A USA TODAY BESTSELLER In this thrilling sequel to the New York Times bestselling novella by Stephen King and award-winning author Richard Chizmar, an adult Gwendy is summoned back to Castle Rock after the mysterious reappearance of the button box. Something evil has swept into the small Maine town of Castle Rock on the heels of the latest winter storm. Sheriff Norris Ridgewick and his team are … storm. Sheriff Norris Ridgewick and his team are desperately searching for two missing girls, but time is running out.
In Washington, DC, thirty-seven-year-old Gwendy Peterson couldn’t be more different from the self-conscious teenaged girl who once spent a summer running up Castle Rock’s Suicide Stairs. That same summer, she had been entrusted–or some might say cursed–with the extraordinary button box by Richard Farris, the mysterious stranger in the black suit. The seductive and powerful box offered Gwendy small gifts in exchange for its care and feeding until Farris eventually returned, promising the young girl she’d never see the box again.
One day, though, the button box suddenly reappears but this time, without Richard Farris to explain why, or what she’s supposed to do with it. Between this and the troubling disappearances back in Castle Rock, Gwendy decides to return home. She just might be able to help rescue the missing girls and stop a dangerous madman before he does something ghastly.
With breathtaking and lyrical prose, Gwendy’s Magic Feather explores whether our lives are controlled by fate or the choices we make and what price we sometimes have to pay. Prepare to return again to Stephen King’s Castle Rock, the sleepy little town built on a bedrock of deep, dark secrets, just as it’s about to awaken from its quiet slumber once more.
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Very few would consider a trip to Stephen King’s Castle Rock, bad things happen there. If you ask a local, they’d tell you to take 201 and slip past the quiet little seaside town. Stop in Camden, Rockland, or someplace along the harbor instead. Richard Chizmar chose to ignore those warnings and visited the sleepy little town not once, but twice. First with a guide, then on his own. GWENDY’S MAGIC FEATHER makes it clear he is in no way intimidated playing alone in those haunted streets. His knack for the small town tale is a perfect fit. This is Chizmar at his best.
“You have many things to tell the world … and the world will listen.”
25 years have passed since the events in book one of this series GWENDY’S BUTTON BOX began. And it’s been 15 years since Gwendy’s graduated from Brown University.
She has done well with her life. She’s married to a man she loves, is a renowned author, an activist, and a Congresswoman.
The world is in a state of unrest as she heads back to her hometown of Castle Rock, Maine for the Christmas break. And there are dark events happening there, too.
I liked this book as much as the first one. It was written by Richard Chizmar rather than co-written with Stephen King this time around but I’ve become quite a fan of Chizmar and thought he did a great job weaving the books together.
I appreciate the strong female character of Gwendy’s and the side cast of characters lend much depth to the story.
I’ve seen mentioned in some spots that this is to be a trilogy. I hope so. The story could end satisfactorily at the end of this book but I would like another addition to Gwendy’s story.
This was an ok story which passed the time but did not fully satisfy me. I liked the fact the author revisits Gwendy as adult in the same location the original story took place but within a different context. The elements of the plot were strong and the uneasiness the reader feels as you read about events that possibly may not end well are in almost betrayed by the “easy” resolutions to the various dilemmas. I liked the short chapters that moved the action along and the set up was good but the ending could have been stronger.
I honestly wasn’t sure if I was ever going to read this when it was first announced, and I know I’m not alone in thinking that. It wasn’t a negative towards Mr. Chizmar, who has always been very kind to me, and it wasn’t a negative towards the book itself.
It was more about the continuation of a story that was missing the other author. I know that sounds weird, but it was how I felt.
I really enjoyed Gwendy’s Button Box when it came out. Richard and Stephen did a wonderful job of creating a story together that had all of the elements that I look for when reading these days.
So, why did I end up deciding to read it? Two reasons. One just as ridiculous as not wanting to read it and the other was an internal push. First – I have all of Mr. King’s books in Hardcover. When this was announced as book two of the trilogy, I still held off, as I wasn’t sure if book three would just be a Chizmar book with King’s blessing again. When Richard announced that King was involved in book three, I realized it would be a bit odd to have books one and three sitting on my shelf but not book two. The second reason was that internal push. I wanted to know for myself if Richard could do justice to the town of Castle Rock.
What I liked: Book two picks up a number of years later. We quickly learn all about how Gwendy arrived where she is in life, working as a Congresswoman. On Christmas break, she returns to Castle Rock, where she finds out that some girls have gone missing.
Chizmar does a really great job of reintroducing Gwendy as well as seamlessly returning to the original world. Of course, while Gwendy is trying to decompress and offer assistance to the Sheriff, the mysterious button box returns.
I loved the tempo of this book. Quick, succinct chapters that moved the story along and helped push the emotions that really control most of this story.
The extra characters add a new layer to the Castle Rock world and I’m sure there are a ton of easter eggs hidden throughout. I say ‘I’m sure’ because even though I’m a massive King fan, I often forget characters in his books that I read a decade ago and haven’t caught up on reading his most recent releases.
What I didn’t like: The actual action aspect of this story is over and done with really quickly at the end. It didn’t feel rushed but it also didn’t feel like it was all that necessary to the global aspect of the story. I’d almost have preferred the story focus on Gwendy’s husband’s return or her mom’s illness than having that plotline of the girls.
Why you should buy this: I’m going to say this for those on the fence – this isn’t glorified fan fiction. Far from it. King’s fingers are all over this, so if that’s a reason to keep you from taking the plunge, it’s time to put that to bed.
This is a book that holds up really well to the start of the trilogy and offers a really nice middle chapter to the series. Chizmar has done a bang-up job of continuing Gwendy’s story and I’m so happy I decided to read this. I think it’s a book that’ll surprise those people who still haven’t made the effort to read it and I’m now, personally, excited to see how this series is closed out.