From international bestseller Stephen King, a classic story that engages our emotions on the most primal level, a fairy tale grimmer than Grimm but aglow with a girl’s indomitable spirit.What if the woods were full of them? And of course they were, the woods were full of everything you didn’t like, everything you were afraid of and instinctively loathed, everything that tried to overwhelm you … overwhelm you with nasty, no-brain panic.
The brochure promised a “moderate-to-difficult” six-mile hike on the Maine-New Hampshire branch of the Appalachian Trail, where nine-year-old Trisha McFarland was to spend Saturday with her older brother Pete and her recently divorced mother. When she wanders off to escape their constant bickering, then tries to catch up by attempting a shortcut through the woods, Trisha strays deeper into a wilderness full of peril and terror. Especially when night falls.
Trisha has only her wits for navigation, only her ingenuity as a defense against the elements, only her courage and faith to withstand her mounting fear. For solace she tunes her Walkman to broadcasts of Boston Red Sox games and the gritty performances of her hero, number thirty-six, relief pitcher Tom Gordon. And when her radio’s reception begins to fade, Trisha imagines that Tom Gordon is with her—her key to surviving an enemy known only by the slaughtered animals and mangled trees in its wake.
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This is my favorite Stephen King book! It is scary, even though you never truly see the monster. It is suspenseful and creepy. You see the whole story through the eyes of a young girl. She has stamina, strength, and the drive to complete the journey. I am so pumped that they are finally making the book into a movie. Can’t wait!
It is a good book and it makes you want to have your kids prepared for anything that can happen no matter what it is
Very entertaining
Like always, Stephen King keeps you on your toes, wanting to know what will happen next. Unpredictable, sometimes twisted.
An excellent novel. If you haven’t read Stephen King because of “monsters!”, good news! No monsters here, just a great novel.
Great book and it will appeal to the horror crowd and will make you think.
Not your typical Stephen King book (this has a happy ending). He really describes a 9-year old girl’s thoughts very well. I listened through Audible and the narrator did a fabulous job. I really felt like I was lost in the woods with this girl. And the ending gave me chills.
A great short read by King! I think I have a soft spot for stories about kids. I really like how innocent horror can become when you include kids (such as with Nick Cutter’s The Troop and William Golding’s Lord of the Flies which I will review at another time). It’s about the struggle for survival of a girl (who loves Tom Gordon) who gets lost from a hiking trail. The story explores how she wanders through the woods and makes you think, “If I was her age, would I have known to do that?” It takes you through her thought process and how her imagination kept her sane. Definitely suggest this book!
Maybe I’m a sucker for isolation but I thought this was phenomenal. King is a master when it comes to creating characters. The fact that the forest is not only a setting but the main bad guy brings more life to the pages than if she were just alone. The girl, “9 but tall for her age”, is written like a smart child would act. I never wanted to put it down from start to end. Loved it.
Great story from king!
This was a different type of book for Stephen King, but I enjoyed it. A short story that leaves the reader wondering what was real and imagined during the journey of a lost little girl.
Boring
This is a book I have read many years ago but never forgot it. This is a book I would definitely read again and again. I remember I couldn’t put it down and ended up staying up all night to finish it and I had to work the next day. I highly recommend this book!
A classic of King’s! The first book of his I ever read and since then has become my favorite author.
This is one of my favorite Stephen King books. He sucks you in and you are in this story that is so different than his other novels, yet it is his writing style that is so readable. I so enjoyed this book!!!
I am over halfway through and it is nothing but family issues, baseball and annoying mosquitos so far. I’m praying something happens soon, sheesh! I wouldn’t recommend just for the very slow, repetitive storyline. If the end picks up and is wonderful, I still think I will stick with my rating. Don’t judge me please!
Good short story with a happy ending true to life characters. Holds your interest in the story wondering if she will be found. A little unlike his other books but good all the sample The story was a little scary at times. I enjoyed the book
Excellent storyline
Boring. And I’m a huge Stephen King fan, since I was a kid…..
Not one of his best