All I will say is that it wasn't what I expected story-wise. That said, it IS another good King book!
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I'm not sure if it's just me or not, but I felt Dan's memory of his Dad was a bit inaccurate. Yes, his father was a drunk and had a temper, but the Overlook possessing him is what made him into a homicidal madman hunting down his wife and son. Jack Torrance may have lost himself in a fit of drunken anger, but not to the point where he would violently pursue his wife and son - that was the Overlook. I just think Dan, especially as a wiser Shiner who has overpowered the Overlook ghosts in his mind-traps, would be able to understand the Overlook tried to kill (or collect) him, not his father.
I really liked how the nick-name Doctor Sleep was shortened to Doc at the end of the book, bringing it back to what his parents called him before the Overlook happened. Dan getting a glimpse of his dad was touching too. I also loved to see how powerful the Shining actually was, especially between Dan and Abra (the body switching was awesome). I don't think I'll ever be able to look at a top hat again without thinking of Rose the Hatless - very creepy monster.
I'd say that qualifies as a spoiler. I enjoyed reading that part and slowly seeing where it was going. Wish there were more moments like that in the book.Not sure if this is a spoiler, but I'll mark it that way to be safe . . . one of my favorite moments of Doctor Sleep . . .
Awesome moment in Doctor Sleep, when Dan is interviewing for the maintenance job and equates it to his father interviewing at the Overlook . . . and without knowing it, he thinks Kingsley is an officious prick, just like his father did of Ullman.
Shasta! Haven't seen you in a quite some time! Good to know that one again, we're on the "same page."As usual, Carrie's, we agree again. I didn't love it as much as I had hoped but I was prepared for that. Mr. King has a very different voice these days. I'm just happy I had a new SK to read. 2013 really has been a fantastic year for books.
Shasta! Haven't seen you in a quite some time! Good to know that one again, we're on the "same page."
I think if I had not read Joyland and loved it so much that I would have liked Doctor Sleep much more. It's just that I think the "good guys" in Joyland are much better drawn and much more likeable. I could not stand Abra's mother or grandmother in DS. Upon hearing of its eventual publication I thought Joyland would be a "throw away" book that I would read and soon forget. Turns out it's now in my top 10.
I think some of the aspects of the book were amazing.I did have a hard time wrapping my mind around them as vampires. To me, vampires represent something different. Not a big deal, but leaving that word out of the book, would have been fine. The way he describes stuff. They didn't really need a name put to them. If that's a spoiler, let me know. I thought he mentioned they were vamps in interviews.
Have you read NOS4A2 by Joe Hill? I think it kind of ties back to that type of vampire, which I actually think, while not traditional, is an interesting concept.
You hit the nail on the head!Agreed and agreed, of course!!!
It's interesting because I felt a lot of angst in Joyland that I kind of expected to see in Sleep and it wasn't there.
I actually liked the characters in Sleep just fine, I just thought they weren't as full-bodied (if you will) as I would have liked them to be. They seemed a bit flat.
Not yet. I am stuck on his father for now. I should read it. His dad just puts out too much I haven't read yet! Now I am working on Dark Tower, don't want to switch. I liked the steam concept too. Breathing in someone's soul or energy as it's sometimes called.Have you read NOS4A2 by Joe Hill? I think it kind of ties back to that type of vampire, which I actually think, while not traditional, is an interesting concept.