Fairy Tale by Stephen King {A Book Review}

This post contains affiliate links. One of my reading goals for 2023 is to read nine books by Stephen King.  I want to read some of his oldies that I loved as a teen, but to kick off the year, I read Fairy Tale by Stephen King.  One thing I love about King is that he stretches himself as a writer and writes in many different genres.  This book was unlike others I’ve read by King.

About Fairy Tale by Stephen King

Charlie Reade is an average 17-year-old kid.  He plays football, gets good grades, and is likeable.  However, when Charlie was young, his mother was killed in an accident, leading his father to become an alcoholic.  Charlie isn’t proud of some of the things he did before his father got sober.  So, he is always looking to redeem himself through good actions.

One day, he hears the cries of an old neighbor who is grouchy and creepy.  This neighbor, Mr. Bowditch, is the neighborhood recluse and mystery.  Charlie finds him splayed on the ground because he fell off a ladder and hurt himself severely.  Charlie calls an ambulance and vows to take care of Mr. Bowditch’s dog, Radar, while the old man is in the hospital.

This chance encounter with Mr. Bowditch changes Charlie’s life.  He discovers a secret world on Mr. Bowditch’s property, and his life will never be the same.  (I’d love to share more, but I can’t do so without giving away too much of the story.)

My Thoughts on the Book

This book is 600 pages long.  The first 1/3 of the book is about Charlie and Mr. Bowditch.  Ironically, I found this section dull and uninspiring, which is funny because, in many of the book reviews I read, most people liked this section best.  For me, the best part of the book was once Charlie entered the secret world of Empis, met fantastical people, and learned a dark tale of the decaying life there.

The last 2/3rds of the book is what had me reading compulsively, as all Stephen King books do.  As I read, I kept thinking that this book would make a great movie; I’ll get my chance to see it because the film adaptation of this book is already in the works.

While I enjoyed Fairy Tale by Stephen King, I give it 4 out of 5 stars on the Mom’s Plans’ scale because I didn’t find it as amazing as I did his 11/22/63, which I consider his best work.

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