Book Review
Oct. 7th, 2024 01:44 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kenjariFinders Keepers
by Stephen King
This is the sequel to Mr. Mercedes and takes place a few years after the events of that book. In 1978, Morris Bellamy murders reclusive author Joseph Rothstein and makes off with the contents of his safe. This was not a typical theft, however, as Morris is a huge fan of Rothstein's work and takes issue with his treatment of one of his characters. The aim of his crime was to punish Rothstein and get access to his notebooks of unpublished writing. Unfortunately, after hiding the stolen notebooks and cash, Morris commits and is convicted of an unrelated crime. He spends three decades in prison, waiting for the day he can recover the notebooks and finally read their contents. In the meantime, teenager Peter Saubers finds the hidden stash and uses the money to help his family, who have fallen on hard times. he also reads the notebooks and, like Morris, falls in love with Rothstein's work. When Morris gets out on parole and finds his hidden stash missing, he comes after Peter and his family. Bill, Holly, and Jerome must race to rescue the Saubers.
I enjoyed this book less for the thriller action and more for its examination of people's relationships with books and what makes the difference between being a good person and not a good person. The plot is much slower compared to Mr. Mercedes, and jumps around in time much more. The characters are more complex and layered, too. King handles the shifts in time and perspective really well. While it doesn't quite have the thrills of its predecessor, I thought it was a better book. I also tremendously enjoyed the way King tweaks the noses of Salinger and Updike in his portrayal of Rothstein.
by Stephen King
This is the sequel to Mr. Mercedes and takes place a few years after the events of that book. In 1978, Morris Bellamy murders reclusive author Joseph Rothstein and makes off with the contents of his safe. This was not a typical theft, however, as Morris is a huge fan of Rothstein's work and takes issue with his treatment of one of his characters. The aim of his crime was to punish Rothstein and get access to his notebooks of unpublished writing. Unfortunately, after hiding the stolen notebooks and cash, Morris commits and is convicted of an unrelated crime. He spends three decades in prison, waiting for the day he can recover the notebooks and finally read their contents. In the meantime, teenager Peter Saubers finds the hidden stash and uses the money to help his family, who have fallen on hard times. he also reads the notebooks and, like Morris, falls in love with Rothstein's work. When Morris gets out on parole and finds his hidden stash missing, he comes after Peter and his family. Bill, Holly, and Jerome must race to rescue the Saubers.
I enjoyed this book less for the thriller action and more for its examination of people's relationships with books and what makes the difference between being a good person and not a good person. The plot is much slower compared to Mr. Mercedes, and jumps around in time much more. The characters are more complex and layered, too. King handles the shifts in time and perspective really well. While it doesn't quite have the thrills of its predecessor, I thought it was a better book. I also tremendously enjoyed the way King tweaks the noses of Salinger and Updike in his portrayal of Rothstein.
