So if walls could talk, the Overlook Hotel’s would SCREAM. Stephen King, the undisputed horror King (both literally and figuratively), presents a masterpiece of psychological and supernatural terror in The Shining. This is not merely a typical haunted house story; it is a profound and disturbing exploration of isolation, madness, and the spine-chilling power of the past that refuses to remain buried.

Jack Torrance, an aspiring writer with a troubled history, accepts a job as the winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, hoping for a new beginning with his wife, Wendy, and their remarkable five-year-old son, Danny. However, the Overlook is not just a scenic retreat; it has baggage heavier than the luggage in the lobby. As winter arrives, the ghosts of the past (quite literally) refuse to leave, and Jack begins to lose his grip on reality. Meanwhile, Danny, who has the psychic gift of “the shining,”目睹了酒店走廊中潜藏的恐怖景象，相信我，它们简直就是套房噩梦。

King creates an atmosphere so dense with dread that you could almost slice it with an axe (and Jack just might). The tension builds like a boiler on the verge of exploding, and the psychological breakdown of Jack is as terrifying as the hotel's spectral inhabitants. The story is filled with unforgettable imagery: eerie topiary animals that seem to shift their positions when you're not looking, elevators dripping with blood (talk about a red carpet welcome), and Room 237, where you'll wish the Do Not Disturb sign actually worked.

Beyond the scares, The Shining is a tragic and captivating character study. Jack's descent into madness is both horrifying and heart-wrenching, making it one of King's most psychologically rich novels. Wendy is a strong and resilient presence, fighting to protect her son while navigating the storm of Jack's unraveling mind. And Danny? He's a five-year-old powerhouse of perception, proving that sometimes the smallest voices speak the loudest when it comes to danger.

With writing as sharp as Jack's axe and a plot that creeps up on you like a haunted hallway, The Shining solidifies King's reputation as the monarch of the macabre. It's terrifying, tragic, and impossible to put down, until you realize it's 2 AM and your hotel room door just creaked on its own.

☝

"Monsters are real. Ghosts are too. They live inside of us, and sometimes, they win." This profound statement sets the tone for the eerie and captivating story of "The Shining."

3.5 ★

When Jack Torrance takes on a new job at the atmospheric and secluded Overlook Hotel, his plans seem simple. He aims to focus on his writing and spend quality time with his wife Wendy and their son Danny. However, the family soon discovers that the hotel has a dark and troubled past. As their stay progresses, things start to fall apart in ways they could never have imagined. The hotel's malevolent influence begins to take its toll on Jack's sanity and the love he has for his family.

"This inhuman place makes human monsters."

I can't believe I finally got around to reading this after intending to for so long. The story, centered around Jack's gradual descent into madness with a paranormal twist, was truly engaging. One could argue that Jack's pre-existing anger issues and drinking problems might have led him down this path regardless of their stay at the hotel. My heart went out to Danny, who loves his father unconditionally and struggles to believe the warnings from the spirits, despite having The Shine. The only drawback for me was the slow start, which made it difficult to get fully invested until the second half. However, the ending was truly remarkable, and I'm excited to finally see Jack Nicholson's iconic portrayal. I know Stephen King isn't a fan of the interpretation, so I'm curious to see where I'll stand.

Let's start with this question: Was the novel scary?

For those who know me, the answer to this question is known and of course it's no. Because with my watching of many horror movies and with all the sound effects, I don't feel scared. And in novels, with the detailed descriptions as well, I don't feel scared either. So I'm not a measure in this part.

We're talking about the novel, but at the beginning, I want to talk about Stephen King himself and what I've come to through the reactions of friends during the novel, from feeling bored and not interested in the details. Well, you read for King, and he's a name on a par, so he's King of the details. With him, I find a description for everything and a detailed description of personal details. So with him, I don't read a horror novel but a detailed drawing of the characters, of all their thoughts and actions and the reasons for that as well, and the horror comes in the second place. So I think that for those who are only looking for a horror novel, Stephen's novels, especially "The Shining", usually won't be suitable to satisfy your desires because the horror is more in the transformations of the characters than in scary situations. The scary scenes are few for a novel of this size. Stephen King cares about the characters in his novels and delves into them and analyzes them first and foremost, and from time to time he gives you a part that is supposed to take your breath away, even a little, a little bit of horror from time to time. It makes me eager to know what will happen.

