Book Review: If It Bleeds by Stephen King
Media Type: Audio Book
Title: If It Bleeds
Author: Stephen King
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Pages/Length: 15 hours and 12 minutes
Release Date: April 21, 2020
Source: Purchased
From Stephen King comes a collection of four novellas—Mr. Harrigan’s Phone, The Life of Chuck, Rat, and the title story If It Bleeds, each pulling the reader into intriguing and frightening places. The title story stars Holly Gibney, the OCD detective featured in the Mr. Mercedes Trilogy and The Outsider. The novella is a length King has returned to over and over again in the course of his amazing career.
It’s been a long time since I’ve read a Stephen King story collection, and I didn’t realize how much I actually needed it right now. His story collections are actually where I started my King journey, and there’s something so comforting about going back to that place. Yes, I know that sounds odd since his stories are always rather bleak, but it’s more going back to that place where I first discovered my love of the darkness, and the weird hope that I found there.
Anyway, pardon my prattling. I’m mostly here to tell you that this set of novellas really impressed me. While I didn’t love all of them equally, there are some gems in here! It didn’t surprise me at all that “If It Bleeds”, the title story, is utter perfection. I read the The Outsider last year without realizing that it was part of a series, and so it was kind of nice to catch up with Holly Gibney again. I missed her quirks, and her constant inner monologue. It’s not hard for me to tell you that this was my favorite story in this book.
However the other stories all have their own merits, and work well within the whole. “Mr. Harrigan’s Phone” caught me up, and threw me back into the times when cellphones were new and the world of technology hadn’t taken over yet. It was just creepy enough, and the perfect intro. “The Life of Chuck” was a little patchwork at first, but I enjoyed it because it was one of those King stories where his imagination shines and you’re only along for the ride. The story I liked the least, mainly because the main character was an insufferable ass, was “Rat”. If that’s what it is like to be married to writer, count me out. Hahaha. It was a very King novella though, and really brought to life the world of being a writer. I’ll give him that kudos.
I think this series of novellas is exactly what I needed to get my reading bug moving again, because I finished this morning and I already want to start another book. There’s something about King’s writing, something addictive, that makes me come back again and again. I’m not sorry I purchased a copy of this book. I’m only sorry it’s already over. Time to go find some more to devour.
