this post was submitted on 02 Jul 2024
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I've read better horror from a cereal packet. If King is your idea of heavy reading I would suggest that you expand your horizons...
(and for the record the post was largely tongue in cheek).
Apt Pupil is one of the most terrifying depictions of a descent into madness I've ever had the privilege to read.
King is master. He might need editing, but t what mortal among us could be worthy?
I would agree that Apt Pupil is a highly disturbing fucked up story - which covers a number of themes. But is it honestly a great piece of horror? No. King relies far too much on the shock element, which I'm fine with this - sometimes I want to be grossed our. Todd's wet dream as I have alluded already was pretty awkward - but there is some relatablity, admittedly I have never to my knowledge had one while fantasying about the holocaust it did bring home the memories of my first time - the confusion of what I had dreamt and waking up feeling sticky and not fully realising what it was resurfaced those emotions.
As for the depiction of madness, yes the graphic nature takes some beating but it's weak on psychology. If you want to explore the slide to madness I urge you to read either the The Brothers Karamazov or Crime and Punishment.
Wowsers dude, you left out War and Peace and Moby Dick!
Your literary superiority is too superior for me! 🤣
Moby Dick is overrated.
More likely overstuffed. He added whole chapters of (fictional) dictionaries description and so on, but in the long run that help building up the story atmosphere and give more impact to the main arc.