3.5 Stars

Well... an unpopular opinion, I suppose.

This was my first book by King, and I'm not sure what to say. The story was gripping, and the characterization was great. The book's part horror, part thriller. It has gore, torture, sadism, manipulation, cat & mouse games, and such. Some of it was sickening. Yeah, his vivid descriptions and my active imagination probably are the worst combination. The depravity of a sick mind has been portrayed with such care!

Yet, I didn't feel awed by the book. It was good, but that's it. I don't know if it's one of his best. Didn't feel like it, though. I didn't like how he used the word 'rape' in the book, but this was written more than two decades ago, and things have changed.

And boy, it was slow!