Tuesday 8 March 2016

11/22/63 by Stephen King

"Life can turn on a dime" is the mantra that flows through this book. Everything we do and say has consequences, and the way we behave does affect destiny.

In this time travel novel, our hero, Jake Epping, a divorced, life-weary English teacher at a college is one of the unlikely sort. No great achievements, not really well connected, which is why he is chosen to go back and change history.

But history is obdurate, and makes it very difficult for a person to go back and change its course. Especially when it's the shooting of JFK that you want to alter. The past digs its heels in and screws with you.

A note on Stephen King. I am quite weary of people looking at me strangely when I gush about the man. There is a wide perception out there that all he can write is horror, and paranormal, and who the heck wants to read that anyway? Well, he doesn't. Ok most of his books have a little bit weird in them, but he is so creative and confident in his writing, he is definitely worth trying.

If you are one of people who has glanced at me askew when I mention that his book "On Writing"  is one of the best I have ever read, and Carrie is actually not that gruesome, compared to other books in that genre, please try this one.

The only weirdness is the time travel, and come on, everyone is doing that these days. And I bet you've all read at least one vampire novel in the last few years, or at least a wizard one, so don't come with your nonsense. This is way better.

This was a page turner of note. It is a long book, but you won't want to put it down. And, in my opinion, it is brilliant. Even Time magazine says so.

A 5 star read for me.

ISBN: 9781451627282

You may also like Time and Time again by Ben Elton, where history is changed by stopping World War 1.

All my reviews.

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