elizzybec saenz

I read this story with relish every year in my class. It is an excellent story that has an easy to reach theme, tons of foreshadowing, and employs high value symbolism to act as a foreshadow to the coming tragedy and inevitable mummification (which we can only imagine the gore and grossness of embalming an entire human body!) with Billy finding his "forever home". Billy is so young, it is understandable why his lack of awareness could cause the reader to become incredulous as to why he never catches on that he IS the 'catch'. But his incapacity to see others as anything but what they are at face value is ultimately what makes him end up as her next 'pet', that she keeps 'after they have passed' without knowing she is the one who will get that process in motion...with a cup of tea.

Stephen King has worked his usual magic with athletic storytelling. I was half in the book when our main characters descend into another world, but then again I myself was descended into anther world too, Stephen King's world. Our protagonist, a brave but idealistic young man, is described honestly, and I'm wondering how much of Charlie Reade is actually a young Stephen King, or rather how much of Stephen is actually Charlie. My guess is they are one and the same. This has been my favorite read this year!