Good, but not as good as expected: A Review of IT (By Stephen King)

I’d always assumed Stephen King’s IT would give me sleepless nights… because I’m a ‘fraidy-cat. So I procrastinated for a long time before choosing a period where I could manage with a few sleepless nights and finally got down to reading what has come to be known as one of Stephen King’s best books.

And I have to say… I was underwhelmed. Keep reading for more details.

Source: Goodreads

Genre:

Horror

Length:

1376 pages

Blurb:

Something evil lives underground in the town of Derry, Maine – something that only the children can see, something that feeds on them. The horrific death of six-year-old George Denbrough sets off events that band together seven children who are forced to fight their worst nightmares, brought alive by IT that can take any shape. They survive the ordeal. And move away, going on to live successful lives, and forgetting everything they’d faced as near-teenagers. Until they get a call from Derry, 27 years later. Children are dying horribly again. The past is repeating itself. And The Losers have to return to Derry – to fulfill a promise made a long time ago, and to face their nightmares once again. Will they survive IT again?

Overall Rating:

6 out of 10

Plot:

7 out of 10

Characterization:

8 out of 10

Primary Element:

7 out of 10 for its horror, a lot of which has a reduced effect due to the sheer length of the book. By the end, you’re all scared-out and the most horrifying things become mundane.

Writing Style:

7 out of 10

Part of a Series: 

Nope… just a single, reeeaallly big book! (And a 2-Part movie series.)

Highlighted Takeaway:

There is a distinct difference between the way adults see life and the way children see life. The general assumption is that the former are smarter because of their outlook. But there is a strength in children, brought forth by their innocence, imagination, and simple way of being able to maintain a wider view of the world than adults – just because they haven’t been molded by peers’ thoughts and societal conformity. That distinction and the often unappreciated ability of children is highlighted brilliantly in IT.

What I Liked:

The basic premise of the book, especially the part where it touches upon how we, individually, have the power to create (and sometimes overcome) our greatest fears.

Even though the book eventually loses some of its effectiveness (as mentioned below), it still manages to get under your skin, leaving you looking over your shoulder.

What I Didn’t Like:

The book is quite long, which isn’t a problem in itself. But what its length does is diminish its effectiveness. Like a word repeated too many times loses its effect, the extended horror eventually loses its effect. By the end, things get pretty intense and horrifying more often than in the initial parts of the book – but it just doesn’t seem as scary.

Spoiler alert! This spoiler doesn’t affect the outcome of the story in any way, but does highlight a specific part of the book. This part is only in the book and (from what I read), not in Part 1 of the film. The section where Beverly “gets together” with all the other boys of The Losers little group (six boys!), was altogether too much to take. I get why it was written (by reading Stephen King’s take on it) and even what it was meant to signify, but just… nope!

Who Should Read It:

Fans of horror and fans of Stephen King. And anyone who enjoys books with a supernatural touch.

Who Should Avoid:

Anyone who is turned off by violence and gore. And anyone who doesn’t enjoy stories driven by supernatural elements.

Read It For:

The experience. There are a few things that aren’t likable in Stephen King’s IT – the abovementioned spoiler, a somewhat childish aspect to the climax, and unnecessarily added story sections that the book can do without.

But, it is a book that everyone should attempt to read at least once. Even those who, like me, are generally scared of horrors. It is a prominent part of literary horror, and rightly so, with its complex yet simple understanding of human nature, gore-y and psychologically terrifying bits, and unabashed reflection of the societal problems and norms of the era in which it was set.

What did you think of Stephen King’s IT – movie or novel? Let me know in the comments below. And thanks for stopping by and reading this review!

– Rishika

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Review: The Gunslinger (By Stephen King)

Source: Goodreads

Length: 238 pages

My rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Roland of Gilead is the Last Gunslinger. Excellent at the skills of his profession, he is on a journey to find the Dark Tower. The Tower has its secrets, it has its powers, and it has its enigma, of which Roland knows very little. All he knows is that he needs to reach it. And the only one who can take him there is the Man in Black.

