From the Bookshelf of Crazy Challenge Connection…

The Shining (The Shining, #1)

Stephen King

Why we're reading this: I was real young when the movie came out and only recently started reading some of his books. I LOVED it.
[close] I was real young when the movie came out and only recently started reading some of his books. I LOVED it.

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Oct 24, 2016 Madge rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, horror, paranormal, the-movie-was-better

Meeeeeh :/

I want to love Stephen King's books, but I'm not sure I'm ever going to get there. This was my second of his fiction (I loved On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft) and I'm still very underwhelmed. The Shining has been one of my favorite horror movies my entire life and I've been looking forward to finally reading the book (because "the book is always better!") since I was probably about 10 or 12. I can't even remember how many times I've tried--and failed--to read it since my aunt gave me ...more

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Jun 20, 2015 Sam rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, books-of-2015

I've started a few novels and story collections by King before, but this is the first of his that I've actually managed to finish. So that in and of itself is an achievement for me!

This is a much more psychological horror novel than the others I've attempted by King. It doesn't rely solely on gore and the gross-out factor (though it has some of that too). It starts with the subtle (well, for King at least) weirdness then just doesn't stop; the scares keep ramping up and getting more and more in ...more

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Oct 25, 2014 Kari rated it really liked it

Shelves: ghost, horror

Every time I read a book by Stephen King I remember what a compelling writer he is. I love that when I read his works I get the feeling that I'm savoring something from both a master storyteller and a technically accomplished writer. It's not necessarily what you expect when you sit down with a horror novel you picked up simply for the thrill factor. It's refreshing.

In this book we follow Jack Torrance and his family as they spend their winter at the isolated Overlook Hotel in the mountains of Every time I read a book by Stephen King I remember what a compelling writer he is. I love that when I read his works I get the feeling that I'm savoring something from both a master storyteller and a technically accomplished writer. It's not necessarily what you expect when you sit down with a horror novel you picked up simply for the thrill factor. It's refreshing.

In this book we follow Jack Torrance and his family as they spend their winter at the isolated Overlook Hotel in the mountains of Colorado. Jack is a recovering alcoholic and child of an abusive father who's specter comes back to haunt Jack at regular intervals. His wife Wendy also struggles to break free from the influence of a mother who had profoundly bad influences on her life and current attitudes. Their child, Danny, is an especially perceptive child who has "the shine". With his shine he can perceive the thoughts and emotions of others, as well as being tuned in to the extra perceptions of the world where past and present collide. As the snows come in and the Torrance family is cut off from the outside world, Danny's powers act like a battery that provides all the ghosts and ghouls of the Overlook with the juice they need to terrorize and attempt to overtake each member of the family. The family's struggle against the malevolent of spirits of the Overlook is truly captivating as you watch Jack slowly succumb to a madness that is suffused throughout the hotel, and Danny's despair as he watches everything happen and is powerless to stop it.

I picked this up as a Halloween read and it more than satisfied my want for a scary ghost story. When it comes to horror, I prefer the psychological to gore and slasher horror. This book was everything I could have wanted and more when it came to messing with my head. I had to be careful about how close to bedtime I read each chapter of I would be up thinking about it and not sleeping. Also, I'm from Colorado so reading something set from home was a treat as I could see how well the author actually used the setting, even if the book is almost 40 years old. If you are looking for a good horror read then I would highly suggest this book! ...more

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