Elevation by Stephen King – A book review
How much does an author’s name influence your liking or disliking of a book, consciously or otherwise? How far would you go before it changes your opinion? And I got to finally pick up Elevation by Stephen King, who is one of my favorite authors. Read ahead to see how it worked out for me!
Elevation by Stephen King is a novella that will hold your attention and won't haunt you like his other books. But that may not be entirely a good thing. Read more about here. Click To TweetAbout Elevation by Stephen King
Book Name: Elevation
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Fiction – Paranormal, Thriller
Characters: Scott Carey, Missy and Deirdre, Doctor Bob Ellis
Setting: Castle Rock, Maine, The United States of America
Plot Summary of Elevation
Set in the much beloved Castle Rock, the recent divorcee Scott Carey has a peculiar problem. He is constantly losing weight even though his form doesn’t change and he has been eating quite well.
He nor his doctor can find the reason and Scott doesn’t want to make a spectacle of himself by undergoing tests. What would happen to him when he finally reaches zero on the scale remains a mystery either of them.
Meanwhile his lesbian neighbors faces pressure from their conservative towners. While Scott doesn’t get along with them initially, he befriends them and tries to help them win over the others as well. What does it have to do with his losing weight?
You might have to read Elevation by Stephen King to know more.
Book review of Elevation
Obviously I picked Elevation because it was written by Stephen King and all the hype it received on the Goodreads. Well, he nor his writing disappointed me. I usually love him making his political stands in the story, even if they seem overdone sometimes. And well, I was given what I asked but the Castle Rock was color red? That was shocking.
I am not into Science Fiction, like at all. So I wasn’t prepared for sci-fi (I am being really generous about the label) to be sold as horror. It is not horror. I can’t believe how Elevation won the Goodreads Choice awards for horror in 2018. (What were you all thinking when you nominated/voted, people?)
Like many other books of his, it left me with a few unanswered questions. I wish it were a bit longer and gave a bit more depth to the characters. Well, I can only wish.
And to answer my own question, yes, I read and enjoyed Elevation only because of King’s name on it. And I can only wonder if I would have done either if it were someone else’s or even if it labelled correctly as fantasy, instead of horror.
Things that worked for me
- I loved King’s not so subtle dig at the USA’s political scenario.
- I liked the writing (obviously) and made me wish it was a bit longer.
- It is not the usual “horror” that we are used to in Stephen King’s books, and it is not entirely bad thing.
Things that didn’t work for me
- Well, it is not quite your usual King’s horror and it definitely not going to keep you awake all night.
- If you are someone who wants politics away from reading, then this might be a distraction.
Bottom-line
Elevation is a novella that will hold your attention and won’t haunt you like the other Stephen King’s. But that may not be entirely a good thing.
Similar reviews you might like
- Rose Madder by Stephen King
- Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
- Forsaken by J D Barker
- The Devil’s Prayer by Lucas Gracias
- Dark Places by Gillian Flynn
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Have you read Elevation by Stephen King? What are you reading currently? Do you feel disappointed with an author based on their other books? Let us talk.