Having followed the Man in Black for as long as he can remember, Roland can sense that he’s closer than ever before. But the path leading to him still holds surprises. Roland meets an alluring woman who manages to dull the best of his senses, a kid from the unknown world of New York, and a town that stands at the brink of chaos. Roland knows that each of these holds tricks that are meant to stop him, tricks that will force him to use his deadly skills. He also knows that he must do what he has set out to do. But can he make the right choice when pushed to choose between salvation and damnation? Or will the decisions he makes finally blur that thin line on which he walks – the line that separates good from evil?

My take:

The Gunslinger is the first part of King’s Dark Tower fantasy series. The book comes with a lot of expectations, especially when King himself states that the series has been greatly inspired by The Lord of the Rings.  It promises to be, “eerily dreamlike and grippingly realistic.”

You can definitely see the inspiration part of it, and it stays true to its dreamlike and realistic promise too. It’s a good book, but brings with it, a certain amount of disappointment (the result of too high an expectation, perhaps).

The thing that bothered me the most was the excessive intentional vagueness. There were a lot of things that were said under the surface – part of the charm, sure, but also annoying at times. The book has a complicated story and even though it’s just giving you a glimpse into that tale, some more explanation, some clarity, would have really made a difference. This is even more so the case because the story is set in a very different world which oddly mirrors our own and yet, just isn’t ours. This adds to the entire enigmatic feel but causes quite a bit of confusion too, because you’re expecting things to be a certain way but that’s just not how they are. All this, put together, made the book a little heavy and difficult to read.

What I liked though (and hated at the same time) was the emotion that the story evokes in you. You associate greatly with Roland – you hate what he needs to do, as much as you feel (strongly) for him having to make such difficult decisions. There is this deep sadness around and within him that, in its own way, resonates with the emotion that lies within so many of us.

So many people in our world go on living our lives, trying to be as happy as we can. Yet, somewhere deep within, there is a sadness – an unfulfillment – for having to do the things that help us survive, but not doing the things that help us really live. This dissatisfaction can be the result of tiny things or large ones, and may be a part of us for minutes or years, but we’ve all felt it at some point in time. We spend most of our days ignoring that feeling because who would want to believe it exists or address it? The Gunslinger, for some strange reason, reminds you of that feeling. It forces you to recognize the fact that there is a darkness within everyone and sometimes, you just have to face it. And at the end of it, you do what you have to, and you face the consequences, whatever they may be. It may be this evoked emotion that makes the book more difficult to read than it should be. At the same time, it makes it an experience instead of just a tale.

Then there is the fact that it is disturbingly graphic at points, leaving you with visions unfolding before that make you horribly uneasy – the kind that feels like you have something unpleasant under your skin. That, though, is part of why you’d read a Stephen King book anyway.

The characters are, expectedly, well developed, with shades of gray that make them very human and very relatable. The story moves along at a good enough pace, shifting between present and past, and comes to a good conclusion. Things become a lot clearer and just like that, you’re hooked onto the series, wanting to know what happens next (there’s also the hope that this very complicated world will become clearer as you read more about it).

So, should you read The Gunslinger? I’d recommend the book to anyone who:

• is a Stephen King fan
• likes fantasy
• isn’t too bothered by graphic details
• wants to remain one step ahead of the book-to-movie adaptation curve

What did you think of the first part of King’s epic fantasy? And are you looking forward to the movie (I’m half-terrified, half-intrigued about how this book will be brought to life)? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

And have an awesome 2017!

– Rishika

 

 

Review: The Dark Half (By Stephen King)

 

Source: Goodreads

Length: 480 pages

My rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Thad Beaumont is a Pulitzer-winning author who finds himself at a loss for ideas. Until he created his alter-ego, George Stark, and began to write under his name. His work under Stark’s pseudonym was poles apart from his own – Stark’s style was different, his stories were different and he rose to fame as his books became bestsellers.

But Thad knew that the truth had to break one day, that people had to discover that Stark and he were the same person. But when the truth was revealed, Thad realized something – Stark and he were not the same person after all. And Thad may have wanted to kill off his pseudonym, but George Stark does not want to die.

My take:

When you pick up a novel by King, you expect something that’s going to make you uneasy, something that’ll probably have a supernatural touch, something that’ll maybe even be scary (think The Shining) and something that will push you to test the limits of your very human, very psychological fears.

While it isn’t The Shining scary, The Dark Half brings its own touch to the mix – gore. Toss in King’s ability to ‘not tell, but show’, and you are left cringing multiple times, with the first one being as early as just a few pages in.

