The Shining
Published: 28, January 1977
Author: Stephen King
Book 1 of 2: The Shining
Genres: American, Contemporary, Fiction, Ghost, Gothic, Horror, Literature, Psychological, Supernatural, Thrillers
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Useful Search Related Words & Keywords:
Doctor Sleep, Ever Read, Highly Recommend, Jack Nicholson, Jack Torrance, King at His Best, Much Better, Must Read, Overlook Hotel, Son Danny, Stanley Kubrick, Stephen King
Summary:
The story is set mostly at the fictitious Overlook Hotel, a remote and haunted resort hotel in the Colorado Rockies. Several individuals recount the hotel's history, which includes the deaths of several of its visitors as well as past winter keeper Delbert Grady, who "suffered from cabin fever" and killed his family and himself.
After accepting the post as winter caretaker, Jack Torrance, his wife Wendy, and their five-year-old son Danny move into the hotel. Jack is an aspiring writer and recovering alcoholic with rage issues, which led to his unintentionally breaking Danny's arm and losing his job as a teacher after punching a pupil previous to the narrative. The hotel's isolation, Jack believes, would help him reconnect with his family and provide the impetus he needs to work on a play. Danny has psychic talents known as "shining," which allow him to read people's thoughts and experience premonitions as well as clairvoyance, which his parents are unaware of.
On the day of closing, the Torrances arrive at the hotel and are given a tour by the manager. They meet chef Dick Hallorann, who has similar talents to Danny's and helps to explain them to him, forming a unique bond between Hallorann and Danny. The hotel's remaining workers and visitors vacate the premises, leaving the Torrances alone for the winter.
Danny experiences ghosts and terrifying visions as the Torrances settle in at the Overlook. Danny is close to both of his parents, but he keeps his visions hidden from them since he knows the caretaking profession is crucial to his father's and the family's future. Wendy proposes leaving Jack at the Overlook to complete the task on his own; Danny resists, believing that his father would be happy if they stay.
Danny quickly discovers, however, that his presence at the hotel amplifies the supernatural activity, turning echoes of past tragedies into deadly dangers. Apparitions take shape, and the topiary creatures in the garden come to life. The Torrances are blocked off from the outside world at their remote motel due to the winter snowstorm.
Because the Overlook is having trouble enslaving Danny, it begins to enslave Jack by thwarting his desire to work and tempting him with the hotel's legendary past via a scrapbook and records in the basement. Jack develops cabin fever and grows progressively erratic, smashing a CB radio and sabotaging a snowcat, the Torrances' only two means of communication with the outside world. Following a disagreement with Wendy, Jack discovers the hotel's bar, which had previously been vacant, fully stocked with booze and watches a party at which he encounters the spirit of a bartender called Lloyd.
He also has a dance with a young female ghost who is attempting to seduce Jack. The hotel employs the ghost of previous caretaker Grady to persuade Jack to murder his wife and son while he is inebriated. He first resists, but the hotel's growing power, mixed with Jack's own drunkenness and rage, proves too much for him. He gives in to his evil side and the hotel's influence. Wendy and Danny outsmart Jack after he assaults Wendy and locks him in the walk-in pantry, but the spirit of Delbert Grady frees him after he promises to bring him Danny and murder Wendy.
Wendy is severely injured when Jack assaults her with one of the hotel's roque mallets, but she flees to the caretaker's suite and locks herself in the toilet. Wendy cuts Jack's hand with a razor blade to discourage him from breaking the door with the mallet.
Meanwhile, while working at a Florida winter resort, Hallorann receives a telepathic distress call from Danny. Hallorann returns to the Overlook only to be assaulted by the topiary creatures and seriously hurt by Jack. As Jack chases Danny into the Overlook and corners him on the hotel's top level, he regains control and implores Danny to flee after Danny holds firm and denounces Jack as the hotel's mask and false face.
The hotel regains control of Jack, forcing him to severely smash his own face and skull with the mallet, obliterating all traces of Jack and replacing him with the hotel's own malicious "manager" personality. Danny warns the hotel that the unstable boiler is ready to blow, recalling that Jack failed to alleviate the strain on it. While Danny, Wendy, and Hallorann leave, the hotel-creature races to the basement to try to relieve the pressure, but it's too late, and the boiler explodes, killing Jack and destroying the Overlook. Defying the hotel's final effort to control him, Hallorann leads Danny and Wendy to safety.
The epilogue of the book takes place the following summer. While Wendy recovers from the injuries Jack perpetrated on her, Hallorann, who has accepted a chef's position at a resort in Maine, consoles Danny over the death of his father.
Rating: 100/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.
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