For me, I enjoyed reading the novel and liked the details of its characters. And it confirmed to me after I read the thing and then "The Shining" that Stephen is fascinated by the details and the drawing of the characters to make you see them in front of you and know about them what you don't know about your friends. And for me, his style is enjoyable and I can with him enter the depths of the characters.

Did I feel bored? Yes, sometimes with the description of some details like the work of the pipes and the instructions for maintaining the hotel and when it talks about the past of the hotel. But with the characters, I didn't feel bored, and this is the main part in the novel.

Now let's talk about the characters. Jack Torrance, the university professor and writer who wants to end his play. Jack is a heavy drinker.

Jack, who was forced by the circumstances that we will get to know to leave his teaching job and agree to work as a winter caretaker for the Overlook Hotel to take care of it during the winter period where the hotel will remain closed for five months. Jack will be there with his family, his wife Wendy and their young son Danny, who was the most attractive element in the novel because he can know things that no one else knows, and see things that no one else sees or dreams of seeing like him, a very small group of people.

"Did something happen to Dad? I dreamed of an incident that happened to him."

But be careful if you sit next to Danny, maybe he'll read your thoughts, so be careful what you think if you're with him.

And a second influential character was Dick Halloran, and the main hero as well in this novel is the hotel itself, "the Overlook Hotel".

"Every large hotel has its scandals, and every large hotel has its ghosts."

And what happens most in hotels.

"Does every hotel have its shadows? The Overlook has a whole set of ghosts."

So what will happen to the Torrance family and will they be able to live in the hotel throughout the winter alone in peace? Will Jack complete the play he is writing? Will Wendy regain her trust in her husband? Will this period be in the interest of this family or will the hotel have a different opinion!! And what is the secret of the word "redrum" that Danny sees and the secret of room 217? And what is the effect of the hotel on each member of the Torrance family?

"He will write the story of the Overlook, from its beginning.....

A strange resort: the story of the Overlook Hotel.....

He will write it because the Overlook has its charm - and is there a simpler or more accurate explanation than this? He will write it for the reason that every great writer, whether fictional or real, writes: to clarify the truth. In the end, the truth always comes out. He will write it because he feels that he has to write it."

And until a close encounter with the movie

3.5 stars

  


  


  Just published Two Truths and a Lie - A Booktube Review featuring this book and two others!


  Check it out to figure out which ones rock and which is the dud! With special guest - Tucker Almengor!

  The Written Review

  “Sometimes human places, create inhuman monsters.”

The Overlook Hotel, which is both gorgeous and isolated, is in desperate need of a winter caretaker.

Jack and his family, on the other hand, are in need of an income and a place to stay.

Months alone, trapped by snow, with only the family by their sides.

What could go wrong?

  “Wendy? Darling? Light, of my life. I'm not gonna hurt ya. I'm just going to bash your brains in.”

So this one was really quite good, but goodness gracious, I got lost at times.

I think it was because I watched the movie first.

So while I was reading this book, I was constantly attempting to piece together half-remembered fragments with what was happening in the book.

That being said, this book felt very well-crafted. It was compelling, fascinating, and spooky.

Watching the darkness spread and death draw ever closer really made the book for me.

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4.5 stars

First and foremost, I want to extend my heartfelt congratulations to myself for successfully reaching this day without falling victim to spoilers! I have an intense aversion to spoilers and will go to great lengths to avoid them. For instance, I skipped that particular friends episode where Joey and Rachel were spoiling books. I'm simply overjoyed that I finally have the opportunity to read this book, enabling me to resume a normal life without constantly having to be on guard against spoilers.

