The Shining

Name: Serina

Grade: 12+

Title: The Shining

Author: Stephen king

Jack Torrance is out of options. His career as an English teacher is down the toilet, his wife is threatening to leave him, and his writing career is also spiraling away; and he owes all his problems to his alcoholic lifestyle. But after becoming painfully sober to try and save himself and his family, Jack has one last chance to make things right. He is given the job to take care of a motel deep in the mountains that closes down in the winter due to the frequent snow storms. With family in tow, Jack heads to the Overlook Hotel with no idea what it will do to them. Once there and completely snowed in, the Torrance's make themselves at home. Jack spends his time working on a screenplay, watching to boiler, and heating the rooms. His wife, Wendy, prepares the meals. His son, Danny, wanders the hotel. Unknown to his parents, Danny has a very strong psychic gift that he calls a 'shine' and he sees a lot more in the hotel than just empty rooms. Evil lurks there, an evil that chases him through his dreams with a roque mallet, an evil that shares an uncanny resemblance to his father. Jack sees things as well and the hotel slowly begins to take over his mind, turning a once loving father into a monster that only seeks to destroy his family. There will be no help coming for Wendy and Danny; the phone lines are out after a rather hideous storm, and there is no way down off the mountain. Also, the Overlook is determined to keep them there in its clutches, because it wants Danny's shine, and it refuses to let them escape from the horrors inside its doors.

This book was slow at moments, but also extremely enthralling. Each chapter seemed to bring the Torrance family closer and closer to their doom, and while Stephen king threw in his general supernatural scenes, the horror was painfully real. As usual, Stephen king has churned out a horrific masterpiece that quickly became a cult classic as well as was adapted into a movie. But trust me, the book is more worth your time.

I picked this book up because I am trying to read everything by Stephen king.

I finished this book because all the seriously exciting and horrifying stuff happened in the last few chapters.

I'd give this book to any Stephen King fan and anyone who is willing to be patient for well written horror.

***** It was amazing!