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A review by inherentlysleepy
Just After Sunset by Stephen King
4.0
I like Stephen King better when he writes about internal terror, rooted deeply within our minds; when he sort of dissects our hearts and nerves to create a study on our greatest fears and frights, triggered not by an exterior force, but by what our unconsciousness nurses like a baby before it becomes a full-blown adult, and not until at a certain period of time is ready to introduce us to.
In other words, I find his works more apt to my liking after his 20th century era. That is after his addiction, specifically.
I usually rejoice in my usual book nerd enthusiasm whenever I come across his works in book stores, especially in thrifty, second hand book stores—let alone the joy I exhibited upon knowing that I just scored another of his short story collections more than half the original price. Getting a copy of short story compilations for me is a great deal of treat, especially if it's the Stephen King ones, knowing that it's *very* difficult to find copies of his earlier works in my place without having to place special orders online.
Just After Sunset brags thirteen short stories inside, and boy have I ever been treated like a queen. I took delicate time reading it simultaneously with Moods by Louisa May Alcott. That was the first time I succeeded reading more than one book at once, and I found the contrast of both genres blend well together.
I rated the book 4 stars collectively, but felt a kind of moral obligation to rate and justify each of them. Some stood out, few didn't. I've written below all the notes I gathered throughout the book, in order of their appearance—as the movie credits go:
"Willa" ★★★★
Melancholic. Eerie atmosphere. I thought it was brilliant. Though upon reading other reviews for this particular peace, roughly 3 of 5 people weighed that they didn't like it as much as I did.
"The Gingerbread Girl" ★★★★
Coherent. Powerful. Well developed character and narrative.
"Harvey's Dream" ★★
This is the kind of short story that makes me double think if whether or not I'm really capable of reading. Did I miss something? Or was my comprehension fooling me? Though I thought the premise was promising and creepy, it was a bit underdeveloped, bland, and could've been written better. It didn't take hold of me as his usual stories do.
"Rest Stop" ★★
"Uhm...
In other words, I find his works more apt to my liking after his 20th century era. That is after his addiction, specifically.
I usually rejoice in my usual book nerd enthusiasm whenever I come across his works in book stores, especially in thrifty, second hand book stores—let alone the joy I exhibited upon knowing that I just scored another of his short story collections more than half the original price. Getting a copy of short story compilations for me is a great deal of treat, especially if it's the Stephen King ones, knowing that it's *very* difficult to find copies of his earlier works in my place without having to place special orders online.
Just After Sunset brags thirteen short stories inside, and boy have I ever been treated like a queen. I took delicate time reading it simultaneously with Moods by Louisa May Alcott. That was the first time I succeeded reading more than one book at once, and I found the contrast of both genres blend well together.
I rated the book 4 stars collectively, but felt a kind of moral obligation to rate and justify each of them. Some stood out, few didn't. I've written below all the notes I gathered throughout the book, in order of their appearance—as the movie credits go:
"Willa" ★★★★
Melancholic. Eerie atmosphere. I thought it was brilliant. Though upon reading other reviews for this particular peace, roughly 3 of 5 people weighed that they didn't like it as much as I did.
"The Gingerbread Girl" ★★★★
Coherent. Powerful. Well developed character and narrative.
"Harvey's Dream" ★★
This is the kind of short story that makes me double think if whether or not I'm really capable of reading. Did I miss something? Or was my comprehension fooling me? Though I thought the premise was promising and creepy, it was a bit underdeveloped, bland, and could've been written better. It didn't take hold of me as his usual stories do.
"Rest Stop" ★★
"Uhm...