Although not to the extent that Revival does, The Dark Half also pushes you to face some of your worst fears. While this is more the case if you’re an author or aspiring author yourself (a lot of King’s work is relevant to that group of people), you’ll find that almost anyone can associate with those fears. The reason is simple – many of us have within our own selves the characteristics we wish we didn’t have and the people we don’t want to be.

The Dark Half, then, asks a simple question: what if you got the chance, the absolute real chance, to be that person you’ve been fighting your whole life? That person you know is better in so many ways, but is also so very wrong? Who would win? Rather, who would you let win?

Other than forcing you to face those thoughts, The Dark Half also takes you on a rollercoaster ride of awe, disgust, horror, pity, sadness and empathy. The story itself is something you would expect if you’ve read King’s work before. And something you’d just accept too.

Should you read The Dark Half? Yes, if you’re a fan of King’s work because this is one of his good books (at least from the ones I’ve read thus far). If you’re new to King’s work, this is a good place to start. You won’t get the absolute dread others would give you. You may, though, get some sleepless nights if you’re turned off by the gory stuff. One thing is for sure, read The Dark Half if you like Stephen King or the genres of horror and thriller with supernatural elements. But avoid it as best as you can if gore and blood is not your thing.

How did you like The Dark Half? And what books would you recommend to those who read it? Let us know in the comments below.

– Rishika

Review: Carrie (By Stephen King)

            Carrie
 Source: Goodreads

Length: 242 pages

My rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Carrie White is telekinetic. But, she can’t control her powers and neither does she want to. Until one fateful night when her humiliation, caused by her own peers, pushes her to the edge.

Carrie is a social pariah. Brought up by a fanatically religious mother, she has a personality that her high school mates deem unbecoming and repulsive. But then, nobody tried to even get to know her. All they did was use every available opportunity to ridicule her. And she bore every insult in silence, accepting it to be a way of life. But one day, they pushed it too far, one day they humiliated her until she couldn’t bear it. That was the event that set everything in motion. Even one student’s attempt at righting the wrong she’d committed by Carrie couldn’t change the inevitable. And when Carrie was humiliated yet again on Prom Night, the evening that could have been the beginning of her new life, she decides she’s had enough. But nobody, not even Carrie, could have estimated her real power, and the destruction it could bring.

My take:

That Prom Night was a night of terror induced by Carrie White is no surprise – it’s in the book blurb and is mentioned numerous times right from Page 1. What is surprising, though, is that the actual event still manages to sucker punch you when you finally reach it.The sheer magnitude of the event and the emotions that come with it are enough to make your stomach turn – just as you’d expect from Stephen King.

But that, of course, comes later.

Carrie begins with the event that sets everything else in motion. And it grabs a hold of you from the get-go. The book never lets you go, taking you on a roller-coaster of events and emotions. The book is written differently. On one hand, you have the story as it happened. And on the other, you have excerpts from reports, trials, and books that cover the Prom Night event and Carrie’s life. Both aspects go on simultaneously, with one giving you an insight into that which the second details. The multiple perspectives keep you guessing to the extent of what might really happen and also gives you a look into the many opinions and thoughts that went on, on that fateful evening and in its aftermath.

Another thing that many people may find refreshing is its short length. Carrie is surprisingly short for a Stephen King novel. And it doesn’t delve into details like many of his works do. That isn’t to say that it doesn’t go deep enough – it just doesn’t detail to the extent that many readers find cumbersome. It is a fast read and its relentless pace makes it seem even faster.

What is really striking about the book, though, is the emotion it carries. Right from the first paragraph, the book fills you with a strange sense of sadness coupled with horror. But then, that is what King does best. He can definitely scare you with stories of things that go bump in the night, but what he can terrify you with are stories of the horrors that live within human beings – people like you and I. One of the most grudgingly accepted facts of life is that there is evil in all of us, evil that can raise its head in the most unimaginably horrendous ways possible. In some people, like murderers, you see the evil plainly. But others spend their entire lifetimes being strangers to their own dark sides. Unless an opportunity calls for them to unleash it. And then, they embark on a course of destruction of which they might not even have considered themselves capable.

And I’m not referring to Carrie White when I say this.

