Review: The Shining by Stephen King

Title: The Shining

Series: The Shining #1

Author: Stephen King

Release Date:  January 28, 1977

Length: 695 pages

Genre: Horror

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****My Review ****

Books that manage to push me out of my comfort zone,  envelop me in uncertainty, and force me to think more deeply are a rarity on my shelves these days. A mother of three( a baby, a toddler, and a primary schooler), burdened with too many responsibilities, I really can’t afford such a luxury. But from time to time, especially when grandma offers to babysit them, I indulge myself with picking up a book that will awaken all my senses. “The Shining” is probably the most famous and popular book by Stephen King, even more so because of the movie of the same name with Jack Nicholson in the main role, which was made based on it (with a few ‘minor’ changes).

A book that I’ve read several times and have always enjoyed the well-known content, every reading with new emotions and experiences. Every reading has made my spine tingle, making me feel a little more afraid of the dark than usual. Someone would say another haunted house story, but I believe that a masterpiece such as this book is an all-time classic.

At first glance, “The Shining” looks scary, but it is so easy to read despite a large number of pages. Far from a relaxing read, the book is a tough psychological horror/thriller with a constantly tense atmosphere.

The main character moves with his family (wife and son) to a hotel far from civilization, to supervise it and make the necessary repairs during the closed period(during winter). In addition to the obligations with the hotel, their stay was also planned as a kind of vacation, and also a convenient place to finish the drama that had been unfinished for some time. But not everything always goes according to plan. The hotel “comes alive” in some way and terrorizes its guests, mostly mentally but not infrequently physically. The child feels this because he possesses a power called “shining” through which he communicates with other persons who have similar power (he hears their thoughts and can send them his thoughts as well). But will that be enough for his parents to believe that he should go as far away from that place as possible, or will they ignore him thinking that it’s all part of a child’s fantasy?

This book is simply full of elements that keep you on the edge of your seat, page after page, and force you to read further, eager to discover what happens next.

This exceptionally-written horror abounds with fully developed characters that are equal parts innocent, vulnerable and pure evil!  All three members of the Torrance family were fantastically developed, especially Jack, and the fact that Overlook Hotel didn’t make him crazy, it just gave him the final push. Jack would have snapped anyway. Jack was an unemployed recovering alcoholic with a nasty temper. The Overlook just brought out the monster hidden inside him. It so perfectly carries the message that horror doesn’t come from monsters chasing the characters but from the characters themselves.

Every chapter leaves you wanting more, and every sentence in this book is masterfully inserted into the correct place. Everyday scenes, common themes, intertwined with difficult subjects— abuse, alcoholism, a difficult marriage, and mixed with horror elements. The author exceptionally explores the dangerous cycle of addiction, following in the footsteps of the abusers and seeing how it comes back to hurt everyone around.

The writing style is just perfect. Easy to read, but not naive at all, with a creepy, dark, and melancholic atmosphere that prevails throughout the whole book. What amazed me about The Shining is the simplicity of its setting: the isolated location, the living accommodations filled with apparitions and disturbing occurrences, and the gifted child. All these story elements add the right amount of suspense, not too much to get lost in it and lose interest.

The psychologically complex and tragic characters, shocking unsettling events, the perfect pace in storytelling, and the wonderfully atmospheric setting made such a gripping story that simply nailed me to the pages until the very end.

If I had to describe this book with just one word, I think that PHENOMENAL is the right word. The Shining by Stephen King is an all-time classic and it deserves all the hype it gets. If you are brave enough and don’t mind entering a creepy and dark world that will scare the living daylights out of you, then you definitely have to read this book.