Megana’s Book Club

Stephen King, a renowned sci-fi and horror novelist, recently published his new book on the 6th of September titled Fairytale. I just recently made a little trip to the bookstore and managed to grab a copy. The book itself is a good reminder of King and his amazing writing abilities, and to many long-time fans of his, this book is far from a disappointment. The protagonist of the tale, Charlie Reade, is a sensible young man who has been through it all. With a dead mother and a father with bad habits, he had to learn from a young age how to care for himself. Despite this, he was known for his athletic and intellectual nature, raking in good grades and all. Soon he began to work for an isolated old man who lived nearby, Mr. Bowditch; his work involved caring for Radar, Mr. Bowditch’s German Shepherd. For this particular task, Charlie received a hefty amount in retribution. However, after a turn of events which led to Charlie exploring the peculiar shed in Mr. Bowditch’s backyard, things really started to take a turn (for better or worse). Little did he know what would be in store for him. Let’s just say it involved embarking on a fantastical adventure. This little introduction to the plot is quite heartwarming as it allows you time to process the main character’s motivations and background. Rather than a quick jump, slow progression leads to the main focus for the rest of the story. A forewarning: despite the light-hearted tone of this book, there might be some scenes that could be depicted as jarring or unsettling, especially considering the fact that some serious topics are addressed. Everyone’s opinion on what that might mean will vary. I will say, though, that overall the book is friendly for mostly all ages and can be enjoyed by anyone with a fascination for dark fantasy. Due to this and all the other fantastical elements, mixed with King’s writing style and amazing ability at developing characters, this was definitely one of my most fascinating reads in a while.