Reviews with content warning for Infidelity - The Dead Zone

Stephen King writes a story of belief and desperation, class, politics, and disability. I liked Johnny Smith, and I liked King’s elaboration on how fear can manifest in religious obsession, in trust of the strangest authority when the working class is neglected and unheard for too long. I liked the setting in the 1970’s and quiet northeastern states, both far away places to me, made familiar by these pages. The first third is often slow, creaking along and introducing a number of scattered points that disappear and come back later (I forgot who kicked the dog, what happened to the waitress, what state we were in, a few times—made more difficult by the audiobook, where I couldn’t flip back easily). But once Sarah visits and then Johnny gets a call from Castle Rock, the story has more life.

Johnny goes from a smart, likeable small town teacher to a haunted, sick man in the ten years this story covers; King articulates the internal pain and shame of his disability, coupled with the curiosity and hope and anger of those who encounter it, very well. I was on his side the whole way through, because he remains intelligent, considerate, the whole way through, even as he loses his ability to be part of the same reality as those around him.

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is my favourite King novel and rereading it didn’t change my mind!

The Dead Zone follows John Smith who wakes from a coma with psychic abilities. Usually, he just finds lost things, or predicts something happening in the near future, but when he touches Greg Stillson, he sees a much bleaker future for the world.

This is very much a story of extraordinary events happening to ordinary people. John isn’t special, other than his ability. The supporting characters are also very well realised. Stillson doesn’t ever fall into a parody - tho I’m sure when the book came out in 1979, people never thought that someone who acted like an idiot and riled crowds up could get elected to anything...

There’s a lot of similarities between The Dead Zone and another of my favourite King’s - 11.23.63. Both pose the question: what would you do if you have the chance to change history?

There’s also a few references to the King universe (whether intentional or not!). It’s set in the Maine area, just like a lot of King novels, there’s a lot of 19 references and one blue chambray work shirt! We also have manically religious mother’s (two!) and a reference to the movie Carrie.

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