Allegra Bortoni, Grade 12
UWC Costa Rica
Since childhood, I have had a weirdly specific and inexplicable interest in the strange and monstrous. As one could expect, Halloween was one of the festivities I expected months in advance, meticulously considering and pondering over what would be my next costume. I remember being a blood-covered zombie, an Egyptian mummy, a ghost, a cyborg, and the Phantom of the Opera. Curiously enough, my room had a replica of a human skull resting on top of my nightstand. (Please take a moment to visualize a mostly pink and flowery room with a prominent skull next to the child’s bed). My bookshelves also contained age-appropriate versions of some classic horror stories.
During those elementary school years, I looked for scary books at the local stores and libraries. Walking through those aisles, I frequently encountered and stood in awe at the massive collection that Stephen King offered. Even listening to the name awakened in me utmost interest, respect, and curiosity. I remember asking for some of the books, as a child would do, by basing myself completely on the cover that fascinated me the most. My desperate petitions were refused because “I was too young”, and I was told that I should wait until at least getting to middle school.
When the time finally arrived, I walked into the American stations of the International Book Fair held in Guadalajara, Jalisco, where I bought a copy of Cujo. Carrie, Misery, The Green Mile, The Shining, Rose Madder, It, The Institute, etc., eventually followed. I’m grateful to announce that my collection has been growing over the past years, and the books occupy a whole section to themselves at my house’s library.
Of all the novels I have read so far, The Shining is kept with affectionate care within my memory. Watching the movie before reading the book didn't diminish the enjoyment of the experience at all––it actually enhanced it. I tend to dedicate significant effort to trying to visualize the characters and settings as I read. I spend some time figuring out the features and singularities of the characters. However, after watching Kubrick’s film, the characters fell into place with the faces of the actors I had recently seen. As I read through the actions and thought of Jack Torrance, the image of Jack Nicholson naturally followed and incarnated them. I could listen to the voices of the actors giving life to the written conversations that appeared throughout the novel and shuddered at the image of picturing myself standing alone in the ghastly and gigantic lobby of the Overlook Hotel.
It has some significant plotline differences compared to the iconic film, so I would definitely recommend reading the novel as well. The ending of the book also gives place to a possible continuation where Stephen King explores the possibilities of Danny’s adulthood and return to the Overlook Hotel in the sequel of Doctor Sleep. I would personally say I enjoyed the first novel the most, nonetheless, I also recommend reading the sequel due to its fantastic and heartwarming ending. Also, it is always comforting to encounter the characters you once in a different story, a trait you’ll often notice in King’s fictional universe where they tend to make brief and unexpected apparitions in different books. I like to consider them as little winks for the constant reader.
Bibliography
King, Stephen. The Shining. Random House, 2012.
During those elementary school years, I looked for scary books at the local stores and libraries. Walking through those aisles, I frequently encountered and stood in awe at the massive collection that Stephen King offered. Even listening to the name awakened in me utmost interest, respect, and curiosity. I remember asking for some of the books, as a child would do, by basing myself completely on the cover that fascinated me the most. My desperate petitions were refused because “I was too young”, and I was told that I should wait until at least getting to middle school.
When the time finally arrived, I walked into the American stations of the International Book Fair held in Guadalajara, Jalisco, where I bought a copy of Cujo. Carrie, Misery, The Green Mile, The Shining, Rose Madder, It, The Institute, etc., eventually followed. I’m grateful to announce that my collection has been growing over the past years, and the books occupy a whole section to themselves at my house’s library.
Of all the novels I have read so far, The Shining is kept with affectionate care within my memory. Watching the movie before reading the book didn't diminish the enjoyment of the experience at all––it actually enhanced it. I tend to dedicate significant effort to trying to visualize the characters and settings as I read. I spend some time figuring out the features and singularities of the characters. However, after watching Kubrick’s film, the characters fell into place with the faces of the actors I had recently seen. As I read through the actions and thought of Jack Torrance, the image of Jack Nicholson naturally followed and incarnated them. I could listen to the voices of the actors giving life to the written conversations that appeared throughout the novel and shuddered at the image of picturing myself standing alone in the ghastly and gigantic lobby of the Overlook Hotel.
It has some significant plotline differences compared to the iconic film, so I would definitely recommend reading the novel as well. The ending of the book also gives place to a possible continuation where Stephen King explores the possibilities of Danny’s adulthood and return to the Overlook Hotel in the sequel of Doctor Sleep. I would personally say I enjoyed the first novel the most, nonetheless, I also recommend reading the sequel due to its fantastic and heartwarming ending. Also, it is always comforting to encounter the characters you once in a different story, a trait you’ll often notice in King’s fictional universe where they tend to make brief and unexpected apparitions in different books. I like to consider them as little winks for the constant reader.
Bibliography
King, Stephen. The Shining. Random House, 2012.
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