Every character in Carrie, every plain and seemingly innocent person, allows themselves to be controlled by their negative desires when another is vulnerable. They unleash the blackness of their hearts and target their deeds at one who can’t retaliate. And they do it without regret or shame. The turmoil that fills many of them – their good nature against the evil unleashed by society – is evident. And yet, they can’t help but be cruel. That, I thought, was the scariest part – that ordinary people are capable of such terrible things that they do without thought or remorse.

Carrie shows you the evil that exists in every one of us. It forces you to question if you would have done anything different in that situation. And it compels you to consider how dark you really are. Stephen King effortlessly hits you hard with Carrie. You will be left with a strange sense of discomfort because it will make you realize that not only are you capable of bad things but that you can never be sure of just how far you may go. And lastly, who in Carrie was really the victim?

Stephen King fans will love Carrie, so if you haven’t read it yet, make it the next on your to-be-read list. It’s also a good book for those readers who claim that King’s work is too lengthy – it’s crisp, action-packed, and will have you turning the pages furiously. If you haven’t read any of King’s work because you’re someone who, like me, wasn’t too keen on being scared, give Carrie a shot and make it your first ever horror. It’s scary, but not the kind you’d expect, making it an excellent read from an author who knows a thing or two about the art of being terrifying.

– Rishika

Review: Revival (By Stephen King)

Revival
   Source: Goodreads

Length: 373 pages

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Jamie Morton was only six years old when he first met Charles Jacobs, the new Reverand of the church in the little town of Harlow. Handsome, charismatic, and warm, Jacobs easily gained the attention of all the young women in town. And his wife had the same effect on the young boys of Harlow. Jacobs and his family were loved by everyone, and he had a special bond with Jamie, one that was made stronger through the experiments with electricity that they carried out in his workshop. But everything changed the day a horrific accident claimed the lives of Jacobs’ wife and child. The preacher who’d once spoke of heaven and peace shunned God. And he was sent away from the town by its shocked residents.

Jamie has his own struggles and demons when he meets Jacobs years later. He’s addicted to heroin and is stranded and homeless – a price he paid for being a rock and roll guitarist with a growing addiction. But Jacobs is nothing like the Reverand he’d met. He’s a showman at a carnival, creating portraits of lightening. And yet, he helps Jamie, an action that has consequences for years to come. And Jamie discovers that his revival has a price, one that might cost him more than he could ever afford. But pay it he must… because for Jamie, there is no escape.

My take:

It isn’t easy to review Revival, simply because it evokes so many emotions, not all of them good. But as a whole package, it is a really good book. It’s written in the first person and is something of a mix between a coming of age story and a diary. I don’t often care for that, but this book managed to get past that prejudice without even trying. It moves back and forth between the present and past, giving you glimpses of things that are yet to unfold. The irritating part is that a lot of the book is simply the telling of Jamie’s adolescence, things that might make you say, “Okay, move on. Get back to the story.”

And yet, the book keeps you hooked.

You can’t help but turn the pages, lapping up the details of Jamie’s life. The thing is that you know something is going to happen to him, something that he hints at all along; and you can tell that every little bit of his life leads to that point. So you keep going. Most of the book is harmless enough, but there are these small sections that sneak up on you and make you cringe. And then, of course, there’s the conclusion.

Revival has one of the most bizarre conclusions I’ve ever read. It isn’t just that it is scary – that it definitely is – but it is a different kind of scary. King’s writing paints an excessively vivid image, one that plays out right in front of you. And the description, the words, that image, gets right under your skin. I felt my neck tingle with discomfort and I had that image warping everything I saw or heard for days after. Then there’s that thought that you’re stuck with – what if it’s true? And that is a painful question to ponder.

In short, Revival is calm for the most part, but it is the calm before the storm. And the storm will leave you fumbling to make sense of what happened, and hoping that you’ll get over it. I would recommend Revival to anyone who likes Stephen King – you will probably love it – and anyone who likes supernatural/psychological thrillers. And if you have never read King’s work before, Revival is a great place to begin. But, be prepared to become a junkie for his books – like I ended up becoming!

