Click the cover image to get yourself a copy!
INSOMNIA by STEPHEN KING
“It was life, often unsatisfying, frequently cruel, usually boring, sometimes beautiful, once in a while exhilarating.”
* * * *
Having been a Stephen King fan for years, I tend to just go blindly into his books that I've not yet read. Insomnia was one of those few. I didn't know what to expect, and that worked out well because what I'd call the 'weird' aspects of this story would have been less impactful if I'd been aware of them beforehand.
First off, this story is a bit of a refresher in regards to the main characters. No coming-of-age-kids-against-evil-forces story here; instead, we have a couple of elderly townsfolk who the story revolves around. Following these older characters was a nice change of pace from stories such as IT when comparing other SK books.
The title is referring to our main character's losing sleep. Every night, he wakes earlier and earlier, until the nights are slipping by entirely and he begins to hallucinate. Or is he?
Let's get into the visions; Insomnia has a ton of references to other Stephen King books. Since it takes place in Derry, Maine, there is that connection right off the bat to stories like IT or Hearts In Atlantis.
There are references to strange goings-on in the sewers, a nod to IT.
But then there is the hallucinations; things and being s Ralph encounters in his Insomnia also appear throughout the Dark Tower saga. This book is full of those references, the most out of any SK book I've read thus far. If you are a fan of the Dark Tower, and haven't read Insomnia, do so.
This story also has one of the most endearing, although heartbreaking, epilogues. SK is notorious for dropping the ball with the ending of his stories, but I'm confident in saying this book has one of his strongest endings for sure.
Join the RK King readers' list for an exclusive FREE short story, plus inside info, musings, promos and more: RK King Writes