Now a major motion picture starring Ewan McGregor! From master storyteller Stephen King, his unforgettable and terrifying sequel to The Shining–an instant #1 New York Times bestseller that is “[a] vivid frightscape” (The New York Times). Years ago, the haunting of the Overlook Hotel nearly broke young Dan Torrance’s sanity, as his paranormal gift known as “the shining” opened a door straight … paranormal gift known as “the shining” opened a door straight into hell. And even though Dan is all grown up, the ghosts of the Overlook–and his father’s legacy of alcoholism and violence–kept him drifting aimlessly for most of his life. Now, Dan has finally found some order in the chaos by working in a local hospice, earning the nickname “Doctor Sleep” by secretly using his special abilities to comfort the dying and prepare them for the afterlife. But when he unexpectedly meets twelve-year-old Abra Stone–who possesses an even more powerful manifestation of the shining–the two find their lives in sudden jeopardy at the hands of the ageless and murderous nomadic tribe known as the True Knot, reigniting Dan’s own demons and summoning him to battle for this young girl’s soul and survival…
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This story picks up where The Shining left off. It starts out with little Danny Torrence at 8 years old. He starts seeing some of his “friends” from the Overlook and calls to his buddy Dick Hallorrann for some help. Dick gives him some good advice.
Dan grows up and goes through a long rough patch of alcoholism. He does some things he is not proud of and ends up in a little town on the east coast. There he meets some good friends who encourage him to clean up his act. He joins AA and eventually becomes Doctor Sleep. You will have to read the book yourself to figure out why he gets this nickname.
During this time, a baby is born named Abra. She is a very special girl who also has The Shining. Her story eventually merges with Dan’s.
At the same time, there is a group of wanderers called the True Knot who feast on “steam” from kids who have The Shining. Dan and Abra must work together to survive……
I really enjoyed this story. I had a hard time putting it down. The characters were well developed and the plot was fantastic. It moved quickly.
I wish that more sequels were like DOCTOR SLEEP because King exactly nailed the way it should be approached. Bad sequels end up throwing the surviving characters from the first book or movie into a rehash of the same events but with bigger, strong, more bad guys to defeat. Too infrequently there is little to no character development. No changes to justify the sequel. Good sequels bring characters back so that we can see how their lives were affected by that first book or movie. DOCTOR SLEEP is a good sequel.
Dan Torrance is no longer the little boy Danny but he is still haunted by the ghosts of the Overlook Hotel. He also fights the same alcoholism that helped destroy his father. After a bottom where us readers see Dan at his worst, he slowly starts to pull it together in the small town Frazier. He is found by Abra, another shining-enabled child who before too long needs Dan’s help to survive a fight against monsters.
I’m avoiding spoilers because I know the discovery is part of the enjoyment; and if you’ve been able to avoid spoilers for the book and movie to be reading this, then you don’t need me spoiling it for you. I will warn you though that the last 125 pages will go by fast. The final climatic battle approached quickly and was over in one big push of reading. Afterwards, I was left feeling happy and satisfied.
Another Stephen King book I’m delighted to recommend. You don’t need to have read the book the lead character originates from (The Shining) to read or understand this – it’s a world on its own. Loved the grown up version of Danny and how he sees the world. This is a classic spine tingler. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – for me, the real value of King’s writings is not the way he writes monsters, it’s the way he observes the humans who fight them. A great book.
Years after the events at the Overlook Hotel, young Daniel Torrance is trying to make his own way in the world, dealing with the issues of his own anger and alcohol problems. When a young girl born with the shining becomes the target of a group of psychic vampires, Danny must find a way to save her. Solidly written and strong characters.
In this page-turning corollary to the Shining, Stephen King proves that he is one of those rare authors who is capable of writing an engaging sequel. It is decades later and Danny Torrance is now an alcoholic like his father, only his willingness to attend Alcoholics Anonymous meetings spirals Danny and the readers into one chilling adventure after the other. This is the ideal Halloween read!
I haven’t read The Shining in decades, but wanted to give this one a second read before the movie comes out this fall. Mr. King does an excellent job of bringing readers up-to-date on the events of Dan’s past in The Overlook Hotel, making a re-read of The Shining unnecessary. I adored Abra’s spirit and storyline!
I’ve been a fan of King’s since something like the third grade, and this is one of his easiest/most entertaining reads by far. Can’t wait to see the movie adaptation…some of the scenes in the trailer appear to be verbatim scenes from the book!
Dark, immersive, and compelling. A great escape.
