The master storyteller Stephen King is back with a brand new book (released 30 October 2018), Elevation. While the out-and-out horror stories may be gone, the writing and storytelling talent of Mr King still remains.
Elevation tells the story of small-town bigotry in the infamous setting of Castle Rock, bringing a town together, losing weight in a bizarre way, same sex marriage, changing attitudes, friendship and leaving this mortal plain.
Scott Carey is overweight (well over 200 pounds) but is losing weight at the rate of 1 or 2 pounds daily. While not a big deal, no matter how much weight he loses his body mass and shape stay the same, he just does not get any thinner. If that wasn’t so much of a phenomenon, everything he wears or puts in his pockets doesn’t change his weight on the scales! At the rate of weightloss it will soon become terminal!
Meanwhile, his closest neighbours, the “lesbeans” – Deirdre and Missy, are struggling with their restaurant in town because of narrow- and closed-minded people. It’s one thing to be in a same sex relationship but the townspeople really can’t cope with the fact that they are married!
With Scott’s weightloss giving him more energy he decides to enter the local 12k marathon which has a magnificent effect of the town, the people and the attitudes of a majority of people.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novella. At only 132 pages long it is a short read of around 90 minutes but is a great magical story as only Stephen King can conjure up. It not only shows the mentality and closed mind that still exist in society today but also the damage it can cause on the abused (albeit in a simplified manner to fit a short story), and the how small things, kindness and acceptance can change people’s thinking and how the strangest of circumstances bring people together and create new friendships.
Stephen King writes some fantastic, absorbing books and this is right up there with them. I’m now about to start reading Gwendy’s Button Box (which is referenced in this book).
An excellent, thought-provoking, eerie, charming, sad and uplifting read.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £14.99 (Hardback) / £7.99 (Paperback) / £4.99 (Kindle)
Available to buy from Amazon here. For more information about Stephen King and his books visit www.stephenking.com.
