The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King
Fiction
1999 Scribner
Read in May 1999
Rating: 3/5 (Good)
Publisher's Blurb:
What if the woods were full of them? And of course they were, the woods were full of everything you didn't like, everything you were afraid of and instinctively loathed, everything that tried to overwhelm you with nasty, no-brain panic.
The brochure promised a "moderate-to-difficult" six-mile hike on the Maine-New Hampshire branch of the Appalachian Trail, where nine-year-old Trisha McFarland was to spend Saturday with her older brother, Pete, and her recently divorced mother. When she wanders off to escape their constant bickering, then tries to catch up by attempting to shortcut through the woods, Trisha strays deeper into a wilderness full of peril and terror. Especially when night falls.
Trisha has only her wits for navigation, only her ingenuity as a defense against the elements, only her courage and faith to withstand her mounting fear. For solace she tunes her Walkman to broadcasts of Boston Red Sox games and the gritty performances of her hero, number 36, relief pitcher Tom Gordon. And when her radio's reception begins to fade, Trisha imagines that Tom Gordon is with her--her key to surviving an enemy known only by the slaughtered animals and mangled trees in its wake.
A classic story that engages our emotions at the most primal level, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, explores our deep dread of the unknown and the extent to which faith can conquer it. It is a fairy tale grimmer than Grimm, but aglow with a girl's indomitable spirit.
My Original Notes (1999):
I haven't read Stephen King in such a long time and I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was quite suspenseful, but not too scary. A quick read.
My Current Thoughts:
Unlike most of the books I've read by King, I have only a vague memory of this novel.
I've had this on my shelves for a while but haven't picked it up because I was afraid it would be scary. Glad to see it's not.
ReplyDeleteKathy, it certainly wasn't as scary as It or The Shining. If it had been, I would have remembered more about the plot!
DeleteI like the sound of this one--a fairy tale, but not too scary. :)
ReplyDeleteThat's kind of how I remember it, Jenclair. I used to love scary, but not anymore!
DeleteI've read quite a few of his books but haven't gotten around to this one. I actually would like to read some of his older novels, like The Shining or Carrie but probably not any time soon.
ReplyDeleteIliana, this one's pretty short. I'm sure you could squeeze it in on a weekend afternoon. You know, I've never read Carrie, either. There are a lot from his early days that I missed, so I may try to read a few of them this year.
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