The Shining

Back to the Overlook, my God, when did I last read this? I was a teenager, for sure, one of my first King books, but not THE first. I remember the trailers for the film terrifying me when I was little, and it was rewatching the film that prompted me to impulsively order this from the library. King can write, of that there is no doubt, college-professor literary wunderkind level writing, but utterly devoted to the genre of horror, the good old haunted house/psychic child tropes reworked with stunning skill and craft, albeit still raw, to some extent. But the burning molten core of The Shining is the alcoholic father and the destruction of a fragile family. There are a lot of well-described things in here, a lot of well-evoked emotions, show more but none as real as the ravages of alcoholism on the psyche of the male father and breadwinner and wannabe writer.

Still, though, winter closes in and the hotel comes to ghastly life and the hedge-animals move - yes, well done leaving those out of the film, Stanley Kubrick - and nobody does the unremitting terror of the supernatural like King does. A bracing reminder why he has ruled the bestseller lists for decades. show less

The Overlook Hotel is a special place – a playground for the fabulously wealthy with a lively past, its location in the Colorado mountains makes it impossible to visit in the winter, thereby requiring a caretaker to maintain the property, monitor the heating system, and prevent the winter months from destroying this beautiful castle in the sky. Jack Torrance and his family are this year’s caretakers. Without any forthcoming job opportunities and still working through his sobriety, Jack sees this as a chance to improve his struggling relationship with his wife and spend even more quality time with his adored son, Danny. However, in the Overlook Hotel, things are not what they seem, and Jack’s plans are quickly hijacked for show more something more sinister. Stephen King’s The Shining is the quintessential haunted house tale, and while the story itself may be familiar, Mr. King adds his own twists to make it uniquely his own.

One has to admire the Torrances. It takes a special soul to even attempt to spend an entire winter snowed into an empty hotel. Even though Wendy and Danny are not overly excited about the prospect, they still recognize the importance of Jack’s caretaker role for their family’s future. Perhaps the Overlook Hotel has infused the collective consciousness with the potential dangers of abandoned hotels, but the idea of spending even one night in one, let alone eight months, is akin to going outside when there is a serial killer on the loose. The fact that they not only consider the role but move forward with it is a testament to their love for each other and their willingness to work through their problems, making what occurs that much more tragic.

The book version of Jack Torrance is nothing like those iconic images of Jack Nicholson breaking through the door. Those who have grown up seeing those posters and watching those snippets of the Stanley Kubrick movie will be quite surprised at how likable Jack is. He has his faults – namely a horrible temper and a drinking problem – but he adores his son, loves his wife, and would do anything to avoid hurting them. In the beginning, he is fun, nurturing, and incredibly sweet in his interactions with Danny. His past behaviors are behind him now that he is sober, and the future really does look bright. The subsequent descent into madness that follows after a few months in an evil hotel is all the more upsetting. He is as much a victim as Danny and Wendy, if not more so because his future is lost.

The Shining is not just a novel about an evil hotel, but it is almost a parable about the sins of the father visiting the son. Jack’s past, told in flashbacks and dream sequences brought on by the hotel’s possession, unveils a highly abusive and alcoholic father. While Jack does not intend to mirror his father’s behavior and has taken steps to avoid doing so, the hotel has other plans. Similarly, Wendy’s relationship with her mother is just as fractured, and many of her actions are in direct response to her mother’s imagined reaction to her family situation. Had Jack’s father been less abusive, would Jack have ended up at the Overlook Hotel? Had Wendy’s mother been more supportive and less full of indignant blame, would Wendy have chosen to leave Jack before they ever got to the hotel? This raises the question of whether one can ever truly avoid passing along the lessons learned from parents, no matter how traumatic they were.

Campbell Scott is an adequate narrator right up until Jack starts feeling the effects of his isolation at the Overlook. Before then, he is quiet with a sing-song quality to his narration that makes it easy for a listener to zone out the story altogether. His performance of the different characters, from five-year-old Danny to the much older and culturally diverse Dick Hallorann, is subtle but distinct, and while he does not move into a falsetto to portray Wendy, the higher pitch he does use is simultaneously pleasant and appropriate. However, when the tension becomes intense, and the drama is at its highest peak, Mr. Scott comes into his element. His vocalization of evil and anger is downright disturbing, made even more so by his mildness in prior, happier scenes. This anger and malevolence that Mr. Scott articulates make the story even more horrific and intense, as it is all too easy for a listener to envision that anger directed to her. Mr. King’s novels are known for their excellent audiobook narrators, and while it may not seem that way in the beginning, Mr. Scott is another one that fits the bill. He captures perfectly the atmosphere of the story, and his performance is so realistic that it might be some time before one is willing to listen to another novel narrated by him.

