The Institute by Stephen King | A Book A Week

The Institute by Stephen King

The year 2019 has come and gone, and we are left with the promise of a new decade. The latter half of the year saw tremendous professional growth for me, but my blog suffered because of it. I just didn't have time to get my reviews written and posted. To both make up for the lost time and to start 2020 off in a productive light, I've decided to start the year off with a review that didn't get posted last year. I'll probably intersperse reviews of books I read last year amongst the books I'm reading now and mark them with the appropriate corresponding year at the bottom of each post. Here are my thoughts on Stephen King's latest book The Institute. 

It started on a whim. Tim was aboard his flight to New York when the airline began offering cash and free flights to bump someone from the flight. As the price grew, Tim became more and more eager to accept the offer. Finally, he did. He stumbled into a small town and took a job as a night knocker. And just like that, the story shifted to something completely different.

Young Luke is starting to face the fact that he isn't like his classmates. Not only is he the "smart kid", but he might actually be a genius. As his parents prepare to move him to the kind of school that will foster and challenge his unique intellect, Luke is excited about what the future holds. Everything changes when he is awakened in the night by several intruders. He is captured and taken to the Institute. His room there is a poor facsimile of his own room at home, the kind of place that gets all the details correct except for the ones that truly matter. Devoid of the love and support of his family, Luke turns to the other children in the place. They too have been stripped of their lives and are subjected to strange tests of both physical and mental ability.

At this point, I read a Stephen King novel based purely on him being the author. Over the years, he has earned the status of "must-read" based upon his ability to mix complex characters with engaging plots that challenge me as a reader. Much like Luke, I went into The Institute with no idea what I was getting into. King bookends Luke's story with that of Tim, a structural device that surprised me at first. I was so engrossed in Luke's journey that I had all but forgotten about Tim. Rest assured, both narrative threads come together in a way that is both satisfying and fresh. There's a layer of the supernatural to the story that is classic King. He grounds the fantasy to reality through a cast of characters that I instantly connected to. The past couple of years have been a kind of Stephen King renaissance with countless movie adaptations, TV series, and new books from the author. With The Insitute, King proves he has plenty more to offer his voracious readers.

For more information visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads.

(2019, 36)

This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 1, 2020 and is filed under ,,,,. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response.

17 Responses to “The Institute by Stephen King”

  1. Maybe your blog suffered, but professional success is a great thing. Congratulations! I am not a horror reader, but I do admire the stories that come from Stephen King, and the love people have for his work.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the encouragement! I know horror isn't for everyone, but I'd argue King's writing goes beyond the genre. If you're interested in seeing the more thriller side to King, I'd recommend MR. MERCEDES.

      Delete
  2. Congratulations on your professional success, Ethan! It's a hard balance, isn't it? As for King, the man does not quit! I feel like he released 2, maybe three books last year?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He certainly doesn't show any signs of slowing down!

      Delete
  3. Exciting to hear that your career is going so well, Ethan. Congratulations!

    It's been a long time since I've read anything by King, but my husband read this one a month or so back and really enjoyed it. We talked about it (since I knew I probably would not read it) and it sounded fascinating.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad to hear your husband enjoyed this one too!

      Delete
  4. I totally feel ya, King is a must-read for me too! I can't wait to read this one...

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've read a few King novels, but nothing too recent so I need to check one out. I'm glad you enjoyed this!

    Lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. His latest books certainly show the kind of real world depth that comes with age. I highly recommend them.

      Delete
  6. Replies
    1. You really can't go wrong with Stephen King.

      Delete
  7. I am glad professional business went well last year but I am also looking forward to seeing you around on the blog more! I have started my first ever Stephen King fiction novel and look forward to trying more soon... this included!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Glad you enjoyed this one. I bought it when it came out because King is an auto-buy for me. You are right, he seems to be everywhere right now. I looking forward to watching The Outsider which starts on HBO this weekend. Have you read that one?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I read The Outsider and really enjoyed it! It had the perfect mix of classic King supernatural with his more current real world approach. The series looks fantastic!

      Delete
  9. I've only read one Stephen King, but I've watched several film adaptations. His stories are definitely unique. I'm curious about how Tim and Luke's story intersects.

    ReplyDelete

Powered by Blogger.