There is no denying that Stephen King is a master. So much so that with only a few exceptions, I have avoided his gorier novels. Under The Dome has practically no gore, but instead delivers loads of terror through psychological and sociological evil.
In the middle of a perfectly lovely day, the town of Chester's Mill, Maine is suddenly encapsulated behind an imprenetrable barrier. This barrier has come down on the city lines on all edges, leaving a wake of destruction where it was placed. The following 1000+ pages of King's novel are dedicated to illustrating the town of Chester's Mill and it's inhabitants during their time under the dome. They are a cast of diverse folks, not unlike any other small town. The most frightening character of all is second town selectman, Big Jim Rennie. Power hungry and manipulative, Rennie sees the dome as a tool to further his plan for domination. During the short period of imprisonment beneath the dome, the people of Chester's Mill face the best and worst of each other, baring all secrets, and struggling to simply stay alive.
This novel has so much depth that I can't begin to rightly review it. It is mindblowing. The characters are terrifying. The situation is surreal. The horrors are gut-wrenching. I couldn't put it down. The end of every chapter begts the reader to continue. The mystery is engaging. In short, Stephen King has created what may be the perfect thriller novel.
Rating: $$$
Ever since I looked this up (with your first teaser) it's been enticing me, but the potential for terror puts me off.
ReplyDeleteSaying he created the perfect thriller novel seems pretty far fetched to me. Check out my recent review if your at all interested. I am a big King fan and this was totally not up to par in my opinion.
ReplyDelete