THE OUTSIDER BY STEPHEN KING: A BOOK REVIEW
At the risk of going completely off-topic, I want to start off by stating that I found it really interesting that a reference was made to "Black Lives Matter" right at the start of this book. Coming across this, at a point in time when the movement was at its most intense in the real world, was something. I remember feeling quite exhilarated the exact moment I stumbled on it, looking forward to finding a connection much later in the story that would make for quite an instructive read. Well, there wasn't any in particular (haha, woe is me!) but I liked that it was mentioned regardless.
Written by the man dubbed the "King of Horror" in the literary world, The Outsider is a book that lives up to a certain hype. The story opens up with an elaborate investigation into the gruesome murder of a young boy, with events leading up to the arrest of prime suspect, Terry Maitland, a seasoned and widely respected baseball coach, to the absolute shock of the people of Flint City. In the face of incontrovertible evidence, it certainly seemed an airtight case for the investigative unit. Several twists and turns later though, events began to take on a much darker hue, questioning the very fabric of reality. Let King take you on this fantastically puzzling journey as you try to separate what is essentially possible in real time from what is absolutely not. Quite literally, you are about to find out how one person can be in two places at once.
I found the build up really good and the character development incredibly fascinating. King found an impeccable way to strike a distinctive balance between all the characters' perspectives, Holly’s being the most astounding. The plot here is eerily similar to that of IT and believe me, if you were half as thrilled as I was at the end of that book, you’re about to have your mind blown by this one. Stephen definitely upped his game here with the climax. Much of this book was gripping — definitely left my mouth ajar a couple of times — but towards the end, it seemed as though the writer felt a sudden urge to wrap things up as quickly as he could. I found the denouement a tad rushed and ultimately anticlimactic.
How the lead team (what was left of it anyway) ended up overcoming the force of evil was quite surprising, ridiculous almost. I mean, all it took was a couple of 'rocks' in a sock to do the trick? On the one hand, I completely understand the writer's need to create and sustain an air of mysteriousness and unpredictability (there is no limit to the wonders of the universe, after all). On the other, however, I suppose this 'Outsider' could have been more properly integrated into the story, with details about its very origin, reason(s) for existing at all and whatnot. It almost felt like there was little to no time left for any more conceptualization at that point and consequently, the book simply left me wanting much more.
Big props to the author for taking me down memory lane, for making me relive terrific exploits of the legendary villain in Mexican folklore, El Cuco. To round this off, I'd say this book's a cliff-hanger right up to the very end, and it's sure to knock your socks off (even if there are rocks in them) — guaranteed! Quite the page-turner, overall; no regrets there, none at all. I most definitely recommend!
IfeOluwapo Fasola,
Medicine, 600L.
