Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsWell crafted
Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2017
Some books I rate with 5 stars just because of my pleasure in the story. These aren't always well-written or creative, or something someone else would like. Then there are those books that are so well-crafted, not just with character development or storytelling but in the writing itself. This is one of those books. I've always given Stephen King credit as the "king of the flashback" and here he gives us some of what he does best, but he also shows again his ability to get inside the head of the character in the present. From making up lyrics to songs sung by a fictional boy band and the brand names of fictional ice cream treats, to details of a Midwestern city that make those of us living in Midwestern cities think ours is the one in the story. I wondered in the beginning of the book if King was making a game in paying homage to himself with hints he dropped to reference some of his previous best sellers, but he played this game for just a short while. There are plenty of other pop-culture references in the minds of the various characters that do well to establish their ages and backgrounds.
As the story unwinds after the climactic events, my emotions surprised me. I've cried while reading books before, but not while reading the words of a bureaucratic proclamation!
