Doctor Sleep by Stephen King
Doctor Sleep
by Stephen King
(Audio)
Stephen King doesn't write sequels. So for him to pick up the story of Dan Torrance again, it had to be a story worth telling. And it was! It was amazing to see little Danny all grown up and dealing with his gift (his Shining) as a teen, a young adult, and an adult. And it was fantastic getting to meet Abra, a little girl who shines as well.
I really, really dug this book. Dan grew up and became an alcoholic, just like his daddy. Who didn't see that coming? Well, Danny, for one. Oops. It makes sense for him to try to dull his perceptios, especially when he seems some especially terrible images or when the ghosts (and not-ghosts) of the Overlook repeatedly come back to haunt him. But I loved seeing him struggle and especially loved him finding his way to a special little town and to AA. I absolutely adored watching him working at the hospice with a cat who seems to shine a bit as well. Aw, Dan. Good for you, Sir.
So then there's Abra Stone, who lives quite a few towns away. As an infant, she predicted 9-11. And as a child she showed she had a gift so strong she could reach out to Dan, even though they didn't know each other. She was sweet and playful and oddly normal, considering her unique skill set.
But then there's the True Knot (who, because I listened to it on audio, I kept envisioning as the True Not). They're a group of near-immoirtals who retain their health and good looks by feeding off the special powers and abilities of young children like Dan was and like Abra is now. Ruh-roh! They were such terrible, terrible baddies because I kind of felt a little sorry for them. It's not their fault that they have to kill in order to live! Okay, yeah, it kind of is. because they really are horrible people who murder. But there's complexity to them... they're a little sympathetic as well as pretty terrifying at times.
I worried about Dan and Abra, who seem to be the only people who can stop them. I worried about Dr. John Dalton (who I really, really loved). I worried about Dan's friend Billy. I worried about Abra's parents. And I sort of worried about the True Knot also. In the end, though, the story was fantastic, the terror realistic, and the exploration of Dan shining as an adult was a joy to read.
I loved this book. So much. I couldn't wait to read more every time I got into the car. Stephen King books are definitely my favorite books to drive to. And this one was a great adventure. I adored Dan :-)