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Why not, lets throw a book review in the mix, especially considering this one is film related. Ever wondered what happened to Dan 'Doc' Torrance after the events of the Shining?! No? Well, me neither really but I thought I'd give it a go. A simple horror novel to get me back into casual reading again seemed like a good idea after university life drowned me in science literature.
Anyway, Doctor Sleep follows Dan, a recovering alcoholic, and his life at a hospital ward were he uses his telepathic 'Shining' ability to help the dead pass into their next life. He meets Abra, a powerful Shining girl, who fears she is being tracked by a group called the True Knot - essentially vampires that feed on children with telepathic 'steam'.
Yeah it alright, nothing more, nothing less. If it were a roller coaster it would have you looping and falling one moment before trundling along at the pace of a monorail. There were scenes that were truly gripping, such as King's vivid, engrossing description of the morning after one of Dan's alcoholic sprees, or the first time the True Knot's sultry leader, Rose, infests Abra's mind - I genuinely felt a pang of unease sitting in bed before sleeping. Unfortunately they felt a little too few and far between, and I kept losing interest at their incessant, uninteresting conversation. I think part of the problem was Dan's Character. I just found him a bit too boring, inconsistent and matter of fact - especially considering his troubled past. Abra on the other hand was a joy to read and one of the highlights.
Worth Reading? If you're a King fan it's standard, harmless King affair, and has its moments that 'shine' (not funny), but as expected it lacks the tension, originality and iconic moments of the Shining book. If you're a Kubrick fan and love the Shining film, then you probably wont get much out of Doctor Sleep.
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