8. THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION

BY STEPHEN KING

MY EXPERIENCE

I’ve never watched the film adaptation by Frank Darabont. However, I’ve got mad respect for Mr. Darabont and have certainly picked up through pop-culture that The Shawshank Redemption is both a CLASSIC, as well as one of the few examples of an adaptation elevating the source material. I have never read a Stephen King book before. This is my first. But without having yet seen the film, I can honestly say, I can see why folks would say that.

This novella was okay. It wasn’t bad. It wasn’t great. It was just okay. It wasn’t very long, so I can’t complain about boredom or pacing. I was certainly never bored. But I found myself asking, “When’s this thing going to pick up?” And then it was over and I just shrugged and thought, “I guess it doesn’t pick up.”

I’m still very glad I read it. It taught me a lot, I think, about storytelling and how it doesn’t have to follow the rules. I mean, ultimately the main character of the book is Red, and he’s telling you a story about Andy. That format choice alone is reason enough to pick up this book and read it. I recommend you do if you haven’t. Just go in knowing that this novella is an exercise in preservation. I suppose that might be intentional, considering the prison subject matter. But that’s what it does. It just is. It doesn’t change. Nothing changes. Not really. And then it ends. Kind of like prison.

I liked it. Didn’t love it. Glad I read it. Learned a lot. Great dip of the toe into the world of Stephen King. Nothing supernatural about this one. I think the next one I’m going to read from this author is The Dark Tower. We’ll see…

Four out of Five rolls of money up your asshole. IYKYK.