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irinap's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
emmastia's review
3.0
Very clever story, but ultimately not my favorite. i guess there is a reason i have not read Stephen King before. Loved the Kennedy stuff.
the_reading_cockatoo's review
5.0
Best King book! Tuy SK nổi tiếng là ông hoàng truyện kinh dị, nhưng mình lại thích các tác phẩm không thuần kinh dị của ông hơn. Từ Green Miles, Shawshank Redemption, etc. và giờ là 11.22.63. Với dung lượng đồ sộ, King đã một lần nữa tái dựng một cách hoàn hảo xã hội và văn hóa Mỹ những năm 60s. Tuy lần này không chỉ gói gọn Derry nhỏ bé như trong IT mà là một loạt các thành phố, thị trấn mà Jake đi qua trong chuyến du hành về quá khứ của mình (Spoil nhẹ: Bạn sẽ được quay lại Derry năm 1958 đấy!). Điểm bất ngờ nhất là mối tình "vượt thời gian" giữa Jake và Sadie. Không nghĩ King có thể viết về tình cảm sâu sắc đến thế, đoạn cuối thực sự xúc động và ám ảnh. A must read for King fan". 5⭐
bookishlyjessi's review
5.0
I LOVED this, I think this is possibly my favourite of King's works that I've read so far. I thought the time travel element was so interesting and the message of every action, no matter how small, has a consequence was fab. The ending was so bittersweet, I did have a little cry but this was amazing.
Also, I loved seeing characters from IT, that was fun.
Also, I loved seeing characters from IT, that was fun.
bookswithbrittinee's review
5.0
I finally finished this today!! I started out listening to the audiobook. The narrator was SO GOOD! I highly recommend it. It’s long, but worth it. This is one of the best books I have ever read! There was so much thought put into this book, it’s unexplainable. It felt real the entire I listened/read. I’m having a hard time explaining my thoughts into words for this one! You just have to take my word and read it!
crimsonrambler's review
3.0
I was compelled to keep going with this book. And, I wanted to like it. But, for me it was only okay. The protagonist is simultaneously self-obsessed and so self-unaware, I wanted to scream at times. Many of the time travel aspects felt underdeveloped. The main one being: what was the point of the time travel if undoing anything done while using it was the only way to save the world? Also, his choices for changing the past frustrated me. I can’t tolerate the idea that killing is the only way. Also, for a man who describes coming alive by teaching students, it is aggravating that he is willing to sacrifice that at the drop of a hat. That said, the few depictions of women in this book are the most problematic aspect for me. The protagonist only describes females as nameless, faceless husks, not people (excepting women he sleeps with or who are married to important characters or directly impact his world somehow. Any female who isn’t skinny and beautiful is discredited. This is not true for the majority of the male characters, who are given roles and dimensions. The first time King used the word “obdurate,” I was intrigued. It’s not common, so I thought it was an interesting choice. The 200th (?) time he used the word “obdurate,” I never wanted to see or hear the word ever again. Oh, and the book seemed entirely too wordy. His graphic descriptions of bowel movements were stomach churning and never-ending, yet he would gloss over major plot points, people, and objects that had large significance to the story.
santreads's review
5.0
Holy shit! Can I please give this more than 5 stars? 740 pages and I wasn't bored once. Stephen King is a beautiful beautiful man and he deserves all the love and accolades the world can give him.
nicaelafox's review
5.0
Having watched most of the Hulu series--I decided I wanted to listen to this book since it was a very long (and quite typical of some of King's writings :) ) read. At first, I wasn't too keen on Craig Wasson's narration, but after a while, he grew on me--it was after all 30 hours and 40 minutes (including King's afterward). No spoilers here I promise, but I will compare the novel and the TV miniseries a little. Honestly, it was pretty well portrayed in the mini-series and I just loved James Franco, even though when reading the book I felt the Jake Epping/George Amberson character was a bit older than Franco. There are definite differences between both versions and despite some negative reviews about the Hulu version, when you consider just how long a novel this was, not everything would have translated over so well from the novel. JJ Abrams did a pretty good rendition of the novel in all.
