Fairy Tale by Stephen King
Fairy Tale
by Stephen King
Fantasy | Horror | Fiction
600 Pages
Released September 2022
Rating: ★★★★★
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Content Warnings
This book was a delight. I actually started this one towards the end of 2022 and finished it a couple days into 2023. It was my first Stephen King since I read The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon many many years ago (at least 15 or 20) and I’m thrilled this is the first King that finally caught my attention since then.
This book is about Charlie. His mother dies from a tragic accident when Charlie is young and subsequently, his father falls into alcoholism. Charlie makes a secret plea — if his father recovers from alcoholism he will do an extraordinary good deed. This opportunity comes in the form of Mr. Bowditch, the reclusive neighbor and his dog Radar. When Mr. Bowditch is seriously injured, Charlie takes it upon himself to help his mysterious, ailing neighbor and dog - and soon a begrudging friendship is formed.
Mr. Bowditch is reclusive for a good reason, a reason that Charlie will soon inherit and Charlie ultimately finds himself on an adventure of a lifetime.
First of all - Radar. I dare you not to fall in love with this dog. This dog is everything. Second, this book just keeps on giving. I really loved King’s modern interpretation of a fairy tale - it felt simultaneous fresh and familiar. It did have his characteristic horror woven in through parts of the book but overall this felt like an amazing comfort read - one that I can see myself re-reading over and over again.