I almost didn’t finish this one. I loved The Shining, but Doctor Sleep just moved a lot slower for the first half. It was still interesting, and I appreciate the progression of the separate timelines, I just wanted it to move faster. In the end I am so glad I stuck it out and finished. Doctor Sleep is an amazing ending for Dan and wraps up in a way that leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy in a way The Shining couldn’t (and shouldn’t have if we’re being honest).
Since I heard that a movie was coming out in November based on the book I thought it a good time to give a review.
The book is somewhat of a sequel to Stephen King’s book “The Shinning”. I say somewhat because it doesn’t actually tie the two books together. Instead it is the story of Dan Torrance, Jack Torrance’s young son, as a middle aged man.
Dan Torrance, scarred by his experience at the Overlook hotel, moves from job to job finally settling down at a nursing home. At the home he meets a young girl that has powers like his. Together they must fight a cult-like group to keep them from overtaking the young girl and stealing both her soul and her life.
The book was good and I do recommend it but I found it not quite as good as the shinning. So instead of five stars I gave it four.
Doctor Sleep is a sequel to The Shining but can probably be read as a stand alone novel but with some loss of depth. King is at his usual best with creating characters and settings. It has been a few years since I read it but may just pick it up again. I can do that with the best of King’s works and still really enjoy them.
Fitting sequel
I loved this book! Fantastic ending for Danny Torance.
It’s a true Stephen King novel!
What I Liked:
Where do I even begin??? I loved this book. When I started it, I fully expected it was going to be The Shining Part II. It’s really not. Reading The Shining would certainly help you understand what’s going on, but it isn’t required to enjoy this book. In fact, I think that’s why I liked it so much. Doctor Sleep is most definitely its own story. It has a totally different vibe to it.
Doctor Sleep has an element of sadness to it that is heartbreaking at times. Dan has been through so much since the Overlook and almost none of it has been pretty. Doctor Sleep takes you on Dan’s journey starting with just shortly after the events of the Overlook. There are a couple of jumps forward in time, which can be a little confusing at first, but trust me, they are necessary for the story. You need to be told the stories that come from those memories.
Another thing I liked about this book is the air of wisdom Dan has by the time we reach present day with him. He’s been through a lot and come out on the other side stronger for it. However, he’s not dumb enough to think that he can handle anything and everything that may be thrown at him. He absolutely knows better and he still has a healthy fear of the otherworldly baddies.
Finally, the NOS4A2 tie-ins! If you were not aware of who he is, Joe Hill is the son of Stephen King. They must have been writing their books right around each other (NOS4A2 was released in April 2013) because there are things mentioned in Doctor Sleep that you will instantly recognize if you’ve read NOS4A2. A horrific story about Charlie Manx. A Christmasland bumper sticker. They’re relatively small and if you haven’t read NOS4A2, you’d have no clue that it is a reference to another book, so these references don’t distract you from the story at all.
What I Didn’t Like:
I don’t really have anything that I didn’t like. I think the only thing I found a little off was a scene involving the baddies in a movie theater. It really seemed unnecessary to the story. Now, my book club friends picked it out right away and made kind of a big deal about it. I found it odd when reading the scene and then realized after I was done with the book that it was never really revisited, and I couldn’t think of anything it really related back to. That being said, maybe I missed something when reading the book. I certainly wouldn’t say it’s something I didn’t like about the book, I just found it a little odd is all.
Who I Would Recommend It To:
EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lol True to SK form, I don’t think Doctor Sleep is like anything else in his catalog, but then, that’s what I love about SK’s writing. I don’t think anything he turns out is comparable to anything he’s written before. You have elements of horror, paranormal (of course!), drama, comedy, and a little bit of all-out terror, but if you’re looking for The Shining Part II, it’s not the same book, peeps! This is a whole new story. It’s a very well-written mystery with some moments that will make you cry and others that will turn your stomach. I absolutely loved every minute of this book.
As a side note, I listened to the audiobook version of Doctor Sleep and, as you all know, I love a good narrator. Actor Will Patton narrated this one and he is simply amazing. If you’re not familiar with the name, Google it. You’ll know who he is. He’s been in what seems like a bazillion movies, some of my favorites being Armageddon, Gone In 60 Seconds, and Remember The Titans. He’s got a great voice for long listening, he’s got good cadence, and he captures the emotion of the story impeccably! Loved it!
Stephen King is a master of the written word…loved the way he included back story and characters from his past novel.
Love it.
An incredible follow-up to my favorite horror novel of all-time? Yes.
Really enjoyed it!
Another good one from Stephen King!
This book is not what you think.