This is a story, quite simply put, of what happens to a little 5 year old boy(Danny Torrance) who has psychic abilities ( or has "the Shining" as Mr.Hallorann from the story puts it), his father (Jack a.k.a John Torrance- with an abusive past) and mother (Wendy Torrance) when they move into 'The Overlook Hotel' which sits on top of an icy mountain in Colorado, for the winter. Jack lands the job of a Caretaker at the Overlook hotel-which Danny realizes (on premonition) is haunted.
(Here's the not so simple version):
Jack Torrance's character, is depicted in the beginning as a normal american husband/father who is out looking for a job to support his wife and child. Once the plot moves further along, a few flashbacks-in the form of stray pieces of conversations and thoughts- reveal that there is more to this man, who was once a raging alcoholic and had broken his son's arm in a fit of anger. Wendy Torrance, is almost constantly torn between her desires, of wanting to run away from her husband and wanting to stay because of her love for him-which is growing thinner by the day.
Mr.Ullman, Manager of "The Overlook" is unwilling to hire Jack Torrance because he came with a family, just like the previous Caretaker, Mr.Grady, who had ended up murdering his wife and kids before shooting himself due to "cabin fever"- a slang for the reaction that resulted from Claustrophobia.-irrespective of which Jack takes the job.
Danny Torrance is warned several times, by his "imaginary friend"-Tony- of the dangers that lie ahead if his father takes this job. But, not wanting to disturb the peace that had come upon the family after a long time, he says and does nothing about these premonitions. The family drives up to The Overlook as it is closing up for the winter on the last day and catch glimpses of it's last visitors. Here, they meet Mr. Hallorann (who also "shines" i.e. has the ability to know and feel certain things that not everybody does.), staff at the Overlook. He, privately, mentions to Danny that he has the biggest 'Shine' out of all the people that he'd ever come across. Also, that if anything went wrong, to call for him ( telepathically) and to stay clear of room. 217 and the playground.
Everybody soon leaves, and the first few "snow-less" months go on pretty smoothly, apart from the time when the animal-shaped-hedges out in the lawn by the playground, try to attack Jack Torrance (which he brushes off as hallucinations) and Danny's nightmares and general uneasiness because of the things he begins to come across as well.
Once they are snowed-in, and have no where else to go, the hotel seems to be teeming with monsters of all kinds.
The worst of the lot being the Ghosts of Jack's past that were beginning to catch up with him-and making him relive them all over again.
Being the first Stephen King book that I've ever read, I didn't really know what to look out for- and it was definitely nothing that I could have imagined. I admit there were some parts that were boring, especially in the beginning when the plot was just warming up.The middle, was when I was starting to get creeped-out and truly getting to know Jack Torrance. Towards the last hundred pages, however, things were quite the opposite to how they were in the beginning, and the suspense of what exactly happens to Jack, Wendy and Danny Torrance is (quite amazingly) kept up to the absolute end. Definitely worth a read, if your looking to read up some good horror or just to try out something new. Not for the faint-hearted.
I haven't actually seen the movie, yet, but what I get from some of the clips that I've seen on YouTube is that the book was waaayyy scarier.
I could be wrong though. Perhaps sometime I'll actually watch it, and add an update :)
This video, I did actually find pretty cool:
(I take absolutely no credit for it)
Have a great day you guys! Have you read "The Shining" and/or watched the movie?Would you recommend it? ALSO, are there any other Stephen King books/ Horror books that you'd recommend? (although I don't think I'll be reading horror for a while...) Thanks! :D
love
jeff
P.s. It's 12:30am. I just felt the need for that to be told. kbye.
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| Cover Design by Keenan Title : The Shining Author: Stephen King Publisher: Hodder and Stoughton No. of Pages: 512 Price: Rs. 350/- (M.R.P-India) Language: English Publication Date: 31 May 2007 Genre: Horror |
(Here's the not so simple version):
Jack Torrance's character, is depicted in the beginning as a normal american husband/father who is out looking for a job to support his wife and child. Once the plot moves further along, a few flashbacks-in the form of stray pieces of conversations and thoughts- reveal that there is more to this man, who was once a raging alcoholic and had broken his son's arm in a fit of anger. Wendy Torrance, is almost constantly torn between her desires, of wanting to run away from her husband and wanting to stay because of her love for him-which is growing thinner by the day.
Mr.Ullman, Manager of "The Overlook" is unwilling to hire Jack Torrance because he came with a family, just like the previous Caretaker, Mr.Grady, who had ended up murdering his wife and kids before shooting himself due to "cabin fever"- a slang for the reaction that resulted from Claustrophobia.-irrespective of which Jack takes the job.
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| I am ze OVERLOOK HOTEL and I plan on TERRORIZING YOU , until you lose your mind. |
Everybody soon leaves, and the first few "snow-less" months go on pretty smoothly, apart from the time when the animal-shaped-hedges out in the lawn by the playground, try to attack Jack Torrance (which he brushes off as hallucinations) and Danny's nightmares and general uneasiness because of the things he begins to come across as well.
Once they are snowed-in, and have no where else to go, the hotel seems to be teeming with monsters of all kinds.
The worst of the lot being the Ghosts of Jack's past that were beginning to catch up with him-and making him relive them all over again.
Just found out that they made a movie out of the book.
Being the first Stephen King book that I've ever read, I didn't really know what to look out for- and it was definitely nothing that I could have imagined. I admit there were some parts that were boring, especially in the beginning when the plot was just warming up.The middle, was when I was starting to get creeped-out and truly getting to know Jack Torrance. Towards the last hundred pages, however, things were quite the opposite to how they were in the beginning, and the suspense of what exactly happens to Jack, Wendy and Danny Torrance is (quite amazingly) kept up to the absolute end. Definitely worth a read, if your looking to read up some good horror or just to try out something new. Not for the faint-hearted.
I haven't actually seen the movie, yet, but what I get from some of the clips that I've seen on YouTube is that the book was waaayyy scarier.
I could be wrong though. Perhaps sometime I'll actually watch it, and add an update :)
This video, I did actually find pretty cool:
(I take absolutely no credit for it)
Have a great day you guys! Have you read "The Shining" and/or watched the movie?Would you recommend it? ALSO, are there any other Stephen King books/ Horror books that you'd recommend? (although I don't think I'll be reading horror for a while...) Thanks! :D
love
jeff
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| hello, HELLO! |
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