11/22/63

11/22/63 by Stephen King explores the theme of time travelling and the possibility of changing the past. That's something I always enjoy. For once, the person to die in roder to change the past for the better is not Hitler, but Lee Harvey Oswald.

Don't expect a thriller or one of King's horror stories. This is rather different from his other books, but as always, the story is instantly captivating and I felt I knew the characters right after the first two pages. This is what I like most about King and it works even in the books I absolutely hated (Dreamcatcher...).

*minor spoilers*

Time's not something to be messed with here and Jake Epping, the main charatcer, learns this the hard way. I would have liked to spend some more time in the decidedly dystopian present he creates by saving Kennedy's life, but on the other hand, I get why Jake is eager to rectify his mistake as soon as possible.

I never subscribed to the view of Kennedy as some kind of hero who would have made it all right somehow if he hadn't been killed. But I get why people see him that way and of course it's one of the great conspiracy theories of all times. The books goes into that for a bit, but not too much.

I read the book in about two days and I enjoyed every minute of it. It may not be for the horror only-King fan, but if you liked Stand by Me, there's a good chance you'll like this as well. Oh, and I liked the nod to It.

2012 reviews