– Rishika

Review: The Shining (By Stephen King)

       The Shining
 Source: Goodreads

Length: 497 pages

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Five year old Danny Torrance had a gift – psychic abilities that showed him much more than a child would understand. The cook at the Overlook Hotel, Mr. Hallorann, called it ‘the shine’; and Danny was a shiner like no one else. When Danny’s father, Jack Torrance, gets a job as a winter caretaker for the Overlook Hotel, Danny knows that it is the last chance of redemption his recovering alcoholic father has to try to get his life and his skill as a writer back. So, he chooses to ignore the fearful visions that begin to haunt him from the moment his father lands the job. And allows himself and his parents to get snowed into, in the Overlook, cut off from the rest of the world, as winter finally sets in.

But, as Danny discovers, Mr. Hallorann was not the only one who could recognize his potential. Danny’s visions worsen in the Overlook, until the line between reality and vision begins to blur. The woman in 217, the animal hedges, the people partaking in a masquerade ball, all begin to come horrifically alive right before his eyes. Soon, Jack and his wife, Wendy, begin to feel it too. And slowly, reality takes on its own, horrifying form, pulling each and every one of them into the dark depths of whatever lies in the empty hotel. Because the Overlook no longer desires to hide its secrets. The evil that lies within it no longer wishes to be ignored.

My take:

Stephen King states that there are three types of terror (read the whole quote here). The worst one is terror, the emotion you feel “when you come home and notice everything you own had been taken away and replaced by an exact substitute. It’s when the lights go out and you feel something behind you, you hear it, you feel its breath against your ear, but when you turn around, there’s nothing there…”

That is how most of The Shining progresses – you sense it, but you don’t see it. Except at one point when you turn around, and there is actually something there, something that you’ve sensed, something that is smiling that very wrong smile, something that you know is very, very evil, and something that simply wants… you.

The book is a brand of scary that, I think, only Stephen King can achieve. It didn’t make me cringe. It made me hold my breath and then think six times before turning the page, simply because I was too afraid to read further, too scared that instead of words, the image that he’s so, ridiculously clearly painted, would exist on the next page. That is what The Shining does. It paints vivid, crystal clear images that remain in your head, just behind your eyelids, long after the book is done. And every time you close your eyes, you can see it. It makes you want to open your eyes so you don’t have to see it. But then, you hesitate because you’re afraid that what you can see behind closed eyes, might just be waiting in front of you, waiting for you to open your eyes.

At some point, the fear you feel while reading the book begins to stay with you. And while it may eventually diminish, it will come back to haunt you at every opportunity it gets.

I can say nothing new or unheard about his style of writing – it’s very Stephen King-esque and very interesting. It grabs on to you and you can’t really shake off the book, or its freaky characters, until it’s done, and then some. It moves along quite well and keeps you wondering when the ax will fall nearly through the first entire half. Some creepy moments come up, moments that make your eyes widen but that you can brush off. And then, you land smack dab in the middle of some petrifying stuff that’ll never let you forget it, or the images it conjures. The best part? You won’t see it coming until it hits you… hard.

Then, the book maintains a brisk pace, with some build up, some creepiness, and a lot more terror. And soon, the terror turns inwards, into your very human senses, forcing you to wonder just how much evil there lies within each one of us, and what it can take for it to be brought to the surface; and once it has been unleashed, does it maintain any semblance of a limit?

The Shining is much more than a book about a little boy and his gift. It is about the humanity of people, it is about one’s past, and it is about recognizing that, sometimes, you need to look not at what your eyes show you, but what your heart does. With his skill at characterization, King takes a story about a hotel and turns it into so much more.

So, should you read The Shining?

I’d definitely say yes, if you’re a fan of horror. And if you’re like me, too scared to read horror books or watch horror films, then hell yes! You may lose a few nights of sleep, but you’ll gain the satisfaction of reading one hell of a book. And if things get too scary for you, take the advice of Joey (from Friends) – let the book, and all its inhabitants, cool off in the freezer!

Let me know your thoughts on the book in the comments below. And for those of you who’d like to help – any suggestions for which horror I should go next, Stephen King or otherwise?

