We're All in This Together: A Novella and Stories

This is a brilliant little collection of one novella and four short stories. When you consider that it’s the author’s first book, it really says something. This is no amateur storyteller here. These stories work, and they work well.

You might recognize the name of the author if you’re a Stephen King fan; it’s his second son. It might be unfair to compare Owen’s one book to the 40-year legacy of his father, but it’s probably nigh on impossible not to at least consider it. I mean, it’s his son. King has been scaring and enthralling the world for nearly 40 years. So when his sons start publishing, one can’t help but wonder if they will carry on his legacy.

Owen’s older brother sure has. Joe Hill is hugely successful in his show more own right and a brilliant author to boot. So not only does Owen have the biggest name in the history of the horror genre setting the bar, but his older brother as well. His mother is also an author, and so is his wife. Owen pretty much has to be good, right?

But all that aside, Owen is not a horror writer. Though the heart of his stories (especially the title novella of this book) resemble some of the better emotional character developments of his father’s career, they stand out on their own as well. In fact, I found myself thinking of Empire Falls, the novel by Richard Russo more often than I did King’s work. That’s one hell of a comparison, as not only did Russo win a Pulitzer, but it was good, really good. A side-note here might be that Empire Falls is set in a small Maine town, as is “We’re All In This Together”. Another side note is that Russo is a friend of Stephen King.

“We’re All In This Together” (novella):
-5 stars. The setting and texture of the novella do remind me of Empire Falls, though this is of course a much shorter work. It doesn’t have the intricate structure of Russo’s novel, but on a smaller scale I think Owen does manage to capture the heart of the characters, especially the narrator, George Claiborne.

The characters are wonderfully developed in a relatively short space. George is a bit of a troubled kid, but he’s not a bad sort. I’d certainly be curious to see how he turns out as an adult. The eccentric grandfather and his equally (or even more-so) eccentric best friend certainly earned their share of laughs. The potential stepfather, Dr. Vic was another well-drawn character. He’s kind of a jackass, but sympathetic in his own way. And then there is Emma, George’s mother. I admit I had a bit of a book crush on her. She’s a struggling single mom that’s trying to raise her son right yet wants a little happiness of her own. Who doesn’t? It’s a difficult balance at times and she handles it as best she can. She just felt real to me.

This novella is fabulous. If this is any indication of Owen King’s talent, we could be looking at a fantastic body of work in the future. It doesn’t even need the accompanying short stories for me to recommend buying and reading this book.

Since it really can’t be avoided, I’ll go ahead and jump into it. There are definitely some moments that made me think of Stephen King’s work. These probably aren’t spoilers, and might not even be Easter eggs, but I found them to be cool. I have to wonder if they’re there by coincidence or design.
*Claiborne = narrator’s last name. Also the last name of SK’s Dolores Claiborne.
*Amberson = the name of the town George lives in. It’s also the last name given by a character in SK’s 11/22/63. Curiously, that character’s first name is George.
*Lee Harvey Oswald. George’s grandfather mentions him at one point, briefly. Though a person taken from actual history, Oswald is a primary focus in 11/22/63.
*Joe Hillstrom. Another true figure from history, this is the person that Owen’s brother Joseph Hillstrom King (Joe Hill) was named after. He was a labor activist in the early 1900s, executed for murder with mysterious circumstances. In this book, a portrait of him and his motto of "Don't mourn...organize!" have huge symbolic significance.
*Boston Red Sox. They’re mentioned a few times, as they often are in SK’s stories. That’s probably not a huge coincidence as they’re very popular across New England. Still, it was familiar.
Note: This book was published in 2005, a full six years before 11/22/63. So I find myself wondering if, in fact, SK was influenced by his son, rather than the other way around.


“Frozen Animals”:
That was a strange little story, but I can’t say I didn’t find it compelling. While I wouldn’t classify it as horror, the dental work scenes had me writhing and shivering more than I care to think about.

“Wonders”:
Another oddity, and it shouldn’t be surprising that we have a story where baseball is important. After all, Owen King himself was a character in a baseball story written by his father: “Head Down”.
That aside, this is a weird little story. It’s very good and held my interest. But the relationship between a baseball team and a carnival of freaks was pretty unique. A book wouldn’t truly come from the King family without a really good WTF-moment or two, and this certainly provides.

“Snake”
This is my favorite of the short stories. A little haunting, a little creepy, it left the feeling that there should be more, much more to tell. The guy from “Due Date” should play the snake keeper, and I have to love the name of the snake: Julius Squeezer.

“My Second Wife”
Wow. This one was a road trip story of sorts. I could definitely see it work as a movie too. Lots of little twists and turns and unexpectedness. Very enjoyable.

That’s what I get out of all of these stories. You don’t know where they’re going to go. There’s really no way to predict it, and that’s refreshing. You might even find yourself scratching your head at the end of some of them, going “did he just…” and not being entirely sure just what might have happened next. But that’s alright too, because these stories will keep your attention front to back, and they will stir your imagination, your funny-bone, and probably some emotions here and there.

I’m seriously looking forward to reading more from Owen King someday. show less

Having read [b:Double Feature|15802120|Double Feature|Owen King|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1346093862s/15802120.jpg|21525516] and enjoying it, I thought it would be interesting to go back to his first release.

I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it. I enjoy King's characters a lot, and I love the stories themselves. However, there's only one thing I can point to that I really don't enjoy and that's the fact that all the stories seem to end without any wrap up. It's as if they ended about three paragraphs too soon.

His wife, author [a:Kelly Braffet|120948|Kelly Braffet|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1358092146p2/120948.jpg] writes similarly, but I prefer her writing over King's, at least for this collection. As I said, Double Feature show more was a much better book.

I must say though, the last story in this collection, My Second Wife, was a standout. Really enjoyed it. show less

George is a young boy whose mother is going to marry Dr. Vic. George doesn't really care for Dr. Vic, as he is a bit of a "square". George's grandfather was a union guy, always mentioning union cases and circumstances. His grandfather believes that Al Gore should have won the election and has planted a large sign on his front lawn stating so.
There are shenanigans going on with the paper boy, grandfather's best friend, Gil, and others. Every person having their opinions about the election.
This novella is funny and very well written. I can't remember the last time I actually laughed out loud while reading a book. Owen King made me do that.
The short stories are succinct, although I had a hard time really understanding their meaning. But show more still well written. show less

I mostly like this set of a novella and short stories. Owen King obviously has a lot of talent and some of the same interests as his famous father.

The novella was the most compelling of the pieces, I think having a little longer format helped to flesh out the characters and the plotting. While I didn't dislike the short stories I did have less connection with the characters. The stories were all very well done but I found myself wishing for more.

I'll be reading more by Mr. King.

A strong and imaginative debut from a writer to watch. My favorite story is "Frozen Animals," a creepy and evocative snow globe about an itinerant dentist. It still gives me the chills whenever I think about it. Which I still occasionally do, three years later.

best collection of 2006.