The Shining is an intensely creepy novel that succeeds in both charming and scaring readers with its gradual build towards its exciting and horrifying climax. Jack Torrance is surprisingly sympathetic, as his love for his wife and especially for his son is the motivating factor for taking the job and staying on the wagon. Danny’s struggle to understand things beyond his years is heartbreaking, while his innocence stands out as a direct counterpoint to the insidious evil permeating the hotel. The menacing feel of the novel makes even the most benign of scenes unnerving. It is a novel that is unsettling from the very first page, and one that makes those dark, stormy nights that much darker and eerier. It is further proof of why Mr. King is the King of Horror. show less

'Jack Torrance looked back over his shoulder once into the impenetrable,musty-smelling darkness and thought that if there was ever a place that should have ghosts, this was it.'

Plot

After he takes the job of winter caretaker, Jack Torrance and his family move into the Overlook Hotel, an isolated resort in the mountains. Jack,an aspiring writer, hopes that the isolation will help to rebuild his relationship with his family, as well as finish the play he's writing.

Jack's son Danny has a powerful telepathic ability,which has often got him in trouble with his parents. As they settle into The Overlook, Danny starts to see remnants of the Hotel's dark history, and soon discovers that they're more dangerous than he first thought.

As the winter show more cuts them off from the rest of the world, the history of The Overlook is revealed, as the Hotel itself comes to life.

My thoughts

This is the second book I've read by Stephen King after hearing a lot about both the book and the film. I've never seen the film, but plan on watching it now that I've finished the book, to see how it differs. I have to say that I was drawn in from the first few pages of this book, and this doesn't often happen for me. Usually I have to get a chapter or two into a book, when the story starts to move forward, to really be sucked into it. There was just something about the style of writing, and Jack's character that had me drawn into the story from the very start.

Whilst I wouldn't say I was scared by this book, it was definitely creepy. Stephen King's ability to make me visualise everything really added to the eeriness of the story, and also to my complete immersion in the lives of the Torrance family. Every detail was easy to imagine, right down to the carpet in the Hotel, so when it came to Danny's visions, the images were very vivid in my mind.

I always enjoy seeing the story through different points of view, and this book was no different. The majority of the story is told through Jack and Danny's eyes, with Danny being the first to encounter the dangers in the Hotel. I really enjoyed seeing how Danny, who is just five years old, deals with the horrors that are unfolding before his eyes. Although there are times when he's understandably terrified, the majority of the time he hides his emotions from his parents so that he doesn't scare them away from The Overlook, as he thinks that they are happy there. For such a young child, the way that he handles his visions is incredible; if I saw the things that he saw, I'd be running straight out of that Hotel.

Jack's character is an interesting one. He often reflects on his past mistakes and deeply regrets them, and he's determined to make a better life for his family, especially his son. Every day without a drink is a struggle for Jack, and when the Hotel is cut off by heavy snow, the isolation, rather than helping him, only makes this worse for Jack. The Hotel finds a way to get to him, and he slowly starts to lose his mind bit by bit, until he doesn't know himself anymore. The decline of Jack's mind was central to the story, and one of the most interesting parts for me, watching him losing a part of himself every day. His thoughts could be confusing at times, but this cemented the fact that the Hotel was starting to get to him.

I think it's time I mentioned Wendy, Jack's wife. Wendy has had a lot of problems to face before The Overlook Hotel, with her husband being prone to outbursts of anger, and his drinking problems. Struggling with the decision of what's best for Danny, Wendy believes that The Overlook Hotel could be good for them as a family, and maybe bring her and Jack back together. While at The Overlook, Wendy must now come to terms with the fact that her son is in danger not just from Jack, but from the Hotel itself. I really admired Wendy's character, and her protection of her son. The events unfolding at The Overlook are terrifying, but Wendy's first thought is always her son and how she can keep him out of danger. As her husband starts to succumb to the Hotel, Wendy is the one trying to hold everything together and keep her son safe.

Overall, I just couldn't put his book down. I spent three hours reading it in one morning,determined to finish it and see the outcome. My Kindle Edition had quite a few spelling mistakes, which at times was frustrating and distracting, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. If you're looking for a great psychological horror read, you should definitely pick yourself up a copy of The Shining. show less

Talking about Stanley Kubrick's film version of The Shining seems to be ineluctable when reviewing the original book. So, just to be awkward, I won't.

The story is fairly well known: a recovering alcoholic, newly fired from his teaching position for beating seven shades of mauve out of a student, his wife, and their son move into a creepy old hotel in the Rockies to act as caretakers over the harsh Winter. The son has (and, it's hinted a few times, to a lesser extent both parents have) the ability to "shine", a kind of telepathy-cum-precognition. There's a whole lot of foreboding about staying in the hotel, and with good reason as it's slowly revealed many atrocities have taken place therein.

