The Shining (original 1977; edition 1978)

Paragonare il film di Kubrick al libro di King è inevitabile, eppure le due storie sono molto diverse e non solo a livello di intreccio: il film racconta una storia di pazzia e Jack Torrance sembra molto più "consapevole" di quello che fa. Nel libro Jack è la vittima principale dell'Overlook Hotel, che è il vero protagonista della storia. Inoltre è diversissimo il peso della storia del precedente custode, il signor Grady, nell'economia del romanzo: uno dei punti focali nel film passa molto più in sordina, perdendosi nella miriade di storie fosche del grande edificio.Molte scene memorabili da una parte non si ritrovano nell'altra e anche la fine è piuttosto diversa. Personalmente preferisco, anche se di poco, il libro, se non altro perché consegna al lettore tutte le risposte di cui ha bisogno per capire a fondo la storia... nel film molti elementi rimangono oscuri: chi è Tony in realtà? Chi sono il tipo vestito da cane e l'altro che Wendy vede quando è braccata? Cosa vuol dire la fotografia nell'inquadratura finale e perché c'è anche Jack dentro? Leggendo il romanzo si comprende tutto e la cosa dà una certa soddisfazione. Il film però ha delle scene indimenticabili e l'interpretazione magistrale di Nicholson e della Duvall. Per questi motivi consiglio comunque entrambi, se possibile prima il film e poi il libro. ( )

Ahh, Stephen King. His books are superb, movies, not so much, but the Shining movie was the exception. The book delivered on all levels. A triumph for King and a pleasure fot King lovers. ( )

I am a big fan of Stephen King, but I had never read this book before. I had started to read it when I was in middle school and never finished. I had seen the movie, but the book is so much better! The two don’t even compare – the movie is so different, it does not do the book justice. Of course, Jack Nicholson makes a great “bad guy;” how could he not with those crazy eyebrows?? And don’t get me wrong – the movie was creepy enough for me; I am a wimp when it comes to scary movies, but the book is so much more suspenseful! The story starts with a family going up to the Overlook Hotel to be the caretakers for the winter. The husband is a writer, and brings his son and wife with him; this could be dangerous, as when it begins to snow, there is no getting in or out of the hotel. The son has "the shining," the ability to see and sense what is in the spirit world. The hotel is definitely an evil force and a character itself in the novel, and begins to take control. The grounds also take on the evilness of the hotel; the hedge animals move, there are creepy bees. I was constantly looking over my shoulder and listening for creaking noises when I was reading, waiting for those hedge animals to come get me. Stephen King truly is the master of horror. He is excellent at description and creating that sense of suspense. If you haven’t ever read Stephen King, or haven’t in a while, pick up one of his books. But have the covers and flashlight ready to protect yourself! ( )

Another King I've read so many years ago. Back in the days when i read his books multiple times, when i only read Dutch translated books)

Weirdly this is one of few books of him where I remember the movie more than the book.
Must re-read one day. ( )

Continuing in my adventures in the worlds of Stephen King! This time: The Shining. I liked this a lot, overall. Bits of the actual style annoyed me, but the story sucked me right in. The central concept of "the shine" itself interests me, because, well, I'm not sure it's all that fictional. Extra-sensory perception and all that. The idea of the sentient house is a really creepy one, mainly because it touches on the fears you have as a kid -- the fire extinguisher really does look like a snake coiled to strike, something's going to get you while your back is turned.

It's also interesting because it's one of your POV characters who actually gets absorbed by the bad and becomes it. Jack Torrance is a subtle character, in a way, because the bad in him goes hand in hand with the good: he loves his son, and that gets twisted, he loved his father, and that twists. Of course, there's nothing much subtle about Jack's temper, and you know that he's going to be the one to break, but there's a subtlety about your feelings for him. Or so I found, anyway: even at the last, I felt sorry for him, even though he wasn't strong enough to fight it off.

In this book I'd say there's really only three or four main characters. The others that pop up are pretty superfluous -- and I liked that even so, they had bits and pieces of characterisation: Al, deciding to get sober; Ullman, loving the hotel; the characters Dick meets who have a bit of the shine... The main characters aren't actually that in depth, if I really think about it. They're easily summarised. I guess that's not a bad thing when you're looking to be frightened, when your childhood fears are being invoked. The best character is, of course, the character of Danny, psychic six year old, who loves his mum and dad and tries so hard to be brave. ( )