u/Few_Championship7507

"The book is warm, the movie feels cold," King said once. And it is quite evident in the storytelling, especially toward the climax. King didn't like the movie, but many of his fans did, so did I.

The story is about a special psychic ability of a kid. He foresees flashes of horrible events in his dreams. It is also about a man's gradual descent into madness.

Jack Torrance takes up a caretaking job at a remote Colorado hotel. The hotel remains closed for most of the year, as the road gets shut during the long winter. Jack moves into the hotel with his wife, Wendy, and their son, Danny. Two months later, heavy snow cuts off all their connection with the outside world and Danny's dreams become more frequent and terrifying than ever.

The Shining is one of King's earliest novels. But never did I feel that I was reading a beginner's work. He turned simple elements into something immensely unnerving. Even a hosepipe made me feel a chill down my spine. Then there are these hedge animals, a strange bartender, and the infamous Room 217. The last few chapters were literally nail biting.

The book is not only about horror though, it is also about a mother's love, her willingness to sacrifice everything for the sake of her son. It is about a father who loves his son more than anything else, yet finds himself hurting him on several occasions. King takes the reader inside Jack's mind. The movie obviously couldn't do a great job at that. I loved the book more.

Personal rating: 4.5/5