There's truly nothing I can say about this book that hasn't already been expressed. I thoroughly enjoyed it! It was an absolute rollercoaster ride! It had me on the edge of my seat, filled with stress and a sense of unease. The setting was极其恐怖、阴森，且充满了诡异的氛围。 We were plunged into a haunted hotel, completely isolated with no means of communication and no escape route. The madness and hallucinations that the hotel began to induce were truly terrifying. The concept of the book is simply hair-raising. Additionally, the characters were masterfully written. I adored the way we gradually got to know more about them, their inner conflicts, and their relationships as a family. The book was an absolute delight to read!

"He sat down on one of the stools and propped his elbows on the bar’s leather-cushioned edge. At his left hand was a bowl for peanuts – now empty, of course. The first bar he’d been in for nineteen months and the damned thing was dry – just his luck. All the same, a bitterly powerful wave of nostalgia swept over him, and the physical craving for a drink seemed to work itself up from his belly to his throat to his mouth and nose, shriveling and wrinkling the tissues as it went, making them cry out for something wet and long and cold."

- Stephen King, The Shining

In The Shining, a plethora of terrifying events unfold. However, none are as terrifying as the internal struggle of an alcoholic. Stephen King's novel is not only a classic ghost story but also a poignant portrayal of a man's mental breakdown.

The man in question is Jack Torrance, a talented writer who has wasted his potential with alcohol and a bad temper. He and his family - wife Wendy and young son Danny - are spending the winter at the Overlook, a hotel in the Colorado mountains with a dark and troubled past. Jack has been hired as the caretaker, his last chance to redeem himself after losing a teaching job at a prestigious prep school. All he has to do is keep the rooms warm, perform basic maintenance, and make minor repairs. He believes this job will give him ample time to finish the play he has been working on. The only catch is the isolation. Once the snow arrives, the winding mountain roads will become impassable, cutting off the Overlook from the outside world. It's the perfect place to write, go insane, or both.

The brilliance of The Shining lies in the simplicity of its setting. Isolated location, haunted accommodation, and a precocious child - all familiar story elements. But King layers on top of this foundation an exploration of Jack's increasingly fragile psyche. King is at his best in his depiction of Jack, making the reader feel the taste of crushed aspirin, the pounding headaches, and the desperate thirst for a drink. Jack is a complex character, simultaneously a loving husband, a doting father, a jerk, and a self-destructive mess.

King is known for his large-scale epics with numerous characters. Here, he simplifies things to four main players: Jack, Wendy, Danny, and Dick Hallorann, the Overlook's chef. King cleverly uses a third-person limited perspective, allowing him to tell the story through multiple viewpoints and adjust the focus as he pleases.

After Jack, Danny is the most significant character. He has "the shine," a form of ESP that includes telepathy, paranormal sensitivity, mind reading, and prophecy. Danny's abilities enable him to sense the danger of the Overlook and its harmful effect on his father long before anyone else.

King's greatest achievement is the way he anchors the strangeness in reality. He methodically constructs this confined world (the Overlook and the town of Sidewinder) and sketches its few characters. His plotting may take time, but there is a purpose. For example, an early scene where Jack and Wendy take Danny to a psychiatrist seems unnecessary at first. However, it serves to ground the story in the real world. Eventually, King unleashes all kinds of insanity, some of which may seem a bit silly. But all the groundwork he has laid pays off, and the reader believes in the hotel's coming to life.

The Shining is a slow-burning tale that culminates in unrestrained violence and gore, the kind that has made King extremely wealthy. (Compared to some of his other works, The Shining is relatively subtle.) The ending is foreshadowed early on, and I won't spoil it for those who haven't read it. I'm not sure if I love how King concludes the story, but I enjoyed the build-up so much that I can overlook any flaws. I appreciate the gradual increase in tension, the accumulation of details, and the slow escalation before everything explodes.

A brief mention of Kubrick's famous movie adaptation is in order. I've heard that King hated it, and I can understand why. Jack Nicholson plays Jack Torrance as already half-crazy from the start, which makes it difficult to take his portrayal seriously. The film version of Jack Torrance is more of an exercise in Jack Nicholson being himself. I like Kubrick's The Shining for its technical brilliance, but the novel is far superior.

