Jose.Maltaca 20/09/2021
It loses steam fast
Doctor Sleep, published by Stephen King in 2013, is a novel that tells the story of Danny Torrance, the same boy who endured the evil spirits inside the Overlook Hotel. After a life of traumas caused by the horrific experiences depicted in the excellent novel “The Shining”, Danny recovers from his alcoholism and spends his life aiding people close to their deaths, using his abilities to soothe their way into oblivion. His life, however, turns upside down when he senses a girl – Abra Stone - who also has the shining, but who is much stronger than his. She is pursued by a gang of “shining eating vampires” (The True Knot) who achieved eternal life by sucking the shining out of people, which they call it “steam”. Therefore, it is up to Danny to protect Abra and face his own past demons.
First things first: this novel is a fit sequel to “The Shining”. King knows his characters inside out, and the depiction of Wendy, Danny and Halloran is accurate, nostalgic and touching. The new characters, as well as the antagonists, are very interesting and useful additions to the plot: Abra Stone is a girl who is as sweet as she is rebellious and dangerous if needed; Billy Freeman is a valuable and trustworthy companion to Dan; Rose the Hat is a voracious and frightful antagonist, who kills children to suck their steam and live forever; and Danny himself is very charismatic and likeable. The story unfolds beautifully depicting his life, his demons and the way he dealt with his terrible past, and the moments when Danny aids people are very heartwarming and full of hope. The introduction of Abra and her powers, as well as of the True Knot is well developed, and the reader can get a sense of the imminent conflict which is building up.
However, the last third of the book loses steam, pun intended. With the intention of tying all of the elements together, King comes close to a soap opera resolution, forging relationships out of the blue and forcing an emotional linkage which was already there. The backtracking to a famous location is pure fan service, and I accepted it. Notwithstanding, the final battle is a mess, with convoluted placement of characters, the dumbing down of the antagonists and too few consequences, given the gravity set by King prior to this showdown. In conclusion: this book is bittersweet. It is a delight to revisit the characters from “The Shining”, and we never get the feel that they are out of place and character. Nevertheless, as the story progresses, and the disappointing ending approached, this joy disappears, replaced by the convoluted and unnecessary schematics imposed by King. Doctor Sleep is another great story by Stephen King whose ending is not as good as the established setting.