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3. Moves fast. Still has the cliff hangers at the end of every chapter

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5. really enjoyed the last story. wish there were more stories like this that centered around mindbanks

Walk on Gilded Splinters - 1. Definitely my least favorite. Have no idea what happened. How was this included, and especially last, the last story I am coming away from this anthology with. A woman has a dog, and she is attacked by a gang called the Kids. She dies. Some seemingly worship of Trashcan Man?

Unfortunate Convalescence of The Superlawyer - 2. Didn’t enjoy. Was too abstract and out there, had almost nothing to do with Stand. Interesting idea to have a third being outside of Abigail and Flagg but uncannon. SuperLawyer and drawing ability was meaningless. Didn’t understand the ending

Devil’s Children - 4. One of my favorites. About a territory of people who were never exposed to the virus who were contained to an area by “The Chosen” who are the immune. They hide from the Chosen for fear of being infected. Turns out, the Chosen had been kidnapping their people to experiment on a vaccine for Captain Tripps. Fits well and adds a new dimension to the story

4. enjoyed this story. struggle over a loved one participating in something they are passionate about but puts them in danger. don't want anything to happen to them but don't want to be controlling either

Came the Last Night of Sadness - 3. Another good idea, for Flagg to have a daughter but poor execution. Too artsy and basically just fizzles at end. Confusing sub stories that are seemingly told by people who wouldn’t have the information they’re presenting. Interesting that Flagg fears her because she is part of “the wheel” that shouldn’t exist. Has to avoid him and lay low

Pretty close to the end of the book and Dorothy just showed up. Seems like Elphaba didn't really have any power what-so-ever and starts calling herself the wicked witch of the west after her sisters' death. Elphaba's fight with the wizard of oz right over a book from another dimension is nowhere near as strong as the movie does it. Makes me feel even more mad that the story wasted time with Elphaba life events

Hunted To Extinction - 4. Enjoyed this one. Takes place after the explosion in Vegas and explores Flagg returning and what powers he might have. Seems to have taken the ability for men to have kids. The monsters were never explained, what are they, why is he able to create beings that never seemingly exited before? Really like the idea of Flagg sending children in a world that is without children as a tempt

Grand junction - 2. Mostly forgettable. Marksman (boy) approached by leader of small city and requested to assist in exhibition to stop an evil settlement. Leader turns on everyone and actually wanted to steal evil baby. Was it May that shot at Leaf? Was the baby alone inside? Bunch of settlements, where in the timeline was it? Moved at a good pace. Blends in with the rest of the stories

3 Last story good and entertaining, but pretty unrelated to the theme

Awaiting Orders in Flaggston - 3. Group of Vegas deserters start a new town in WV. There is a 12 year old girl who has been isolated and locked in a shock as she is believed to be a prophet as she didn’t dream of Flagg or Abigail. Interesting idea looking into why some didn’t dream and Vegas deserters. Ending was bad and unfulfilling though. Story didn’t answer any questions - didn’t have a point

He’s a Righteous Man - 2. Man writes a book that predicted the pandemic, may have been channeling, but is seen as a prophet. He gets crucified because a town believes he caused the pandemic. Not very much to the story, no point in it. Why was the boyfriend carrying a gun, why did it matter?

3. Lots that could have been left out - when she goes to a nunnery or when she goes back to apologize to Fiero’s wife and has to stay there for an extended amount of time. Seems like it could have been redacted or shortened

Abigail’s Gethsemane - 4. Probably my favorite thus far. Tells the story of what happens to Abbie when she left Boulder, but also goes into her past and a previous encounter with Flagg. Pretty canon which I appreciate. Has an unfair advantage of being about Abbie, when the authors weren’t supposed to write about characters. Some actions did seem out of place, but interesting and entertaining

3. Story about a family immigrating to the states. mostly sad and depressing despite the somewhat happy ending.

3. Interesting how much was removed or altered in the movie to make it more kid friendly, like the goat being killed and the sister not having any arms. Little difficult to relate who the characters are in the story compared to the movie. Find myself losing interest and losing the thread at the story at times

3. Last chapter was reminded me a lot of 1984. Concern over whether or not your neighbors can be trusted or if you should report your neighbor for potentially a higher station. Seems like the stories are somewhat linked, but it’s hard to figure out how or who the characters are, especially with too long of breaks between reading

Mosque at the End of the World - 4. Interesting that Abigail and Flagg were talking to them, although it seems like Khizar was the Abigail of Pakistan and Uch was their Boulder. Didn’t like all of the Pakistan phrases and words that weren’t translated or able to be translated/understood. Interesting idea that each country might have its own battle. The Wolves were essentially Flagg and his army

pictures too early, spoiled multiple key parts

4 King does a good job of making you care about characters in a short story. wish there were more reoccurring chars though

4 Too short. each month is a seemingly unconnected story of someone getting killed. king is seemingly more poetic and flowerythan usual, maybe because of the shorter length?

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The Story of Some of Us - 4. Potentially my favorite thus far. Narrator tells story in the second person to the reader about Art who was visited by people of both sides saying that he’s a fulcrum and they needed him to come with them, but he refuses them both. Explores the problems with both sides potentially using force to convince him. Pretty canon. How was the narrator able to love in his basement for weeks?

4. Enjoying much more than the movie. Much more “adult” than the movie. Goes into great detail about the mother and father and her childhood compared to the movie which glosses over all of it. The movie paints her as being a totally benign good person, while the book is more complicated

3. The last two stories were… fine. The one before continued the life of the diplomat’s son, and this one was about an armless swimmer. Enjoy the stories that focus much more on sci fi, the other stories seem to almost he fairy tales without a reason/moral. Strange juxtaposition

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