shelves: science-fiction, read-2012

Stephen King’s books were among the very first “adult” books I read (I devoured The Stand when I was in 7th grade), but as an adult I’m wishy-washy about him. Some of his books appeal to me, and others (like Lisey’s Story) don’t appeal to me at all. In fact, this will be only the second fiction book of his that I’ve reviewed on this blog in the last 7 years. I’ve always been more a fan of his straightforward horror stories, so I was pleasantly surprised by this, which I would consider part histo Stephen King’s books were among the very first “adult” books I read (I devoured The Stand when I was in 7th grade), but as an adult I’m wishy-washy about him. Some of his books appeal to me, and others (like Lisey’s Story) don’t appeal to me at all. In fact, this will be only the second fiction book of his that I’ve reviewed on this blog in the last 7 years. I’ve always been more a fan of his straightforward horror stories, so I was pleasantly surprised by this, which I would consider part historical fiction and part science fiction.

Jake Epping is just a run-of-the-mill English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine when the local diner owner, Al, comes to him and tells Jake he wants to show him something. That “something” turns out to be some sort of hole in time and space, which transports Jake (or Al, or anyone) from present-day Lisbon Falls to the Lisbon Falls of 1958. Unknown to anyone, Al has spent the last 4 years in the past, trying to right one of the biggest wrongs in American history – the assassination of JFK. But cancer is claiming him, and his dying wish is that Jake carries on his work.

If there’s one thing that Jake learns on his mission, it’s that history doesn’t want to change, and Murphy’s Law is in full effect. Jake has 5 years to live before he can try to stop Lee Harvey Oswald, and those years give us the most interesting parts of the book. Jake not only struggles with the forces of the universe, but also with himself. With the power to change history, how far should he go? Who is worthy of his benefaction? How could anyone not be worthy? And if he doesn’t act, can he continue to live with his choices? If he screws up, does he have time to try it again?

I really enjoyed this book. King has a tendency to be long-winded, but I never felt bogged down in the story. Things move right along, so much so that from time to time, you forget that Jake has a larger mission to complete. And the ending is not what you would expect. Not completely happy, but not completely sad either.

There are a lot of easter eggs in the book for devoted King readers. And even a personal easter egg for me. On page 10 (or thereabouts) of the paperback:

“He also took a picture of us, which he later hung on what he called the Town Wall of Celebrity. Other ‘celebrities’ represented included the late Albert Dunton, founder of Dunton Jewelry; Earl Higgins, a former LHS principal; John Crafts, founder of John Crafts Auto Sales; and, of course, Father Bandy of St. Cyril’s.”

Albert Dunton was my great-uncle! I think it’s that level of attention to detail that really illustrates King’s love for Maine. I also enjoyed the brief focus on Moxie, that strange little soda that I still hold fondly in my heart. I actually found it in a local store here in Virginia, and every once in a while I have to go get one as a treat. My husband thinks it smells like motor oil.

This book made me excited about Stephen King again. I plan to tackle Under the Dome in the not-so-distant future, and I’m also looking forward to Joyland, set to come out next summer. If you’ve ever been scared of Stephen King, for whatever reason, this is a great novel to start with. ...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Elizabeth rated it it was amazing

I loved this book. I adore Stephen King's writing style, but I have trouble with the content of some of his stuff. I loved the premise of Under the Dome, but a few people died REALLY gruesomely pretty early on, and I just had to stop. I was fascinated by the concept of this book, and I got it on CD from the library. I was a little nervous at first, and stay a little nervous throughout, waiting for something typically "Stephen King." There was one scene where I had to turn the sound down on the s ...more

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Oct 28, 2016 Loretta rated it really liked it

Shelves: audiobooks

Technically I should probably put this at 3.5, I guess. It didn't need to be as long as it was, but I've decided that is almost always the case with King. It's definitely the best thing of his I've read since Hearts in Atlantis, which I loved. I liked that there were "rules" about the time travel (even if we didn't fully understand all of them, at least not right away), and basically, I was pulled right along by the story.

The narrator of the audio book was excellent and added a lot to the exper ...more

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Jul 22, 2012 Mary Beth rated it really liked it

I liked this very much. I've never read a Stephen King novel, because I don't like the genre. I've read essays by him and like and respect his work. I was really glad to have this opportunity to appreciate it. Kept me up late! ...more

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May 02, 2012 Lia rated it really liked it

My first ever Stephen King book. Strangely compelling. Time travel and JFK assassination.

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Feb 14, 2012 Arianna rated it really liked it

Shelves: library-book, big-books-2013

This book was, improbably, ultimately a story about true love. It made me cry many a time. I enjoyed the adventure into 40 years ago. King writes a mean book.

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