DOCTOR SLEEP

I LOVED this book! It was so compelling right from the off. I was hooked instantly. I love the characters and the plot and it was suprisingly heartwarming for a Stephen King novel. It wasn't as gruesome or scary as others of his work, but still the story was so rich and full of exciting details. That said, I gave it to my mom to read after finishing, but she couldn't really understand what was going on so it's definitely not for everyone. YMMV.

The only thing I disliked about Doctor Sleep is there is no dust cover. Other than that it was a good purchase and got to me quickly.

Thank you, again, to my parents, who bought me Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep to read while my family was in Covid isolation. It offered a good respite, and I appreciate it.Most Americans know of The Shining, at least the Stanley Kubrick movie, even if they don’t know it was a book first. The famous scene of Jack Nicholson sticking his head through the door he just broke through with an ax and saying, “Here’s Johnny!” is enough to give any kid nightmares. The sequel, Doctor Sleep, is enough to give any parent nightmares.Dan Torrence, no longer Danny, cannot stay in one place because he cannot hold a job. Between his alcoholism and his temper, Dan finds himself causing trouble in many different places, until he finally lands in Frazier, New Hampshire. There, he gets sober through Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), gets a job at a hospice facility, and sets down roots. As those roots deepen, Dan begins to hear from Abra, a young girl who, like him, has the shining, or the ability to tap into other people’s minds, make contact with the dead, and have premonitions.Abra’s powers go far beyond Dan’s, a scary amount, and her abilities bring her into opposition with the True Knot, a band of immortals who murder children who have the shining and feed off their essence. When Abra realizes the danger she is in, she reaches out to the only person she knows who might understand and believe her--Dan.Doctor Sleep is slow, taking time to bring the reader through Dan’s alcoholism to sobriety, to show the beginning of Abra’s life through to her adolescence, and to introduce some of the members of the True Knot and their lives. King takes care to bring the audience into Dan’s life, learning his struggles with drinking and anger, how he tries to use his powers for good and prevent himself from being driven mad by them.In Stephen King’s “Author’s Note” after the final chapter, he discusses how part of the idea for the sequel came about when he thought about how things might have turned out differently for Jack, the father in The Shining, if he had joined Alcoholics Anonymous (AA). AA plays powerfully through Dan’s life, not only changing his behavior and relationship to his shining, but also the friendships that will save him. King also uses AA sayings to punctuate the books of the novel. It reminded me of his candid discussion on his own alcohol and drug abuse which he discusses in On Writing, which is both a reflection on writing and a memoir. (I highly recommend reading it, especially for writers).Would I teach this book? I can see teaching this book in a few different cases, for example in a class on monsters or writing sequels. It is definitely entertaining, and it creates real characters that hit the heart of the reader. There is plot, there is conflict, there is real danger. There is the supernatural, as King almost always does.

This book was amazing, a really good sequel to The Shining. King never disappoints! Doctor Sleep is filled with heartwarming, & certainly creepy moments. I 100% recommended buying & reading this book after reading The Shining.

So far awesome sequel! I love Stephen king but the shining book not movie I love! I love dr sleep book wait to see movie but books are usually better! Highly recommended

This is one of Stephen King's best books. I always enjoy the book rather than movie.

it was a typical Stephen king book which I have been reading since his first books.

Great book- if you are a Shining fan it is a definite must