Comments on My Amazon Review of Pet Semetary (spoilers)

[Dr V]

Just read it again. King's strongest point is his razor sharp delineation between the good, wholesome things in this world and their polar opposites. Think of that perfect day Louis spends flying a kite with his son Gage. Reminds you of the Let's Go Fly A Kite musical number in Mary Poppins. But then, sans foreshadowing, we're told coldly and simply that Gage will be dead in two months. It's like this author has done everything to, as Shakespeare said, hold the mirror up to life, to show the overflowing love that a father has for his son, and vice-versa. Yet he still has what it takes to stab the reader through the heart with a knife. And, though we'd rather think differently, King is still following Shakespeare's instructions. Did Shakespeare not write tragedies? Yes, he most certainly did. But with King we see at once the tragedy beyond the tragedy. We not only know that Gage will die, but that Louis can, he must, bring the boy back to life. But that's not natural. And, as Mary Shelly warned us, way back in the early 19th Century, twisting nature to man's will can have horrifying consequences.

To me, the above would make a much better review than your original message. Here you avoid spelling things out (e.g. good vs. evil) or using too many distracting allusions to music. Neither do you go on about the details the police ought to have noticed, and that is good, because dissection of details is not the point of the story.

 

[Taoskier]

Let me say thank you to those who agreed w me. If I had it to do over I wish I had not got Crichton confused w Vonnegut. I've read both. Just a careless error. I was trying to praise Mr. King for suspense at the end of Pet Semetary that rivaled Andromeda Strain. As for the phrase "graphic sex," I wish I'd said "humorous graphic sex." The lines, Where'd you learn that? Girl Scouts. still crack me up. Without humorous relief I couldn't read King. Spoiler alert. I stick to what I said about a bit of mopping up at the end. He usually does it. I have to admit, though, that the way the ending's phrased is nice.

 

[Taoskier]

To me, the above would make a much better review than your original message. Here you avoid spelling things out (e.g. good vs. evil) or using too many distracting allusions to music. Neither do you go on about the details the police ought to have noticed, and that is good, because dissection of details is not the point of the story.

I like King's allusions to music. And even in his most recent short story collection,

Spoiler

we find out whether the English instructor's light beating of the drunk woman is noticed.

(The story about the girl's basketball team).

 

[Neesy]

Just read it again. King's strongest point is his razor sharp delineation between the good, wholesome things in this world and their polar opposites. Think of that perfect day Louis spends flying a kite with his son Gage. Reminds you of the Let's Go Fly A Kite musical number in Mary Poppins. But then, sans foreshadowing, we're told coldly and simply that Gage will be dead in two months. It's like this author has done everything to, as Shakespeare said, hold the mirror up to life, to show the overflowing love that a father has for his son, and vice-versa. Yet he still has what it takes to stab the reader through the heart with a knife. And, though we'd rather think differently, King is still following Shakespeare's instructions. Did Shakespeare not write tragedies? Yes, he most certainly did. But with King we see at once the tragedy beyond the tragedy. We not only know that Gage will die, but that Louis can, he must, bring the boy back to life. But that's not natural. And, as Mary Shelly warned us, way back in the early 19th Century, twisting nature to man's will can have horrifying consequences.

To me, the above would make a much better review than your original message. Here you avoid spelling things out (e.g. good vs. evil) or using too many distracting allusions to music. Neither do you go on about the details the police ought to have noticed, and that is good, because dissection of details is not the point of the story.

It's because he wrote from his heart here, without too much forethought (I think)

 

[Neesy]

I'd been up all night. I made a mistake.

I'd been up all night. I made a stupid mistake.

I'd been up all night. I made a stupid mistake re the author of Andromeda Strain. Sorry.

I'd been up all night. I made a stupid mistake.

Get some more sleep!

It has been years since I read Pet Semetary. Glad to hear you liked the book.

 

[Neesy]

For everybody who noticed my Crichton/Vonnegut mix up, I'm sorry. I'm familiar with both authors, but I hadn't had much sleep. I read both authors in high school over 40 years ago. I was simply praising King for reaching Crichton's level of suspense and thrill, in the last part of Andromeda, that I never thought anyone else would reach. As for other criticisms, remember, I couldn't put it down and gave it four out of five stars--pas mal!

Hey mal - where you at today?