Even though my heart is full of dead things, I have a soft spot for this one in It.

It was the beginning and the end. It was an end of a beautiful beginning that was another opening.

In 2003, something remarkable started. It was like a spark that ignited a series of events that would shape my life.

Fast forward to 2016, and that same something had come to an end. But it wasn't a sad end. It was a conclusion that led to new beginnings.

Looking back, I can see how that one thing in It had such a profound impact on me. It taught me lessons, made me grow, and left a lasting impression.

Even though it's over, I will always cherish the memories and the experiences that came with it. It will always hold a special place in my heart.

3.5 stars


Original title: The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon




Short review for busy readers:


This is a rather good "man vs nature" story in the style of classics such as To Build a Fire or more recently, Follow the River and The Vaster Wilds. It offers an engaging exploration of the human struggle against the forces of nature.




In detail:


Although the actual writing didn't completely draw me in, what I found truly excellent was the vivid characterisation of the main character, Trisha. She is a real and palpable individual, someone you feel you would instantly recognise if you were to meet her in real life. This is highly impressive and feels very natural. Her character also reinforces my belief that readers typically prefer to read about characters who are smarter, braver, and tougher than themselves. Trisha is a perfect example. At just 9, almost 10, years old, she knows more about nature than most adults, makes accurate guesses about things that adults might not get right, and has more determination than almost all modern (American) kids and a significant portion of adults. While I didn't find her age and knowledge entirely plausible, she is a likeable female main character. Many writers consider the man vs nature plot to be the most challenging of all plots to execute successfully. After all, for most of the story, there are no other people around except the protagonist, and the entire narrative is based on the ancient dangers and fears that nature inspires in us, which is quite the opposite of the "sweet, beneficial natural world" we often envision today, now that we have electricity, modern medicine, and weed killer. King does an admirable job of intertwining the beauty and the danger of the natural world to create a story that, while not exactly gripping, is captivating enough to maintain your interest. I listened to the German language audio, which used strange sound effects, loud heavy metal snippets, and sudden crash!boom!bang! noises to emphasize "THIS IS SCARY!!!". I've never heard an audiobook do that, and I really didn't appreciate it.

A very fast-paced read from the renowned Stephen King, this book was published in 1999 and contains several truly scary moments. It presents a rather simple story. A nine-year-old girl named Trisha gets lost in the woods when she strays from the Appalachian Trail in, unsurprisingly, King's beloved state of Maine. The young girl must then draw upon all of her courage and faith to overcome her ever-increasing fears. She has a sort of hero in the form of Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Tom Gordon. She imagines that he is by her side, protecting her. With only 264 pages, this is a relatively short work by the master storyteller. Fans of Stephen King would be remiss to miss out on this thrilling tale. It offers a unique combination of fear, adventure, and the power of a child's imagination. It's a captivating read that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

2016 read: I find that I enjoy this book to an even greater extent with each subsequent re-reading. It occurs to me that sometimes the weight of (excessive) expectation can diminish a book's impact upon the first reading, and that was precisely the case for me. Consider a nine-year-old girl who becomes lost in the New Hampshire woods. This is her straightforward, yet utterly captivating tale of whether she can manage to survive alone in the wilderness and whether her Red Sox hero, Tom Gordon, can come to her aid! Such a basic concept - a child adrift in the woods, relying solely on the thought of her hero for support - has been transformed into something far more profound by King. I rated this book 8 out of 12 on this reading. Interestingly, I gave it only 4 out of 12 on my very first reading!

Stephen King's "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" is a remarkable and engaging survival story.

It is told from the single point of view (POV) of the nine-year-old protagonist, Trisha McFarland. This limited perspective creates an intense intimacy, drawing the reader into Trisha's mind as she battles to survive being lost in the wilderness.

The novel is peppered with baseball references, especially Trisha's fixation on Red Sox pitcher Tom Gordon. However, one doesn't have to be a baseball enthusiast to relish the story. In contrast to King's "Blockade Billy," where baseball is the central focus, here it serves as a coping mechanism for Trisha, representing hope and resilience.

What truly stands out is Trisha's believable and progressive mental and physical decline. King masterfully depicts her deteriorating state, caused by dehydration, hunger, and her increasing fear of the unknown lurking in the forest. This gradual unravelling feels authentic and intensifies the mounting tension.

The story also allows for interpretation, particularly in its ending. Without giving away too much, there is an air of ambiguity about what Trisha experiences during her ordeal. Is it real or a product of her imagination? This lingering doubt is both haunting and satisfying, a characteristic of King's storytelling.

The final scene, which ties back to her father, is deeply poignant and rewarding. It brings the narrative full circle and adds an emotional resonance that lasts long after the last page.

Overall, "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" is a beautifully written and tightly constructed tale. At its core, it is a survival story, but its psychological depth and subtle supernatural elements elevate it to something truly memorable. Whether or not you're a baseball fan, this is a gripping and thought-provoking read that showcases King's talent for blending the ordinary with the extraordinary.