The book version of Jack Torrance is very different from his on-screen counterpart. He starts as a deeply flawed man with a troubled past, a serious addiction, and a mean streak. But he also loves - or thinks he loves - his wife and child. You see glimpses of a good man, a man you don't want to see destroyed. The deterioration of Jack's mind and soul is the backbone of The Shining's narrative. King creates an unforgettable character. It's an accomplishment that showcases his skill, a skill that is sometimes overlooked.

I'm slowly making my way through Stephen King's extensive body of work. So far, my favorite has been Pet Sematary, where King uses a creepy concept (an Indian burial ground that can bring the dead back to life) to explore a very real human emotion (loss and grief). That book had such a powerful impact on me that I'm hesitant to read it again. It's becoming increasingly clear to me that King is a genius, a true literary master. He writes stories that you never forget.

At the Overlook in The Shining, many strange and macabre things occur. The tension, the scares, and the gradual revelation of the hidden terror will keep you turning the pages faster and faster. This is also why The Shining (and King's other works) is so easily adaptable to film. But the reason it's unforgettable is the framework that King builds. The horror of the supernatural is not as deep and terrifying as the horror that exists between flawed human beings.

Wow.

This book was such an incredible mindfuck. It completely took me by surprise and now I'm really struggling to steer back to reality.

It was juicy, staggeringly disturbing, and not only did this book have me on the edge of my seat for the majority of the read, but I was actually OFF the goddamn seat.

This was my third Stephen King novel, and out of the three, it's by far the best. I wasn't expecting to be hooked to this as much as I was. I was extremely tempted to book time off from work just to finish it.

From the outset, it was creepy and dark as hell. Certain passages scared the living daylights out of me. The writing in this book seemed to have no limits, and it's obvious that King is masterful with his words.

It's funny because as I mostly got my teeth into this book at home, at night, I found myself having a glance behind me just to check nobody was there. It really creeped me out. That is exactly what King sets out to do here. He wants to get into your mind, and then the novel affects you physiologically. It takes a lot of talent to do that. I don't think "IT" scared me as much.

I loved this book, and it has got to me maybe more than it should have. I don't think I'll be sleeping well for a while.

About as perfect a haunted house story as can be, King was truly at his best here.

It's as if he constructed a haunted house with meticulous care and then filled every nook and cranny with intricate details. King also excelled in characterization. The characters are all well-rounded and complete. We are privy to family relationships, group dynamics, and all those old hidden and buried fears.

King skillfully touches on psychological elements, as well as theological, metaphysical, spiritual, and cryptic aspects of a ghost story, wrapping the reader in a blanket of horror.

** I recently watched the 1980 Stanley Kubrik film, which made me eager to reread the book (something I needed to do anyway). Kubrik's film effectively grasps the psychological elements of the book and serves up an extra large thin crust "The Works" pizza of haunted house horror. Jack Nicholson's portrayal of Jack Torrance remains the definitive image of this tortured man. Although some critics have criticized the film's slow pace (unusual for the jump-out-and-yell-BOO! horror flicks of that era), I felt that Kubrik was masterfully building the tone and mood of the story towards the grisly final moments. King himself has had mixed emotions about the film as an adaptation but has consistently recognized that the imagery of Jack's internal struggle with the dark side of his psyche is a significant contribution to the horror film genre. King also disagreed with the casting of Nicholson, who was too closely associated with insanity (largely due to his outstanding work in "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest"). Interestingly, King was himself battling alcoholism while writing this classic, and viewing his work and Kubrik's vision from this perspective adds greater depth to our understanding and appreciation of both.

A solid 4-star read! I truly enjoyed this book a great deal more than the movie. Stephen King's writing is an absolute delight. His words have a way of pulling you in and making you feel as if you are right there in the story.

Although the book had its spooky moments, I wasn't as scared as I initially thought I would be. Perhaps it was because King's storytelling is so engaging that I was more focused on the plot and the characters rather than the scares.

Overall, I would highly recommend this book to any Stephen King fan or anyone who enjoys a good thriller. It's a page-turner that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

Full review now up!


