• About

By Hook Or By Book

~ Book Reviews, News, and Other Stuff

By Hook Or By Book

Tag Archives: Life After Death

Revival ~ By Stephen King -4.5 Stars

18 Tuesday Nov 2014

Posted by By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff in Uncategorized

≈ 18 Comments

Tags

Horror Fiction, Life After Death, Musicians, Religion, Science, Substance Abuse

9781476770383_p0_v4_s300x “In one way, at least, our lives are like movies. The main cast consists of your family and friends. The supporting cast is made up of neighbors, co-workers, teachers, and daily acquaintances. There are also bit players: the supermarket checkout girl with the pretty smile, the friendly bartender at the local watering hole, the guys you work out with at the gym three days a week. And there are the thousands of extras — those people who flow through every life like water through a sieve, seen once and never again. The teenager browsing graphic novels at the bookstore, the one you had to slip past (murmuring ‘Excuse me’) in order to get to the magazines. The woman in the next lane at a stoplight, taking a moment to freshen her lipstick. The vendor who sold you a bag of peanuts at a baseball game. But sometimes a person who fits none of these categories comes into your life. This is the joker who pops out of the deck at odd intervals over the years, often during a moment of crisis. In the movies this sort of character is known as the fifth business.”

Thus begins Stephen King’s latest novel. For Jamie Morton, his fifth business, or nemesis as it were, is the Reverend Charles Daniel Jacobs. He first meets the charismatic preacher when he is six years old and the two form an instant bond. Over the next three years the Reverend, his wife, and young son become fixtures in the small community of Harlow, Maine. Then one fateful day the unimaginable occurs. An unspeakable tragedy that will not only cause Reverend Jacobs to lose his faith, but also will send him and Jamie on a collision course which concludes with a horrific act beyond imagination. Some doors are better left unopened.

I finished Revival last night around 7:00 pm and was left so stunned I couldn’t put a string of coherent words together in order to review it. First, let me warn you not to finish this within a couple of hours of when you’re going to bed. You will either not be able to sleep, or you’ll have some truly nasty nightmares. That said, the majority of this book does not really fall under the genre of horror. Indeed, it’s pure Americana, from 1950s small town Maine, to the carnival circuit in the Midwest, to finally landing back in present day Maine where the true horror takes place in the last thirty something pages. The way Jamie’s and Jacobs’ lives develop over five decades, for better or for worse, is vintage King, which is why I loved this book so much. Both men are shaped by the tragedies in their lives and not for the better. Jacobs sets out on an obsessive and destructive path which winds up effecting so many lives, while Jamie is only set on destroying his own, yet once the two meet again when Jamie is an adult the outcome is a foregone conclusion. Jamie is a wonderful, albeit flawed hero whose life is defined by his experiences. You cannot help but sympathize with him even when he’s making the worst decisions. I also wondered if King put a little of himself in Jamie with his addictions and love of classic rock. Reverend Jacobs who begins as a sympathetic character ultimately lets his experiences shape him into a true monster. As this story unfolds you also are introduced to the main cast and the supporting cast who are almost as fascinating as Jamie and Jacobs. Without either the events that play out would never come to fruition. The actual “horror” at the end of the book is a decided homage to two classic writers of that genre, and it’s brilliantly done. When King is at his best, his stories are tapestries where all of the threads are interwoven, finally coming together in one spectacular picture, and this is what he has created with Revival. I’ve tried not to put any real spoilers in this review because if you’re going to read this book I honestly think you should do so with no preconceived notions. Hopefully I’ve succeeded in giving you a tantalizing peek instead.

  • By Hook Or By Book: Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff

Archives

May 2022
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  
« Aug    

Blog Stats

  • 336,611 hits
Follow By Hook Or By Book on WordPress.com

Blogs I Follow

  • Read Betwixt Words
  • The Psy of Life
  • Bookshelves & Teacups
  • idahobluebird50 Plants, Animals, Cats, Dogs, Mysteries and Chat
  • fromcavewalls.wordpress.com/
  • Tracy the Bookworm
  • BOOKSTAGGER
  • theconfessionsofarandomblogger.wordpress.com/
  • Hit or Miss Books
  • Amani's Reviews
  • @onceuponawishlist
  • A Home Library - Book Reviews & Book News
  • Gauri the Dreamer
  • A Naga of the Nusantara
  • Award Winning Books
  • Reader Jones
  • The Traveling Bookworm
  • novels around the world
  • I Heart Fictional People
  • The Write Stuff
  • Jane Lurie Photography
  • Mythaxis Review
  • The Book Bites
  • Literary Liza
  • abigailsbooks.wordpress.com/
  • Page by Page
  • The Masked Bibliophile
  • Dreams And Escapes
  • sugarandscream.wordpress.com/
  • Lines by Leon
  • Lovabull Books
  • Schizanthus Nerd
  • katherinesmits Word Siren
  • Bonkers For The Books
  • Bite! Eat! Repeat!
  • Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog
  • Stuart France
  • Tallis Steelyard
  • Jim Webster
  • The Rantings of a Book Addict
  • Books Teacup and Reviews
  • Gulf South Free Press
  • Bantering Books
  • Barb Taub
  • The Introverted Reader 📚
  • Odd Bits About Books
  • Between Pages
  • The Suspected Bibliophile
  • Beach Walk Reflections: Thoughts from thinking while walking
  • The Silent Eye

