I have always liked psychological thriller books. When I was about 9, my family moved from my childhood home. We had to move all of the books out of the basement. That was the first time I saw the name Stephen King, and later, when I started reading one of his books, I was captivated. The plot was much different from any other book I’d ever read.

Jack Torrance, an aspiring writer, is hired to be the winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel, an isolated resort in the Colorado Rockies, and he moves in with his wife and son. Jack is a recovering alcoholic with anger issues. Jack’s son, Danny, has a special gift that they call the shining, which means he is psychic and can read minds. After struggling with his writing, Jack sells his soul to the hotel. When he is in the bar and he starts to drink, the hotel starts to possess his soul, and the hotel tries to force Jack to kill his family.

I enjoyed reading the book because I love thrillers and because I loved the movie, which I had seen before I read the book. I felt like I was actually in the hotel when a few scenes happened, like when Danny walked in on the dead lady in the bathtub. I still get chills thinking about the first time I read about it.

I think that Danny and his father have a special relationship that isn’t like a normal father-son relationship. Danny can see through his father and tries to distance himself from what the hotel is doing to him, and in doing so, he puts his mother in a strange situation. It was a very strange book for sure, but that is what I’ve come to expect from Stephen King.

I enjoyed reading Jack’s perspective. I kind of feel bad for him in a way that twists my mind. It’s a very vexing read that really messes with your brain.

I rate “The Shining” a solid 5 out of 5 cardinal heads.