I thoroughly LOVED the novel, perhaps because I really like anything having to do with time-travel, and well it was about changing a major tragedy from the past--the Kennedy assassination, so two pretty good topics for me to really like from the start (and I love anything to do with American history)--call me a bit biased. I found that the tremendous amount of research that King had to put into this book was extremely well placed into making this a work of fiction, based on true events. About the only thing that started to wear on me after a while in the novel was Jake's feelings of love for Sadie. It was quite clear just how much Jake cared for her, but by the end, it was a bit monotonous. That said, I really liked how near the end that the way time travel and the past and future existed was explained (again, not wanting to get into too much detail here for spoilers).
Suffice it to say, this book definitely deserved a 5-star rating from me, and I don't give these out lightly. Don't let the length dissuade you from reading it. Steven King does write great non-horror genre novels!
I thoroughly LOVED the novel, perhaps because I really like anything having to do with time-travel, and well it was about changing a major tragedy from the past--the Kennedy assassination, so two pretty good topics for me to really like from the start (and I love anything to do with American history)--call me a bit biased. I found that the tremendous amount of research that King had to put into this book was extremely well placed into making this a work of fiction, based on true events. About the only thing that started to wear on me after a while in the novel was Jake's feelings of love for Sadie. It was quite clear just how much Jake cared for her, but by the end, it was a bit monotonous. That said, I really liked how near the end that the way time travel and the past and future existed was explained (again, not wanting to get into too much detail here for spoilers).
Suffice it to say, this book definitely deserved a 5-star rating from me, and I don't give these out lightly. Don't let the length dissuade you from reading it. Steven King does write great non-horror genre novels!
sand_between_pages's review
5.0
“I know life is hard, I think everyone knows that in their hearts, but why dos it have to be cruel, as well? Why does it have to bite?”
I don't do horror. Not in movies, not in books. So, whenever I think about reading a Stephen King book, I shy away from the idea as it is simply not my genre. However, my friend mentioned this book and offered to let me borrow it, and as a fan of history and time travel and science fiction (which 11/22/63 is all three of) , I really couldn't say 'no' - and I'm so happy I didn't!
What would the world be like if you could go back in time and stop major horrible events from happening? Would the world be a better place? What if you could kill Hitler before he ever rose to power in Germany? What if you could warn mass populations of the natural disasters to come? Would you do it?
What if you could save JFK from Lee Harvey Oswald on that fateful November day in Dallas?
Jake Epping is a high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, and he is faced with exactly this predicament. Via a rabbit hole discovered by local diner owner, Al Templeton, Jake has the opportunity to go back to 1958 and stop the JFK assassination that is to come in 1963. Al convinces Jake that saving JFK would change the world for the better, and there are a few other things Jake would like to change about the past, too.
No spoilers, so I won't say any more. This book is long, and in some parts, maybe a bit too long, but overall, it was pretty amazing. And what a magnificent love story, too!
I very highly recommend this read! It was truly gripping and poignant, and I feel a deep sense of connection to the characters. I understand why Stephen King is so successful, he is absolutely brilliant.
I don't do horror. Not in movies, not in books. So, whenever I think about reading a Stephen King book, I shy away from the idea as it is simply not my genre. However, my friend mentioned this book and offered to let me borrow it, and as a fan of history and time travel and science fiction (which 11/22/63 is all three of) , I really couldn't say 'no' - and I'm so happy I didn't!
What would the world be like if you could go back in time and stop major horrible events from happening? Would the world be a better place? What if you could kill Hitler before he ever rose to power in Germany? What if you could warn mass populations of the natural disasters to come? Would you do it?
What if you could save JFK from Lee Harvey Oswald on that fateful November day in Dallas?
Jake Epping is a high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, and he is faced with exactly this predicament. Via a rabbit hole discovered by local diner owner, Al Templeton, Jake has the opportunity to go back to 1958 and stop the JFK assassination that is to come in 1963. Al convinces Jake that saving JFK would change the world for the better, and there are a few other things Jake would like to change about the past, too.
No spoilers, so I won't say any more. This book is long, and in some parts, maybe a bit too long, but overall, it was pretty amazing. And what a magnificent love story, too!
I very highly recommend this read! It was truly gripping and poignant, and I feel a deep sense of connection to the characters. I understand why Stephen King is so successful, he is absolutely brilliant.