The Shining

by Stephen King

The original plan was this: Watch the Kubrick version of The Shining and then re-read the book. The first time I saw the film was shortly after I had finished reading the novel for the first time and I absolutely hated it. If you have read and loved the book you will understand.

Basically, the film version focusses on about one quarter of the book. Here's the thing, though: it is the other three quarters that set the tone, create the atmosphere and introduce us to the family stuck in the Overlook Hotel. Hence, the film totally misses the point.

Anyway, it turned out differently than originally planned. I though I was just going to read a few pages, knowing fully well that barely any of it would be in the film anyway and then stop before I hit the bits that were. But as it is with Stephen King books for me...once you start you cannot stop. So, I abondoned my viewing plan and have shelfed it until the time the book is no longer so fresh in my mind and I can finally watch that Kubrick thing and evaluate for what it is. This should take no longer than, I don't know, two years....?

This book is fantastic. It is definitely among King's best. It tells of the troubles of Jack Torrance, his alcoholism and the strained relationship with his wife and young child. The boy, Danny, is gifted with what the Overlook's cook Halloran refers to as "the shining". The cook himself has a touch of it, but nowhere near as powerful as Danny.

Danny, at five, knows but sometimes doesn't quite understand what his parents are thinking. He also gets visits by someone or something called Tony. His parents call Tony his imaginary friend, but Tony does much more than give him company. Rather, he warns him of things to come and brings (sometimes terrifying) glimpses of the future. Not fully able to distinguish between what will happen and what could be avoided and absolutely not understanding the power of the Overlook hotel and the spirits that haunt it, Danny has only minor qualms of moving in with his parents. But gradualy, things start to deteriorate and Danny sees spirits (ghosts?) that can, despite initially believing that they will go away if you close your eyes for a bit, actually physically hurt him.

The Overlook has ways of bringing the past back in snatches. Jack spends too much time in the basement going through old newspaper articles that detail the tragedies of the hotel and slowly gets taken over by some entity representing the building. And Jack takes drinks in a full bar that should not be full - neither of people nor of drink.

As the story builds up to its desasterous climax within the hotel, the cook has been called by Danny and desperately tries to make his way through the Colorado snow storms to help him in any way he can.

Gratifying in a way the film could never be.

9/10