Frank H. (perryfran) reviewed on 7/4/2024 + 1197 more book reviews

I have been a big fan of Stephen King ever since reading CARRIE and 'SALEM'S LOT back in the late 1970s. Since then I have read a majority of his works and have enjoyed most of them with a few exceptions. FAIRY TALE had me hooked at the beginning as King spins a very enthralling tale involving a young seventeen-year old named Charlie Reade who is a good athlete in high school but who also has a heavy burden to bear. His mother was killed in a car accident when he was only seven and his father is a recovering alcoholic. Every day Charlie passes an old house that reminds him of the house in PSYCHO which is owned by a reclusive old man named Howard Bowditch. Then one day, Howard accidentally falls off a ladder as Charlie passes by and Charlie is alerted to this by Bowditch's aging dog, Radar. Well Charlie is able to save Howard by calling 911 and thus earns Bowditch's trust. While he is in the hospital, Charlie becomes attached to Radar and later learns Howard's secrets. So far so good. . .the story is headed in the right direction using one of King's best tropes -- a coming of age story involving both a young and older person. Then after a very compelling buildup of about 180 pages, the story goes down a literal rabbit hole. In the back of Bowditch's house is a locked shed with a staircase leading to another world. This is the source of Bowditch's wealth and Charlie learns that there is a way to reverse the aging of Radar by traveling to this other world. Since Charlie adores the dog who is near its end, he decides to make the journey to find out.

I really enjoyed the first part of this novel but then as Charlie goes to this other world, the story really changed focus. King references a lot of fairy tales to tell the story including Rumpelstiltskin, Little Red Riding Hood, the Three Bears, Jack and the Beanstalk and many others. The land that Charlie goes to is also reminiscent of OZ and possibly Wonderland but probably much darker. There is also a shoutout to Ray Bradbury's SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES and the carousel that can reverse aging. And there is the influence and reference to H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu. Overall, I would only mildly recommend this one. As I said, I really enjoyed the first part of the novel but Charlie's fantasy adventures in the remainder of the story did not really captivate me as much as I expected.

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