Clare’s Comments (group member since May 24, 2020)

Clare’s comments from the Buddy Reads w./ Julia Sapphire group.

Overall, I had a fun time reading this short story collection and rated it 4/5. My favorite stories were Mr. Harrigan's Phone and If It Bleeds. Thanks for putting this group together, Julia! :)

While I enjoyed Rat, I found the protagonist Drew to be a very typical and even unoriginal Stephen King character. A struggling author who distances himself from his family - I mean come on haha. However, I loved the concept of the story and the character of the rat... I'll just leave it at that so not to spoil too much!
Also this quote was perfect for the end of the story: "You knew I was a rat when you took me in."

I just read Mr. Mercedes last week and I loved it! Because I have only read the first of the Bill Hodges trilogy, I was a little reluctant to read this story because I knew it could contain spoilers. However, I read it anyway and don't think it will ruin my fun when reading the books set before If It Bleeds. I am so glad I got to revisit Holly and see her blossom into someone who learned to cope with her mental illness. Her character growth was amazing along with Jerome and Barbara's. (Jerome is the such a caring and supportive friend.) I was pleasantly surprised that Holly was the protagonist - typically the protagonists in King's books are men and the representation was refreshing.
One thing I love about King's books is that they are all set in the same universe. I feel like the more books by him I read, the more I appreciate them because I better understand his universe and catch more cross references. The Shining was one of the first King books I read, and I've noticed the gift of shining referenced in some of his other characters in different books. I would like to think Dan and Holly have a little bit of the shine and that's how they noticed something was off with Ondowsky.
I thoroughly enjoyed this action packed story and am looking forward to reading the backstory of the first outsider Holly encountered whenever I get to reading the rest of the Bill Hodges trilogy and The Outsider.

*spoiler warning*
This was an odd story that was interestingly divided up into three acts and told backwards. After reading the first section, I would not have guessed the turn that the story would take in the next two sections.
At first, I took the story literally and was confused with what the world ending had to do with the rest of the story. Then I remembered Chuck's son saying, "dad's world is dying" and Chapter 5 in Act I. This was the chapter where Chuck had a conversation with his school teacher. The quote they discussed in class was, "I contain multitudes." The world in Chuck's head began dying as he did. The world Chuck created seems to be the main theme of the story, and I can't quite fit in the cupola that shows the ghosts of the living. I'm probably overthinking it and it's just a Stephen King oddity.

*spoiler warning*
Mr. Harrigan's Phone surprised me by being somewhat satirical, something I haven't come across much in King's writing. King's ridicule of cell phone usage in this story reminded me how dark cell phone "addictions" can become.
The mysterious Mr. Harrigan reminded me so much of Leland Gaunt in Needful Things. Can anyone else see this or is it just me? I don't think Mr. Harrigan was sinister like Leland, but there were definitely similarities in the readily available temptations they offered to the other characters. The themes of addiction and revenge were also present in Needful Things.
The protagonist of the story, Craig, felt guilty and uneasy after Kenny Yanko's death. Because of his guilt, I was surprised when he called Mr. Harrigan's phone and wished Dean Whitmore dead. I didn't pin Craig (who wouldn't even tell on Kenny after being bullied) as the revengeful type. I guess this revenge demonstrates that harmful devices (cell phones in this story) can lead anyone down the road of temptation. Reading about Craig getting rid of the cell phone was a relief to me - I was worried he would have a menacing future. I wonder if the feelings Craig experienced are similar to King's feelings when he was struggling with addiction.
Here's a quote I enjoyed from page 33: "I think we mostly live alone. By choice, like him, or just because that's the way the world was made."
I really enjoyed this first story and can't wait to read the rest!

Hi everyone! My name is Clare and I am from the U.S. I am a huge horror and Stephen King fan! I've read ten of his books in total and I can't wait to read many more. :)