The Shining is Stephen King’s third novel and was published in 1977 with the first draft of the book taking less than four months for King to complete! It was King’s first hardcover best seller and established him firmly as a pillar in the horror genre. 

Before we get into my review, here’s a quick plot summary for anyone who hasn’t read the book:

  Aspiring writer Jack Torrance has taken a job as winter caretaker at the isolated Overlook hotel in the Rocky Mountains of Denver, Colorado. He is accompanied by his wife Wendy and young son Danny. There are tensions in the family due to Jack’s drinking problem and Danny’s misunderstood psychic abilities, but at first things seem to be finally turning around for the Torrance’s in their new home. Whatever peace they thought they had found is quickly shattered as the Overlook turns out to be not all it seems; Jack’s temper flares, Wendy’s trust in her husband falters and Danny’s premonitions go into overdrive as everything begins to fall apart. By the time they try to flee it’s too late. No one leaves the Hotel - Orders from the house…

  To put it simply- I really loved this book! I can understand that for some people the plot might have felt slow and really, for a reasonably long book (my version was 447 pages), it’s not exactly action packed, but what hooked me were King’s character explorations. The nuance of his writing, especially regarding Jack Torrance, is phenomenal. The characters are real and human; we see Jack’s struggles with alcoholism and the abuse he experienced at the hands of his father and we sympathise, but his actions are deplorable all the same. King’s portrayal of generational trauma - the abused becoming the abuser - is raw and realistic enough to make you uncomfortable. At its heart The Shining is a book about a haunted house, but it ties in complex themes such as just how much, or how little, it takes to fracture a family; the ease with which volatile emotions can be manipulated and the question: How far are we willing to go to get what we want? The book culminates in a fiery (literally!) crescendo, where the Overlook’s true intentions and machinations are revealed.

  Personally, I liked nearly every aspect of the book, but, there are slower periods where some people might perceive there being too little action and too much waffle; for readers looking for something action packed and fast paced, this isn’t it. It’s a psychological slow burn with a supernatural twist, you won’t be on the edge of your seat or jump scared every other page. The horror of The Shining is a creeping dread and innate sense of discomfort; little cracks in the facade of normality slowly giving way to bigger ones as the Torrances’ world as they know it splits apart. 

  In conclusion, I would recommend the book to anyone with an interest in more psychological horror, with a historical and supernatural aspect, but I think anyone who dislikes slow burns and deep character exploration would struggle with it.