Welcome back, coffee fans and Frizzy freaks. Stephen King draws us back to small-town New England again this week, with Cujo. Published in 1981, Cujo was penned in a haze of beer and cocaine, according to King. He says that this is a bummer, because it’s a good book, but he doesn't remember the important part, which is the writing journey. Part of me agrees, but part of me thinks it was slow and kind of drawn out. Spoiler alert: the dog gets it. This should be ok, he was an asshole for most of the story.
A 200 pound Saint Bernard in small town Castle Rock, Maine, disturbs a cave full of rabid bats while a four year old (human) boy across town is haunted by the beast in his closet. These disparate occurrences come to a violent and bloody head outside of the boy's mother's car in the heat of July. The summer had been forecast as the hottest in years by the oldest person in the town. Trapped in the car by the rabid, blood-spattered dog, the owners out of town, the story takes on a new conflict: the elements. Can mother and son make it out without being cooked alive?
What fascinates me about Stephen King's work is the generalized depth. 'salem's Lot, Tommyknockers, and Cujo display a divergent depth that adds a level of shadow and foreboding to the setting by delving into the interconnected dramas and sins of the townsfolk. Affairs, domestic violence, vandalism, and theft lay a framework, casting the towns in a vicious light before the evils come to town. This interplay of character and flaw brings the multidimensional story a feel of complexity that isn't inherent in every author's work.
Animal lovers should probably not read this.
I recommend this book, but I will acknowledge I was irritated at 100 pages in. "It's called Cujo, and Cujo hasn't done shit!" I commented to one of my non-reading friends as we were discussing it. I also told him about Adam Nevill's works, and considered just directing him to my blog. Alas, however, he doesn't enjoy reading, so I didn't bother.
Now, I'm off to watch the movie. Don't know how I made it this long without seeing it, but we'll go off and change that, eh?
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