Anyway, back to business, Insomnia. I must say that choosing to read this book directly following The Dark Tower was a choice I would recommend. I used a website (Stephen King Connections) to check out all the connections between King's novels. There are a staggering number, and it was really interesting to see how Roland's universe expands into all others. But, I'm rambling, so let's get down to business.
I also wanted to make a couple of changes to the layouts of my reviews from now on. I want to start phasing out the pros and cons list, in favor of something a little more informative. Bear with me please while I start to take this transition to the next level; the next few reviews may be a little jumbled.
First Impressions:
- This book was a pleasant surprise after the ending of TDT. It begins innocently enough with Ralph Roberts saying goodbye to his wife Carolyn. Cancer has taken her. Insomnia picks up shortly after Carolyn dies, centering on Ralph's escalating lack of sleep. The beginning was very interesting and different from the usual King introductions: it seemed completely normal. Takes you off guard.
- I found this story actually very easy to read (despite it being 787 pages) and not overcomplicated.
Plot:
- The plot of this book starts out very strange, and only gets stranger as you read. As I said above, Insomnia begins with a man named Ralph Roberts. He is dealing with heavy insomnia after his wife passed away from cancer. Ralph lives on Harris Avenue in Derry, Maine (a town notorious for having been invented by King, used as a stage for many of his stories) along with a few others. The block is mostly populated by the elderly, and Ralph becomes friends with Bill McGovern (his roommate) and Lois Chasse (a neighbor).
- As readers of TDT may know, Insomnia draws many parallels between the series. Ed Deepenu, one of the residents on the block, starts to show signs of insanity. He founds a group dedicated to stopping abortion rallies from taking place in Derry. Ralph, despite dealing with heavy bouts of insomnia waking him an hour earlier each night, catches wind of Ed's insanity. Little does he know that he is intertwined with Ed.
- The book goes on to reveal that Ralph (and eventually Lois) are seeing auras. They can draw from them, kind of steal the energy like some form of vampirism. They encounter beings that control the powers of Purpose and Random. Eventually they are recruited by these beings to change the course of time by saving a boy.
- Obviously there are insane amounts of detail that I am leaving out here, but I can't spoil all the fun!
- Ralph and Lois eventually get married and begin to try and live life outside of the auras and the forces working beyond their comprehension. The book ends with Ralph honoring a promise he made long ago, to a pair of doctors.
Opinion:
- I can't say anything bad about this book, honestly. There were a few times where I felt my feet were dragging, but other than those I was completely consumed the whole time.
- King has a way of writing age, if that makes sense. He has a certain air about him when he is writing from the perspective of an older person, Ralph was no exception. It was as if I could literally feel the insomnia, the aching joints, the headaches... seeping into my head as I continued. Very touching stuff.
- I did find myself not as fond of the ending as I thought. I don't even know what I expected but I felt like there was unfinished business, and that King may have left something out... something for us to find later perhaps?
Overall, an awesome read. King very rarely disappoints, and this book proved the rule. If you are a fan of The Dark Tower or King books in general, I would highly recommend you pick this one up.
Thanks, and as always keep reading,
K.
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