(WPF) Elevation / Stephen King - 4****

[Book Concierge]

Elevation – Stephen King
Audiobook read by the author
4****

Scott Carey is losing weight, and he confides in his old friend, a retired physician about his unusual symptoms. Divorced, he’s living with just his cat. He’s started a bit of a feud with two new neighbors – Deirdre McComb and her wife Missy Donaldson – because their dogs “leave presents” on his lawn. But it seems that other people in their small town of Castle Rock, Maine, have a problem with the women because they are lesbians. When Scott overhears some derogatory remarks about the women’s new restaurant, he comes to their defense.

This is a wonderful novella about death, friendship, making amends, and reconciling differences.
The work uses an unusual plot device to focus on human kindness and respect, and King gives us a lesson on what it means to be a good neighbor, and how to support one another despite our differences. I like the way that the characters slowly come to know one another and resolve their conflicts. The ending of Scott’s tale is poignant and heartfelt.

The audio edition I had also included a bonus short story – ”Laurie” – about a widower whose sister gives him a puppy and how he begins to slowly make his way back to the living as a result. Unlike most of King’s work, rather than set this one in Maine, it takes place in the Florida. It has nothing to do with horror or science fiction, though grief and natural predators can be horrific. It reminds me how well King writes his characters; how he reveals their strengths and flaws through their actions.

King reads the audio version himself. He’s not a trained voice artist, but he certainly knows what he wants to say, and he does a respectable job of the narration.



LINK to my review

[NancyJ]

I'm almost done with this one too, so I'll come back to read your review later.

[Book Concierge]

NancyJ wrote: "I'm almost done with this one too, so I'll come back to read your review later."

Well, I hope you enjoy it, but since it was past midnight when you posted that you're still reading, you're too late for the monthly tag. It's still worth the read.