– Rishika

Review: Gerald’s Game (By Stephen King)

Gerald’s Game
(Source: Goodreads)

Length: 417 pages

My rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Gerald Burlingame and his wife Jessie take a two day trip to their lakeshore house just before the onset of autumn. The time of year promises complete seclusion and privacy, something that is pivotal to their plans of a quick, sex getaway. Being handcuffed to the bed is not a new game for Jessie – lately it seems to be the only way for Gerald to remain interested in sex. She’s been handcuffed to the bed before and although she doesn’t love it, she doesn’t hate it either… until now. Handcuffed to the bed and wearing nothing but her panties, something snaps inside Jessie’s mind when Gerald refuses her repeated request to be set free – and she kicks out in anger. She didn’t expect the blow to hurt as much as it did, and she definitely didn’t think it would kill him. And now, she’s completely naked and alone in a deserted cabin. The main door is slightly ajar, she has no way of getting out of the handcuffs, and she has no one to turn to except for the voices in her head that are growing louder and more judgmental by the minute, forcing her to look into the dark abyss of her own mind where she’d kept secrets hidden for decades – secret so traumatic that she’d never wanted to face them. But as time passes, as night comes closer, and as the voices slowly start taking over, she realizes that she’s not as alone as she’d thought – and that being alone might have been the best thing that could have happened to her.

My take:

The first thing that anyone reading this review should know is that I’m a scaredy cat. I can’t watch horror films and although I have thoroughly enjoyed the few psychological thrillers that I’ve read, they’ve always given me nightmares for a while after. So clearly, having heard all that is said about Stephen King’s specific brand of horror, I had to stay away. I had made an attempt to read Bag of Bones, but got too scared to continue past the first ten percent. That being said, I’d always assumed King to be an exceptional writer, if his quotes and general perception and way of putting things across was anything to go by. So I made up my mind that one day, I’d muster up the courage to read his books, nightmares or not. And that is how I ended up with a copy of Gerald’s Game when I went to the library with the sole intention of picking up one of King’s books.

And I, scaredy cat and all, have absolutely no regrets!

Gerald’s Game is written to keep you gripped. I remained turning the pages, hour after hour, stopping only once the sun set completely – because, as I learned, reading it at night is not the best idea. The book has chills and thrills crafted out of very real situations, something that aids to the creepy factor. There is quite a bit of gore presented in a manner that makes it simply disturbing than disgusting and further adding to the creepiness. Also, the conflict that Jessie faces with herself makes you really associate with her, and feel for her for everything that she’s been through.

Jessie’s character in fact, is done brilliantly, where you can see her transform as time passes, as the voices in her head get louder and more real, and as she fights against the situation in which she finds herself. The way King describes everything that she goes through made me realize how well he probably understands the human mind and its ability to withstand and even its desire to break. But more than that, you get a sense of being there, as though everything that you are reading is unfolding right around you. His prose is amazing, taking you right to the middle of the action, and that adds to the charm and to the panic.

The story itself does not disappoint, in spite of unfolding more most part in one room where Jessie is handcuffed to the bed. And that is a pretty impressive thing to achieve. Although others may say differently, I didn’t think the book dragged. It moved from the present to the past often and did move off into related tangents, keeping me engrossed at all times. Added to that was the way Jessie’s character continuously developed and there was little to complain about.

What I really loved about the book though was the ending. Without giving any spoilers, I can say that at one point, I could predict an aspect of the end, and I thought that if it was to truly be the way I thought, it may be a bit disappointing. But I was proven wrong. Sure, my prediction wasn’t wrong entirely, but I still found the end amazing, because it gives you an insight into the horror that people face, have in them, and can be. And that ability, in my opinion, is the scariest thing of all.

I would recommend Gerald’s Game to anyone who likes King. Sure, it may not be his best work if ardent fans are to be believed, but it has its own charm and its own brand of horror. If gory situations upset you, then this may not be the best reading option for you. But if you’re keeping yourself away from King’s work because, like me, you’re afraid – don’t be. He is definitely terrifying, although Gerald’s Game doesn’t fall into the very terrifying category – but as a reader, you should not be missing the work of Stephen King. In fact, Gerald’s Game is as good a place to start if you’re looking for the safer, less scary option. After all, I only completely freaked out once and needed to hold on to my fiance’s hand while continuing to read, because I could not put the book down either. If you’re a King fan, you may prefer his other work, but this is not one that you should miss because it is extremely interesting, if not as scary. And if you just want to try horror as a new genre, Gerald’s Game is a book that you should definitely add to your list.

– Rishika