Book Reviews

Monday, December 29, 2008

Just After Sunset–call it dusk, call it twilight, it’s a time where human intercourse takes on an unnatural cast, when nothing is quite as it appears, when the imagination begins to reach for shadows as they dissipate to darkness and living daylight can be scared right out of you. . .

Overall, I am glad that I read Stephen King’s latest book Just After Sunset, a collection of thirteen (hmmmm. . .13?) short stories.  I am reminded once again about the pleasures of reading a short story collection which include:

1. More stories for more fun.
2. Short stories that are just that–short so I can read another story and feel like I am “getting somewhere” whatever that means in the reading realm.
3. The option to skip to stories that call to me first, although some collections require a straight read-through right from the first story to the last–no short cuts.
4. The option to skip a story once I have begun reading it because I either don’t like it or cannot deal with its material. more»

And there are many other reasons to settle down with a short story collection.  The reasons listed above are primary for me.  Unfortunately for me but fortunately for King, I had to exercise option number 4.  Twice.  I bet you’re scratching your head thinking “Huh?  ‘Unfortunately for me but fortunately for King. . .’ What?”

Don’t worry.  Read on. . .

I bailed out of The Things They Left Behind because of its subject matter.  The main character in this story deals with the losses he has incurred because of 9/11.  I found that while the idea of the story intrigues me, I find that I cannot deal with the subject of 9/11 even in fictional form.  What I did read of this story, I found to be well written and I found that King portrays an accurate picture of a person going through the grieving process (minus the supernatural part.)  I abandoned this story because King brings certain aspects of that awful day back to life with disturbing clarity–the fact that I cannot deal with the subject matter–that’s completely on me, the reader.

The other story I fled is Ayana.  I can’t really say much about this story because I did not even try to force my way through it.  I began reading it, and as far as I can remember, in Ayana themes King writes about here involve a father who dies of cancer and some miracle that takes place.  Dying fathers and cancer are not subjects that I wish to read about and so I did not finish this story.  Again, the need to leave this story unread (and I hate doing that) rests entirely with me not the author.

So I had to skip out on a couple of stories.  So what?  I like the fact that King can still write short stories.  The last two novels Lisey’s Story and Duma Key are long.  So I found Just After Sunset refreshing to read just in a page-length sense.  My favorite stories include:

• Willa (as Booked Out said in his review, this story sets the mood and tone of the book nicely.)
• Stationary Bike (I like the concept of stepping over the line into another realm and I now have another perspective on exercise.  Thank you, Mr. King.)
• A Very Tight Place (I really enjoyed this story.  I found it funny in a weird way.  And I routed for the “hero” all the way through.  You go, Curtis Johnson!)

Just After Sunset overall is an “okay” book.  Some stories I found boring (Rest Stop.)  Others were “been there, done that” but I enjoyed the stories nonetheless (Willa.)  And others, such as A Very Tight Place I found to be refreshing (which is an odd thing to say about this story.)  Again, the beauty of this book is the ability to move on and read a completely different story if the current story needs to be abandoned for any reason.  For more reviews about this book please visit:

• Booked Out
• The Book Zombie

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