Member of The Internet Defense League

Follow By Hook Or By Book on WordPress.com

Blogs I Follow

  • Read Betwixt Words
  • The Psy of Life
  • Bookshelves & Teacups
  • idahobluebird50 Plants, Animals, Cats, Dogs, Mysteries and Chat
  • fromcavewalls.wordpress.com/
  • Tracy the Bookworm
  • BOOKSTAGGER
  • theconfessionsofarandomblogger.wordpress.com/
  • Hit or Miss Books
  • Amani's Reviews
  • @onceuponawishlist
  • A Home Library - Book Reviews & Book News
  • Gauri the Dreamer
  • A Naga of the Nusantara
  • Award Winning Books
  • Reader Jones
  • The Traveling Bookworm
  • novels around the world
  • I Heart Fictional People
  • The Write Stuff
May 2022
M T W T F S S
 1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
3031  
« Aug    

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.

Read Betwixt Words

Books, Reviews, Recommendations and occasionally Poetry

The Psy of Life

Understanding the psychology that drives our politics

Bookshelves & Teacups

Because paradise is a library

idahobluebird50 Plants, Animals, Cats, Dogs, Mysteries and Chat

Memories of a Senior citizen

fromcavewalls.wordpress.com/

The Journey Home

Tracy the Bookworm

a bookworm detailing all her bookish thoughts

BOOKSTAGGER

Connecting Author to Readers and Readers to Author

theconfessionsofarandomblogger.wordpress.com/

the confessions of a random blogger

Hit or Miss Books

Reviews for children's and adult books.

Amani's Reviews

Here’s where I’ll gush about my favorite books , shows, and other projects!

@onceuponawishlist

all things bookish!!

A Home Library - Book Reviews & Book News

Gauri the Dreamer

My slice-of-life as child and as parent. Of reading, writing, gardening, and giving back to nature.

A Naga of the Nusantara

Fantasy and sci-fi reviews by a Malaysian book wyrm

Award Winning Books

As decided by me, your favorite raccoon host

Reader Jones

a book blog

The Traveling Bookworm

novels around the world

.com

I Heart Fictional People

Falling in Love One Book at a Time…

The Write Stuff

"Writers Helping Writers" with Marcia Meara & Friends

Jane Lurie Photography

Jane's Lens

Mythaxis Review

culture and technology

The Book Bites

Literary Liza

Cosy up and read with me!

abigailsbooks.wordpress.com/

"Books wash away from the soul the dust of everyday life."

Page by Page

Book Reviews with Bianca

The Masked Bibliophile

Books, Novels, Reviews, Poetry

Dreams And Escapes

Moments cherished, memories kept, dreams fulfilled and little things that make everyday a blessing.

sugarandscream.wordpress.com/

Lines by Leon

Leon Stevens : Author, Artist, Composer

Lovabull Books

My journey as a dog mom and book worm...

Schizanthus Nerd

Living the dream one page at a time

katherinesmits Word Siren

Reviewing enchanting reads and discussing all things bookish

Bonkers For The Books

Book reviews and more by Michael David

Bite! Eat! Repeat!

52 Cookbooks. 52 Recipes. A Tasty 2022!

Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog

READER - WRITER - CURATED RESOURCES - & MORE

Stuart France

Writer

Tallis Steelyard

The jumbled musings of Tallis Steelyard

Jim Webster

Books and Stuff

The Rantings of a Book Addict

Books Teacup and Reviews

Eclectic Mix Book Blog

Gulf South Free Press

Opinion Is The Medium Between Knowledge And Igonrance

Bantering Books

Book Reviews

Barb Taub

Writing & Coffee. Especially coffee.

The Introverted Reader 📚

Forever lost in literature

Odd Bits About Books

Between Pages

Documenting the inspiration I find, Between Pages

The Suspected Bibliophile

rambling book reviews and queer SFF writing

Beach Walk Reflections: Thoughts from thinking while walking

The Silent Eye

A Modern Mystery School

Read Betwixt Words

Books, Reviews, Recommendations and occasionally Poetry

The Psy of Life

Understanding the psychology that drives our politics

Bookshelves & Teacups

Because paradise is a library

idahobluebird50 Plants, Animals, Cats, Dogs, Mysteries and Chat

Memories of a Senior citizen

fromcavewalls.wordpress.com/

The Journey Home

Tracy the Bookworm

a bookworm detailing all her bookish thoughts

BOOKSTAGGER

Connecting Author to Readers and Readers to Author

theconfessionsofarandomblogger.wordpress.com/

the confessions of a random blogger

Hit or Miss Books

Reviews for children's and adult books.

Amani's Reviews

Here’s where I’ll gush about my favorite books , shows, and other projects!

@onceuponawishlist

all things bookish!!

A Home Library - Book Reviews & Book News

Gauri the Dreamer

My slice-of-life as child and as parent. Of reading, writing, gardening, and giving back to nature.

A Naga of the Nusantara

Fantasy and sci-fi reviews by a Malaysian book wyrm

Award Winning Books

As decided by me, your favorite raccoon host

Reader Jones

a book blog

The Traveling Bookworm

novels around the world

.com

I Heart Fictional People

Falling in Love One Book at a Time…

The Write Stuff

"Writers Helping Writers" with Marcia Meara & Friends

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • By Hook Or By Book
    • Join 6,119 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • By Hook Or By Book
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...
 

You must be logged in to post a comment.