3.5 out of 5 stars

TW: Animal gore, Insect phobias, Bodily functions, Baseball & Religion

P.S. Don't read if you dislike survivalist tropes, Sports (Baseball) and/or Religion as plot points. Superficially, this reminded me of Hatchet by Gary Paulsen with some Lord of the Flies by William Golding, vaguely sprinkled throughout.

This was an unexpectedly fast read for me. I am a King fan, so there is a pre-existing bias. The story follows a 9-year-old (soon to be 10) girl who is big for her age. Her mother has taken Trisha and her brother Pete on an exciting hike through the woods in Maine. On the trail, her mother and brother start arguing. Trisha tries to get their attention as she has to use the bathroom. Failing to do so, she makes the decision to go off the trail a bit, but still within earshot. After seeing and hearing others on the trail, she gets turned around and moves further back.

The entire book is divided into chapters titled by baseball innings. Each inning represents Trisha's struggle and perseverance, first to get back to the trail and then to get back to civilization. Religion is mentioned and discussed, but not overly pushed. King is very descriptive of the environment and its effect on Trisha, the unknown of being alone as a child. The NY Times described it as "Frightening....feverish terror," but I didn't really feel that way. There was suspense and anxiety for the character, but no terror. I would recommend this book, considering the above triggers, if you want a fast-paced, suspenseful drama. It's a shorter but engaging book by Stephen King and a good introduction to his writing and genre.

3.5 STARS.

Another King book has been completed, and there are still many more to go

I'm not a fan of baseball. All those 50 footnotes and the dozen pages of baseball descriptions were excessive and detracted from the overall rating of the book.

As for the story itself, from "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" it could have been a nice, long tale. The atmosphere is well recreated, although it is slightly drawn out in places. Essentially, the plot is lacking, beyond the girl getting lost and her wandering in the mountains. And King has so many great stories that much more deserve to be developed over 200 pages.

The ending was nice. For a moment I even considered whether not to give it 3 stars, but then I remembered the middle of the novel, where 50 pages could be synthesized into 2 or 3.

In the end, if this wasn't a King novel but by some unknown author, surely very few people would bother to read it. For me, it is definitely the weakest book by the King that I have read so far.

Stephen King reading project #35

Safe to say this one did not do it for me. The writing is as good as ever, but this feels like something King could write in his sleep. In fact, it almost sent me there on more than one occasion. The New York Times reviewer who wrote the cover blurb should stay far away from really scary books to avoid having to sleep with the lights on in the future.

I can't shake the feeling that SK has written this story before. The lost, watched, and vulnerable protagonist echoes those in Cujo, Misery, and Gerald's Game. What these three have in common is that they are all scary and recommended. Even without having kids of my own, I think I can understand the horror of a 10-year-old girl getting lost in a large forest. However, this fact alone is not enough for a book. King has described hardships and terror much better and more effectively than this. If you're not interested in or don't understand baseball, that's another drawback. The final straw was the ending, which really annoyed me.

Recommended for completionists only.

3.5 Stars
Even though this novel was penned by the renowned King, it deviated from his typical horror genre and leaned more towards survival suspense. The pacing of the narrative was extremely slow, lacking in significant action. The main character, who was supposed to be a nine-year-old, didn't entirely embody the characteristics and mindset of that age group. However, despite these drawbacks, I still found myself inexplicably drawn into the audiobook version. There was something about the story that held my attention, perhaps it was the underlying mystery or the unique setting. It made me want to keep listening, eager to discover what would happen next. While it may not have been a perfect read, it did have its own charm and managed to engage me on some level.

A small, simple miracle of a book.

This book is truly a wonder. It may not be large in size or overly complex in its structure, but it holds a special charm that is hard to resist.

It has the power to transport readers to another world, to make them feel emotions they never thought possible.

The story within its pages unfolds in a way that keeps you on the edge of your seat, eager to turn the next page and discover what comes next.

And while it may seem like a simple tale at first glance, there are hidden depths and meanings that reveal themselves upon closer inspection.

It is a book that can be read and reread, each time uncovering something new and wonderful.

Read more over at my Great Stephen King Reread.

The world had teeth and it could bite you with them anytime it wanted.

This is a captivating story about a young girl named Trisha. She embarks on a hiking trip with her mother and brother along a branch of the Appalachian Trail. However, after taking a toilet break, she becomes separated from them. Thus begins her solitary hike through the woods, where she strays further and further from civilization. She has only a limited supply of food and water, and her portable radio for company.

Reviewing this book was a bit of a challenge for me. At first, I really struggled to get into it. I have a penchant for character interactions and relationships, so a story that focuses mainly on one character lost in the woods wasn't something I would typically relish reading about. Nevertheless, as I delved into the second half of the book, I found myself enjoying it more and more, and eventually, I came to love the second half.

The standout feature of this book for me was the main character herself, Trisha. What an incredibly brave, resourceful, and determined little girl she is! On numerous occasions, I found myself thinking, "If this were me, I would have simply curled up into a ball and given up." But not Trisha. She keeps going, no matter what. She has now become one of my favorite King characters, and I was truly amazed at how effortlessly King was able to access the mind of a young nine-year-old girl. It was so believable!

All in all, while this may not be one of my absolute favorite King books, it was still an enjoyable read. Perhaps it would have been better suited as a short story or part of a collection.