The Shining marks a significant milestone for me as it is not only my first encounter with Stephen King's works but also my introduction to the captivating world of horror novels. And truly, there could be no more fitting guide than the maestro himself, the Master of Horror, to lead me into this thrilling genre.


Years ago, I had watched the movie adaptation of The Shining. However, only the vaguest of details managed to linger in my memory from that viewing experience. With this in mind, I approached the book with as little preconceived knowledge as possible, considering its immense popularity. I firmly believe that this approach enhanced my enjoyment of the story, allowing the gradual buildup to the more hair-raising scenes to have a more profound impact. Now, I must clarify that I was never truly petrified...honestly. But there were definitely several moments when I was severely creeped out. Stephen King possesses an uncanny knack for meticulously setting up a scene in such a way as to extract the maximum shock value from it. There were instances when I initially thought, "yeah, that's not that scary." But by the conclusion of the scene, I found myself on the edge of my seat, screaming "run, run, damn you."

\\n  \\n    It was the place he had seen in the midst of the blizzard, the dark and booming place where some hideously familiar figure sought him down long corridors carpeted with jungle. The place Tony had warned him against. It was here. It was here. Whatever Redrum was, it was here.\\n  \\n

I am convinced that what makes this story so deeply relatable are the characters and the events that unfold within its pages. They could easily belong to any typically dysfunctional family, and many of us have had our own brushes with the paranormal, albeit perhaps not to the extreme degree depicted in this book. Even the slightest paranormal encounter can be deeply disturbing. By the way, the next time I encounter animal shrubs, I will most definitely be turning around and heading in the opposite direction. Or perhaps I'll go in armed with a Ghostbusters proton pack strapped firmly to my back. That seems like the only sensible option.


\\n  Final Thoughts\\n


As I embarked on this literary journey, I had always been curious as to why the book was titled The Shining. I don't recall the movie ever providing a satisfactory explanation for this, but as I mentioned earlier, it has been quite some time since I last watched it. Needless to say, this question was swiftly answered early on in the book and served as a central focal point throughout the story.


Now, you may be wondering why I awarded this book only 4 stars. Well, being my first foray into the horror genre, I admittedly had little else to compare it to. I truly did enjoy the book, but I couldn't help but feel a tinge of dissatisfaction with the ending. While everything was neatly wrapped up, I still had a few minor issues. I won't go into details here for fear of spoiling the story for others, but this is precisely why it didn't receive the full 5 stars.


I am extremely glad that I chose The Shining to initiate my exploration of this genre. Although, I must give credit where credit is due. My good GR buddy Craig also played a significant role in this decision. So, hats off to you, mate, for the excellent recommendation. I would wholeheartedly recommend this book to readers out there who have yet to delve into the horror genre. And for those of you who have already dipped your toes in this thrilling pool...why on earth haven't you read this yet? I will be adding the horror genre to my list of favorites, so you can expect to see more horror reviews from me in the future. Until then...happy reading!


4 stars ****

Wow! If you have only seen the movie, you are truly missing out. You definitely should read the book too as there are quite a few terrifying differences. I must admit that several times throughout the book, the vivid image of Jack Nicholson popped into my mind. Stephen King's writing is simply amazing! There are NO slow or boring parts here. Each page is filled with excitement and anticipation. The details he provides bring the story to life in a way that the movie just can't quite capture. You'll find yourself on the edge of your seat, turning the pages as fast as you can. Whether you're a die-hard horror fan or just looking for a great read, this book is a must-have. So, what are you waiting for? Grab a copy and get ready to be scared out of your wits!

Constant readers might be quite surprised to learn this, but even after a second perusal, this particular early Stephen King read still ranks among my least favorite.

This perception is likely influenced by the far superior and classic Stanley Kubrick/Jack Nicholson movie. I feel that the movie is more firmly grounded and significantly less reliant on the supernatural compared to the book.

For context, I should add a personal admission. I find most ghost stories unfathomable because their reality 'rules' often seem to be bent on the fly to suit the needs of the story being told, much like in this very book.

All in all, I'd rate this book a 5.5 out of 12!