If It Bleeds by Stephen King
I recently returned to reading Stephen King after quite a few years. Back in school, he was considered a scary, cool author to read and it’s good to see that not much has changed. King has been writing since the late 1960s and is one of the most prolific horror writers of all time.
If It Bleeds is a collection of novellas, all of which are either recently released or currently being adapted for film. But if you're like one of our librarians, you might prefer to read the book before watching the movie and If It Bleeds won’t disappoint.
King’s writing carries the sinister chill of older authors like Edgar Allan Poe, brilliantly updated for the twenty-first century. Mr Harrigan’s Phone is particularly chilling and, as King notes, was inspired by Victorian writers obsessed with death and the fear of being buried alive, so much so that they created bell pulls for graves.
The Life of Chuck is a mysterious and more ambiguous story, while Rat is brilliantly observed. Aspiring writers, take note: getting stuck in a storm in a remote cabin is never a good idea.
Fans of horror will find much to love in this collection - King has shown us again and again that he is a writer who benefits from an imagination that continually creates stories that have the power to get under the reader's skin.
Happy reading and maybe keep the light on when you sleep.
Find If It Bleeds by Stephen King
Jenny
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