I knew that Mr. King’s new book, sequel to The Shining, was good when I was getting the creeps while reading this novel at home, by myself, at night. I’ll say it until the end of time, the reason Stephen King scares us witless is because he deftly includes enough realism to keep the whole story familiar. You think, I have done this, thought that, known that person…the situations resonate with your own life…and then Wham! Creepy, scary stuff happens. The genius is the characters he writes about tend to react like “everyman” would in these sometimes bizarre, but always thrilling, circumstances.
Doctor Sleep picks up with Danny Torrance years after the fateful fire at the seriously creepy Overlook Hotel. He has found himself a pretty serious alcoholic and not a very nice person. We find out that he kept right on seeing the ghosts from the Overlook and although he had some help in learning how to deal with them, he basically uses booze.
In, what turns out to not really be a total coincidence, Dan finally finds a place to settle, a job he’s good at, and sobriety. Life goes on until he meets a little girl who needs help much in the same way (if not exactly!) he did all those years ago.
Some seriously evil vampire-types are out to get her and have her “shining” for themselves.
Ps. Love the references to NOS4A2 by Joe Hill!
Princess of the Library 