Review of The Shining by Stephen King
By: Mischa Cheverie
After Stephen King's latest book Billy Summers gave mentions to the Overlook Hotel from his third novel The Shining, I found myself thinking back to how much the 11-year-old version of myself ripped through those pages back then, unable to put the book down until I had devoured every last word, hiding with a flashlight underneath my blankets at night so, I could just finish one more chapter.
Jack Torrance is a struggling alcoholic whose anger got him fired from his teaching job, and has decided to take a live-in job as caretaker at the Overlook Hotel in a secluded part of Colorado for the winter months when the hotel is closed due to the severe weather that the area gets.
Thinking that the seclusion will be just the setting he needs to finish writing his play. Along with his wife Wendy, and their 5-year-old son Danny, they set off to spend the next 6 months completely cut off from the outside world.
The Overlook Hotel comes with a dark history, filled with such atrocities from illicit affairs to murders. The most recent being the previous caretaker, Delbert Grady killed his two daughters with a hatchet and then killed his wife with the same shotgun he used to take his own life right afterwards. Jack was forewarned about the history of the hotel, but didn't give it another thought.
When they arrive at the hotel, they are given the grand tour by Dick Halloran, the hotel's cook. Right away, Dick can tell that Danny is "special," that he has what he calls "The shining," which is the ability to read minds, communicate telepathically, and also sees ghosts. Dick has the same gifts and let's Danny know this along with telling him that if he gets into any kind of trouble to reach out to him because he'll hear the call.
As winter progresses, the Overlook begins take over Jack's rational thoughts and fuels his anger. He is welcomed and eventually possessed by the spirits of the hotel, including Delbert Grady, who convinces him to deal with his family the same way Delbert had, all while serving Jack drinks in the hotel's bar.
At the same time Jack is being taken over by the dark entities of the hotel, Danny is plagued by them as well. From seeing disturbing things like a tidal wave of blood pouring out of the elevator, to the dead woman in the bathroom of room 217 trying to strangle him, leaving a bruise which convinces Wendy it's time to leave the hotel when she sees it, thinking that it was put there by Jack in a drunken fit of anger.
What comes next is nothing short of page turning, sit on the edge of your seat, terror and suspense. The hotel is completely cut off due to a huge blizzard that's hit the area, and Wendy and Danny have to survive long enough to find a way out of the hotel and away from Jack. Locked in a bathroom with Jack on the outside, breaking in with a hatchet, Wendy manages to get Danny out of the window before the door breaks in. She manages to escape after slashing Jack's arm.
During all of this Danny sends a telepathic call for help to Dick Halloran, who rushes to their aid as quickly as he can only to be hit over the head with a mallet moments after entering the lobby of the hotel. Eventually, he gets up and finds both Wendy and Danny who lets them know that Jack is down in the boiler room. The three escape the hotel just in time as the boiler blows up and the hotel becomes engulfed in flames.
Fast forward to the following summer, where Wendy, Danny and Halloran are recuperating both physically and mentally from their experience in Maine where Halloran has taken a job at a local hotel.
The Shining is one of my all-time favorite Stephen King books, and the sequels have not disappointed this Constant Reader yet. This book is definitely in the top 5 of my 10 all time favorites books by Stephen King and is always a great story to revisit.
Until next time, Cheers, and happy reading!
