Book Cover

We all do what we can, and it has to be good enough, and if it isn't good enough, it has to do.

Past Stephen King reviews:

• 11/22/63
• It
• Dreamcatcher
• Misery
• The Institute

# Review

Johnny Smith, a small town school teacher, gains psychic abilities that allow him to experience clairvoyant visions after being in a coma for four years. Johnny sees a disturbing vision that might threaten the existence of the whole world.

The story is classic King, filled with King tropes like psychic powers and very human characters dealing with elements of the supernatural. The story is a dark and gritty tale of good and evil steeped in realism. This is one of King’s earliest works and it introduces the town of Castle Rock, which appears in numerous other King works later on. The characters feel very realistic, especially in regards to Johnny and Sarah’s relationship. I also like the exploration of the morality in acting to prevent a future atrocity; if one were to go back in the past, before Hitler came into power, would one be moral in killing Hitler to prevent the atrocities committed against Jews?

# Conclusion

This isn’t one of King’s most notable works but it’s still a solid work of fiction.

# Overall rating: 7.8

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