I did it. I finally read a Stephen King novel. 🏆

Genre: Historical Fiction
Time: 1958-1963
Format: 📖 & 🎧
Pub Date: 11.8.2011
Star Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆

Synopsis:

“On November 22, 1963, three shots rang out in Dallas, President Kennedy died, and the world changed. What if you could change it back? Stephen King’s heart-stoppingly dramatic new novel is about a man who travels back in time to prevent the JFK assassination—a thousand page tour de force. Following his massively successful novel Under the Dome, King sweeps readers back in time to another moment—a real life moment—when everything went wrong: the JFK assassination. And he introduces readers to a character who has the power to change the course of history.

Jake Epping is a thirty-five-year-old high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching adults in the GED program. He receives an essay from one of the students—a gruesome, harrowing first person story about the night 50 years ago when Harry Dunning’s father came home and killed his mother, his sister, and his brother with a hammer. Harry escaped with a smashed leg, as evidenced by his crooked walk. Not much later, Jake’s friend Al, who runs the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to 1958. He enlists Jake on an insane—and insanely possible—mission to try to prevent the Kennedy assassination.

So begins Jake’s new life as George Amberson and his new world of Elvis and JFK, of big American cars and sock hops, of a troubled loner named Lee Harvey Oswald and a beautiful high school librarian named Sadie Dunhill, who becomes the love of Jake’s life—a life that transgresses all the normal rules of time.“

Review:

“Life turns on a dime. Sometimes towards us, but more often it spins away, flirting and flashing as it goes: so long, honey, it was good while it lasted, wasn’t it?”

I’ve had 11/22/63 sitting on my bookshelf since last summer, and it’s been taunting me, telling me that I would never actually pick it up to read. But, I did it, and I was unsure at first, but what an incredible novel. Coming in at just over 800 pages, there may be people who would argue that something could’ve been cut from the story. But, for me, it’s perfect just the way it is. I know not all SK books are written like this (because this one made me cry), but it’s a testament to the author’s ability to write a book that leaves you thinking about it for days to come.

11/22/63 felt like much more than just a book about time travel; it was full of history, action, suspense, and romance. I’m so glad that all of you SK lovers out there suggested this be the first book of his that I pick up and read.

⏰ Time travel
💯 Audiobook narration
👉🏼 Perfect for the first time Stephen King reader
😮‍💨 hold-your-breath moment

I listened and read 11/22/63, and to be honest, the audiobook was phenomenal. I’ve never listened to an audiobook and genuinely felt like the narrator became a part of the story. He became Jake Epping. Because of this, if you have the opportunity to listen to this on audio, I recommend doing so!

BOOK INFO
Format: 849 pages, paperback
Published: November 2011
ISBN 9781451627282 (ISBN10: 1451627289)