BOOK REVIEW
You Like It Darker - Stephen King
Guess who's back?
Well, yes, Slim Shady is also back with an album that's making all the Millennials (including me) jump for joy, but I was talking about me! I'm back after my laptop spent the last week in the repair shop, £90 lighter and with plenty of reviews to get cracking with. I will start with Stephen King's collection of short stories, released earlier this year, You Like It Darker. I finished this at the end of June so I've been waiting desperately to get my views on paper as it were!
Mr. King is, rightfully known as an absolute master of his craft. I haven't read too many of his horror books or series (strangely, as that's what he's best known for!) but I have thoroughly enjoyed his Mr. Mercedes trilogy, Fairy Tale and, less recently, Carrie, IT, and Cujo.
BLURB
'You like it Darker? Fine, so do I', writes Stephen King in the afterword to this magnificent new collection of twelve stories that delve into the darker part of life - both metaphorical and literal. King has, for half a century, been a master of the form, and these stories, about fate, mortality, luck, and the folds in reality where anything can happen, are as rich and as riveting as his novels., both weighty in theme and a huge pleasure to listen to. King writes to feel 'the exhilaration of leaving the ordinary day-to-day lift behind', and in You Like It Darker, listeners will feel that exhilaration too, again and again.
'Two Talented Bastids' explores the long-hidden secret of how the eponymous gentlemen got their skills. In 'Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream', a brief and unprecedented psychic flash upends dozens of lives, Danny's most catastrophically. In 'Rattlesnakes', a sequel to Cujo, a grieving widower travels to Florida for respite and instead receives an unexpected inheritance - with major strings attached. In 'The Dreamers', a taciturn Vietnam vet answers a job ad and learns that there are some corners of the universe best left unexplored. 'The Answer Man' asks if prescience is good luck or bad and reminds us that a life marked by unbearable tragedy can still be meaningful.
King's ability to surprise, amaze, and bring us both terror and solace remains unsurpassed. Each of these stories holds its own thrills, joys, and mysteries; each feels iconic. You like it darker? You got it.
MY REVIEW
Exceptional. That's the word that springs to mind when I think of this book. I listened to the audiobook and, immediately, knew I wanted a physical copy, so I could dip in and out of these stories forever.
Firstly, the narration is brilliant. A gritty, gravelly voice, dipped in honey, lulls you into each story and enhances the imagery created by King with his words. Each story packs a punch, either a whiplash-inducing twist or a heart-wrenching deeper meaning (or both!). Short stories have to pull you in, paint a picture, create emotion, build characters, and come full circle, all in the same number of words that usually depict merely a chapter or two of a novel. The narration supports King's exceptional abilities in this realm and I started making excuses to listen more. My house has never been so tidy! Headphones on, mop out, listen to some more!
There are twelve stories in total, some longer than others. All are very different, beautifully told, and remarkable in their own ways.
As mentioned in the blurb, Two Talented Bastids tells the story of how two run-of-the-mill, small-town men realise their dreams of being a writer and an artist. This is one of the longer stories, a tale of friendship with a little sci-fi thrown in there for good measure. A great start to the book, I really enjoyed the story and loved how it ended.
Next up was The Fifth Step, one of the shorter stories in the book and one that really packs a punch. Two strangers meet by chance in a park and one of their lives changes forever. This one got me, I had to pause the book briefly to collect my thoughts before moving on to the next one. Flabbergasted, I didn't see it coming at all.
Willie the Weirdo was next, following a young boy fascinated by things that usually scare children. Death, bugs, his grandfather's morbid stories from the past. The main focus of this story is Willie's relationship with his grandfather who is terminally ill. Another fascinating story with a twist seemingly out of nowhere that left me open-mouthed and gleefully clapping my hands!
Moving on then to Danny Coughlin's Bad Dream which follows Danny when he wakes up after having a seemingly psychic dream, unearthing a crime and being thrust into the middle of a police investigation. In another slightly longer story, the weaving, and interconnecting threads were beautifully done, showing King's talent for character-building and seamless storytelling.
Finn is the next story, in which young Finn, a teen who seems to experience nothing but bad luck, is involved in a case of mistaken identity. Chaos ensues and the ending is so captivating, think Inception - where you are left to put the pieces together and come to your own conclusions.
Next up, we have On Slide Inn Road, an interesting commentary on broken families, their bonds, and their struggles. Three generations of a family are heading on a road trip, however an about-turn and car troubles on Slide Inn Road turn what was originally nothing but a slightly unpleasant trip into an absolute nightmare.
The creepy and unnerving Red Screen was next, in which a police officer interviews a man accused of murdering his own wife, again with far-reaching implications.
The Turbulence Expert was a thoroughly interesting and engaging read. Imagine being on a plane during exceptional and unexpected turbulence. The only way to survive is through the fear of the so-called turbulence expert.
A change in pace now, with the adorable story, Laurie, about a man and his dog. They like their routine, but one day that routine is disrupted. I chuckled along with the initially forced friendship between man and dog, I fell in love with it (and with them!). Of course it wouldn't be Stephen King without a shocker of a finale, came out of left field despite the really clever foreshadowing woven throughout the tale.
Rattlesnakes is the sequel to Cujo (though it is well served as a standalone, you do not have to have read Cujo to be able to read and enjoy Rattlesnakes, this is an entirely different story - though if you haven't read Cujo and don't want any spoilers, I'd recommend to read them in order!). Plenty of time has passed since the events of Cujo, but the memories continue to linger. An elderly widow visits a quiet town for some respite mid-pandemic. He meets the town 'crazy lady' and suddenly, things start to fall apart.
Secret experiments and underhand tactics are next, in The Dreamers. A young veteran takes on a job as a typist/transcriptionist for a researcher who's trying to delve into the dream world.
The final story is The Answer Man. It's a great finale for the book, a story of hope, tragedy, and fate. Meeting the Answer Man at various points in his life, our protagonist has a story filled with beauty and pain. King shows that he's the master of storytelling here and it was one of my favourite tales from this book.
In the Afterword, King describes his process, the history of some of the stories, and some of his thoughts about writing, his own life, and his experiences. It's a snapshot of him as a writer and, while I occasionally skip these parts of books as they can be quite dry, I enjoyed learning about where some of these characters and stories came from.
As is tradition with King stories, we have ghosts, mysteries, creepy kids, aliens, killer animals, killer people, brilliant social commentary, and an underlying thread of hope, belonging, fate, and destiny. Exceptional.
I have no negative remarks about this book whatsoever. It was, quite simply, one of the best books I have read this year (maybe ever!). Five stars is an absolute minimum, and I can't wait to read it again!
Check out my video review, and a list of these stories RANKED from my least to most favourite!
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