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Emily May's Reviews > Pet Sematary
Pet Sematary
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I first read this book when I was about twelve and thought it was really scary. But I had since forgotten absolutely everything about it other than what everyone already knows about the basic premise of Pet Sematary. It was this recent post on the B&N blog that convinced me to read it again. With a few exceptions, I'm actually a big fan of Stephen King and it seemed about time to get reacquainted with his "scariest" work.
And... well, I was disappointed. The story holding this book up is still an excellent one, but today the idea felt more chilling than the actual execution. In fact, everything about this book felt really quite dated. From the scares that were not-so-scary compared to, say, Netflix's Marianne (a Stephen King recommendation, to be honest), to the way Louis spoke about the women around him.
I usually enjoy King's meandering style of over-description and slow build-up through detailed characterization, but here the characters grated on me. I struggled to keep my attention on the pages as we followed Louis Creed through his daily life as a doctor. Rachel was irritatingly twee, too.
King's books are usually something like 20% horror and 80% character drama, which usually works really well for me, but it failed here because of my disinterest in said characters.
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And... well, I was disappointed. The story holding this book up is still an excellent one, but today the idea felt more chilling than the actual execution. In fact, everything about this book felt really quite dated. From the scares that were not-so-scary compared to, say, Netflix's Marianne (a Stephen King recommendation, to be honest), to the way Louis spoke about the women around him.
I usually enjoy King's meandering style of over-description and slow build-up through detailed characterization, but here the characters grated on me. I struggled to keep my attention on the pages as we followed Louis Creed through his daily life as a doctor. Rachel was irritatingly twee, too.
King's books are usually something like 20% horror and 80% character drama, which usually works really well for me, but it failed here because of my disinterest in said characters.
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Reading Progress
December 29, 2019
–
Started Reading
January 3, 2020
– Shelved
January 3, 2020
–
Finished Reading
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Danielle
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rated it 4 stars
Jan 03, 2020 10:46AM
King is my absolute favorite author, but I felt similarly for this reread. I psyched myself up for the audiobook last year. I even waited until winter and the end of bike season (I have a son). It was a sorta disappointing revisit story wise, but Michael C. Hall's narration kept it a bit more lively than your experience sounds. Maybe give it a listen if you give it another go around in another 20 years or so. As always, thanks for the excellent review.
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Danielle wrote: "King is my absolute favorite author, but I felt similarly for this reread. I psyched myself up for the audiobook last year. I even waited until winter and the end of bike season (I have a son). It ..."Thank you, Danielle :) I think I maybe just needed to adjust my expectations as well. An author whose been writing as long as King is bound to have some "classics" that haven't aged well.
I started reading Stephen King when his 5th book, The Stand, came out. I quickly read his past books and then was a mess until the next one came out. The thing is, the more he wrote the less I liked. I knew he had gotten sober somewhere in there and assumed that was probably the dividing line. Turns out it isn't. Pet Sematary was never one of my favorites, at the time Cujo was the only book I liked less. I'd love to say I matured and my tastes had grown, but we're talking age 14 to age 17, not a lot of maturity for males in those years. So I have just realized that if it wasn't the sobriety and it wasn't the maturity, it had to be something that I no longer found good. I still test the waters now and then, latest was Sleeping Beauties, but I find that I am no longer his greatest fan. And like you, the books I remember fondly are probably best left as memories. As always, I enjoyed reading your thoughts on books.
I don't bother with films adapted from Kings book. Granted many of his novels are 700 plus pages, but the films don't even come close to his books. Even Nicholson couldn't help the shining.
For a long time I dismissed King as a terrible writer but I'll freely admit I was wrong and in the last ten years I've come to really like some of his work. However, I still think he is kind of hit and miss, so I appreciate your thoughtful critique of Pet Sematary and will not bother reading it.
It's true, his books are 20% horror and 80% characterization, which is why I can't read King; his characters come off hokey and generic to me. I wish King would have taken time off to read plays and get a better feel for dialogue. It's the most important part of a novel, as the narrator steps aside, the character speaks in his or her own voice and I can see what I'm dealing with.
I'm not going to lie. I dug for this review because I typically share the same opinions on books as you do. And I don't know, this is so well loved I had to make sure it's not just me hating the reading experience. I don't know if I just missed the train for this or because I'm not a parent it doesn't hit the same. It's just so boring. I think this is one of the few times where the movie is better than the book.
Keyara wrote: "I'm not going to lie. I dug for this review because I typically share the same opinions on books as you do. And I don't know, this is so well loved I had to make sure it's not just me hating the re..."It's definitely not just you, Keyara. And I am a parent and it still didn't work for me XD
Hi Em, ik it's been like a year, but I wated you to know that I follow you and like your reviews. :)
For some reason, I see you everywere-
I totally agree with this review. I loved Stephen King when I was about 12-13 years of age (just over 20 years ago). Sometimes I return to read the King books I didn’t pick up back then, and every time I do am disappointed. I think I go back for that feeling of nostalgia and the warm memories of growing up in the 90s and watching Stephen King adaptations on Sky. Maybe I should bury this desire when it pops up every now and again, but definitely not beyond the deadfall past Pet Sematary.
This is one of the only King books I have not finished. I'm on a Dark Tower journey right now, for the first time, listening to them on audiobook. Can I just say..... this man is long-winded. I love him, have loved almost all of his work that I've consumed, but he never. shuts. up. I'm not convinced I'M gonna make it to the damn tower at the pace of all this yapping! 🤣 Anyway, I tried to read Pet Sematary twice before, and I just can't get into it. So I guess it will be an audiobook for me, too. Even though it didn't engage me, even after all the lukewarm (and some just cold 🥶) reviews, I'm still going to read the book. You just never know what is going to move you in the moment, and all opinions/tastes/fads/trends are subjective.
Tonya with an "O" wrote: "This is one of the only King books I have not finished. I'm on a Dark Tower journey right now, for the first time, listening to them on audiobook. Can I just say..... this man is long-winded. I lov..."Your last line is perfect :) So true.
I'm nearing completion on this book and agree with your sentiment on this. I've come to the conclusion that his greatest strengths is an author is that Stephen King develops wonderful characters. In a re-read of some of his earlier work I have a secondary conclusion is that it took a long time for that to happen. Early works don't have that same feel and as a result I don't have a connection to the Creed family.
