Skip to main content

Book Review Thursday: Under the Dome by Stephen King




  • Paperback: 1088 pages
  • Publisher: Gallery Books; Media Tie-In edition (June 11, 2013)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1476735476
  • ISBN-13: 978-1476735474

On an entirely normal, beautiful fall day in Chester's Mill, Maine, the town is inexplicably and suddenly sealed off from the rest of the world by an invisible force field. Planes crash into it and fall from the sky in flaming wreckage, a gardener's hand is severed as "the dome" comes down on it, people running errands in the neighboring town are divided from their families, and cars explode on impact. No one can fathom what this barrier is, where it came from, and when -- or if -- it will go away. 


My Thoughts:
Those who follow me know that Stephen King is one of, if not, my favorite author. There maybe many reasons why this is beyond his writing style. I tend to like many of the same books, movies and TV shows he does. We were both born on the same day, September 21st. Mostly, I think the reason why I am such a fan of Stephen King is because maybe we see many things the same way and his novel Under the Dome is one of the books I love most by this amazing author because of how he captured the deep down human nature inside each of us.

I know many King fans were not overly happy with this novel by our beloved author. I can understand a lot of their reasons for that, however, even though there is a lot of detail and at times the plot slowed down quite a bit, the intensity of the plot was amazing. I think as readers we may have overlook what King was trying to do with this novel (and a novel that took him a long time to complete). So what is it that I think King was trying to do? To give us a good look at human nature and how people, or "sheepeople" as my son and I like to call them, react under extreme circumstances.

I think Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) said it best in the movie Men in Black. "A person is smart. People are dumb, panicky dangerous animals and you know it. Fifteen hundred years ago everybody knew the Earth was the center of the universe. Five hundred years ago, everybody knew the Earth was flat, and fifteen minutes ago, you knew that humans were alone on this planet. Imagine what you'll know tomorrow."

Stephen King really showed in perspective exactly what Kay was talking about in Men in Black. So Kudos to you King for doing a wonderful job.

Popular posts from this blog

Redefining Purpose Through Life's Trials

  Facing the myriad of challenges that life presents, individuals often find themselves searching for meaning and purpose in the eye of the storm. Our latest podcast episode delves into the heart of this human experience, exploring how adversity does not just challenge but also shapes and molds our sense of purpose. The stories shared in this episode are not just narratives of survival; they are testaments to the power of transformation through trials. The episode begins with a deeply personal account of loss and grief from co-hosts Virginia Grenier and myself. The discussion moves beyond mere catharsis, revealing the podcast's role as a beacon of therapy and connection. This connection is further solidified by the importance of community and listener support, which serves as a lifeline for sustaining the platform. The beauty of shared experiences lies in their universality, and our candid conversation sets the stage for the narratives that follow. Our guest's story is a moving...

Interview Friday with author Frances Pauli

Frances Pauli was born and raised in Washington State . She grew up with a love of reading and storytelling, and was introduced to Science Fiction and Fantasy at an early age through the books kept and read by her father. Though she always held aspirations to be a writer, she chose to obtain her Bachelor’s degree in visual arts. The stories, however, had other plans for her. By the time she entered her thirties, they were no longer content existing solely in her head. Compelled to free them, she set aside her easel and began to write in earnest. Her original love of Speculative fiction combined with her covert excursions into the Romance section led her into the realms of Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance, where she finds herself quite comfortable. Her fascination with Science Fiction and a growing passion for the NASA channel divert her happily into tales of the far future, alternate dimensions, and the wonders of space, usually with at least a touch of romance. Frances current...

Interview Friday: Natasha Yim & Gretchen Maurer

Natasha Yim is a children's book author and freelance writer. Her first book, Otto's Rainy Day was published by Charlesbridge Publishing in 2000. It was selected as a Kids' Pick of the Lists. She has written for Highlights for Children, Appleseeds and Faces magazines, and her new picture book biography, Cixi, The Dragon Empress was released by Goosebottom Books in October 2011. Gretchen Maurer's writing has been published in Frances Mayes' The Discovery of Poetry, and in Adventure Cyclist and Highlights for Children magazines. She also co-wrote a short film, Alma, that has won multiple awards. Mary Tudor, "Bloody Mary" is her first picture book. She lives in Northern California with her family. Natasha Yim’s current book, Cixi, The Dragon Empress and Gretchen Maurer’s current book, Mary Tudor, “Bloody Mary” are two of the six books (all written by different authors) in Goosebottom Books’ series, The Thinking Girl’s Treasury of Dastardly Dames. The seri...