Review: Under the Dome by Stephen King
Under the Dome is quite an undertaking at over 1,000 pages long. It is the story of Chester's Mill, Maine after a mysterious dome appears over the town. How did it get there? How can they make it go away? This mystery intrigued me to pick up the book.
In "The Mill" as residents call it, two factions emerge after the appearance of the dome. One is led by town selectman Big Jim Rennie. The other by ex-military man Dale Barbara. The story turns into a good vs. evil as Barbara and friends attempt to stop Big Jim from turning the town into a dictatorship.
What I really liked:
* King's writing is amazing. Even though the book is over 1,000 pages long I flew through it. I had set a goal of reading 50 pages a day and far out did that goal, due to the easy to read and compelling writing.
What I didn't like so much:
* There were so many times that evil won over good that I got frustrated. In such a long story, we needed some victories for the good guy. I haven't read a lot of King, but apparently this is a common trope in his work - villains that you hate and seem to win a lot of the time.
Controversy:
* A lot of readers are unhappy with the conclusion to the story - the origin of the dome. Honestly, I don't think there is any conclusion that would totally satisfy us. It is such an interesting problem that no explanation will feel good enough. Terrorism, government experiment, aliens - it doesn't really matter. The existence itself and what the town people do because of it is where the actual interest lies, even if the premise is what drew us in in the first place.
Would I recommend?
Yes! It has inspired me to read more Stephen King novels and is quite a ride. Enjoy it and don't worry too much about the solution.
I bid you good reading,
Ashley
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