Finished Kentucky Blood Books 1 and 2 and needed something else with rural brutality to scratch the itch while waiting for Book 3. When I think of rural, I often imagine a dog running in a field, and thus decided to read CUJO (1981) by Stephen King.
Bit of background: Although I've read a decent amount of King and am a big fan, I'd always rolled my eyes at the thought of Cujo. "A book about a crazy dog? Sounds stupid. Who cares?" But lately I read that King claimed it's the one book he doesn't remember writing because he was so high / drunk / coked up when he wrote it, and immediately felt intrigued.
So does this book about a rabid dog still have it's bite?
Let's dive in.
* This review avoids major spoilers
PROS
- Every scene with Cujo had me gripped. You even get to see chapters from his (the dog's) perspective!
- One of the MC's finds themselves in a really bad / unique situation with Cujo, and that provides the main "action / horror" of the book. I won't spoil it, but it's an innovative, yet realistic way to portray how such a conflict with gigantic rabid dog might go down.
- Plenty of early 80s / late 70s references that made me wonder what it was like to be a working adult back then. One of the MC's jobs as a freelance advertiser was super-interesting to learn about in terms of how the difference in technology at the time influenced how they worked then vs how they'd work now.
- A non-horror subplot about said freelancer advertiser MC losing their biggest client was surprisingly detailed and compelling.
- The ending really surprised me. It STICKS with me. Will say no more to avoid spoilers.
CONS
- Cujo himself isn't in the book nearly as much as he should be.
- Frequently shifts POV within the same chapter without clear transitions, which can be disorienting,
- The battle with Cujo could and should have been longer, more epic, and with more victims.
- Some of the POVs were far away from the action and thus, really not that compelling.
- Major sub-plot about the advertiser losing their biggest client is resolved in a totally anti-climactic way, as if King himself grew tired of it.
OVERALL: 4.0 out of 5.
Tempted to give 3.75, but the ending really surprised me and kicks it up a notch. Also, even though there's not enough of Cujo himself in the story, it changed the way I look at St. Bernard's. By sheer coincidence, I saw my first ever in a park while reading the book.
It was huge.
I felt afraid.
The dog looked at me, as if it detected my fear.