I found the book sad and scary in fairly equal show more measure. The father of the family clearly loves his son a great deal. He repeatedly tries to do the right thing despite his rather terrible upbringing under a drunk, abusive father and simpering mother, and also despite living inside a huge malevolent hotel that's trying to turn him against his family. And indeed, ultimately the hotel doesn't succeed in turning him against his family, just in getting him to drink again and taking advantage of his drunkenness. And as for scares, I think this book just did to me with topiary what Doctor Who's Blink did to me with statues. show less

‚Shining‘ ist für mich einer der ultimativen Horrorromane überhaupt. Von Anfang bis Ende hatte ich Gänsehaut. Nicht nur, weil das Hotel an sich total gruselig ist, sondern die ganze Atmosphäre in dem Buch düster und bedrückend war. Die Figuren tun dabei natürlich ihr übriges. Während ich Wendy am liebsten die ganze Zeit schütteln würde, dass Jack sich doch nie ändern würde und sie ihn verlassen soll, verstehe ich auch, dass sie gefangen in ihrer Rolle als Hausfrau und Mutter ohne jegliches soziales Netz nicht einfach so ihre Sachen packen und gehen kann. Trotzdem hätte ich ihr gern mehr als einmal gesagt, dass alles gut wird. Jack hingegen…oh Du meine Güte….selbst bevor die Familie Torrance überhaupt im Overlook show more ankommt, war er mir schon hochgradig unsympathisch. Ein Säuferarschloch vor dem Herrn, für den ich keinerlei Mitleid empfinden konnte. Außerdem empfand er selbst genügend Mitleid für sich. Immer waren andere Schuld. Selbst für seine Fehler zu seinen schwersten Alkoholproblemzeiten – immer waren es andere. Damit kann ich, je älter ich werde, immer weniger anfangen. Menschen, die nicht in der Lage sind, ihren eigenen Fehlern und Fehltritten in die Augen zu schauen sondern immer Ausreden suchen. Für Jack Torrance empfand ich keinerlei Sympathie. Nicht das kleinste Quäntchen.

Die Art, wie er mit seiner Familie umspringt, wie er über seine Frau denkt und oftmals auch direkt mit ihr so redet, das ist einfach absolut erschreckend. Für mich lag hier drin der wahre Horror. Diese Respektlosigkeit. Das hat mich sehr mitgenommen. Ich war die ganze Zeit zwischen Wut und Angst hin- und hergerissen. Dass die Geister des Overlook Hotels in Jack ein schwaches, williges Opfer gefunden haben, war dabei nicht mehr überraschend. Trotzdem empfand ich Jacks Raserei und Hass als äußerst abstoßend. Am liebsten wäre ich selbst davor davongelaufen.

King beweist in diesem Roman sein brilliantes Talent, echte Menschen zu beschreiben. Danny Torrance war dabei derjenige, der mir einfach nur leid tat. Er liebte seine Eltern und deren ständige Streitereien und die immer vorhandene, heimliche Hoffnung, dass sich doch alles zum Guten wenden wird, das war einfach nur so traurig.

Ich fand es schön, dass Dick Hallorann hier ein guter Freund war und für Danny eine Anlaufstelle, was die Hellsichtigkeit angeht. King schaffte es hier besonders gut, Dannys Angst vor seinen eigenen Fähigkeiten zu beschreiben. Und seine Zerrissenheit, weil er wusste, dass diese Hellsichtigkeit nicht jeder Mensch besitzt.

Fazit
„Shining“ ist ein geniales Buch. Nicht nur wegen des Horrors des Übernatürlichen sondern besonders durch den Horror, den echte Menschen auslösen können. Menschen, die unberechenbar sind und um die man wie auf zerbrechlichem Eis herumtanzen muss, weil man nie weiß, wann sie das nächste mal ausrasten. show less

When you think about it, life is scary. Normal, everyday life. If we dwell on all of the things in normal, everyday life that are scary, we soon won’t leave our house. And then we won’t leave our room. Before long, we’re hiding under the bed. That’s one of the many reasons Stephen King is so effective at horror: he lays a foundation of pedestrian fears: tall ladders, wasps, hurting our kids, failure, betrayal, nightmares, DIVORCE, addiction, humiliation, the unknown, the dark. Then, when we’re good and rattled, he throws us a paranormal curveball or two: “Did Daddy have an accident?” By the time he unleashes the bloated bathtub ghosts and rampaging topiaries, we’ve got no chance.

King magnifies this horror by comparing show more it to the good we find in The Shining, especially the two most blameless characters, Danny Torrance and Dick Hallorann. Danny and Dick not only require us to care about the story’s outcome, they expose the depth of the Overlook Hotel’s evil and the breadth of the other characters’ imperfections. The fact that most readers will admit that Wendy and Jack’s petty, dysfunctional thoughts and impulses are our own, makes us feel all the more vulnerable to the Overlook’s sinister influence. show less

A third or fourth read of The Shining, which remains my favourite of Stephen King’s novels and the basis of my favourite adaptation of his work. Kubrick's movie is an incredible piece of work, but does not fully do justice to the novel. Written early in his career, it avoids the flabbiness and lack of restraint that mark some of his later books, instead building tension with patience and control.

The Overlook in winter is the perfect setting for this tale of ghosts and evil stirring in the mountains. The horror is expertly layered, beginning with Danny’s profound sense of unease, the fractures in Jack and Wendy’s marriage, and the misgivings of Hallorann. The supernatural intrudes gently at first, then with increasing force, show more building steadily to the novel’s fiery conclusion.

Even on a reread, The Shining remains disturbing and quietly, persistently creepy. show less