I have just, as in literally minutes ago, finished reading 11/22/63 by Stephen King. I know, this book has been out for YEARS, and for the last two or three it has been staring at me from my bedside table, but it was just so daunting! I mean, come on- it's eight hundred and eighty pages! That looks like a significant time investment. And it is: the audio version is 30 hours! And yet I had heard that it was very good and that it was a much quicker read than its 2.6 pounds suggests. In case I'm not making myself clear, this is a hefty book. Of course, you are probably already aware of that because you've probably already read it, along with most readers I know.
In 11/22/63, Jake Epping tumbles down a rabbit hole from 2011 to 1958 and is tasked with preventing the Kennedy assassination, an event that is described as a watershed moment, the prevention of which is bound to save thousands of lives and make the world an infinitely better place. Unfortunately, Jake has to wait five years before he can accomplish his assignment, but he spends it "turning native". He loves the way food tastes and the way the air smells (except for the ever-present cigarette smoke). He gets a job, makes friends, and builds a life for himself, but his mission must be completed and he cannot fail.
Except for Les Miserables, which I read twenty years ago (whoa! seriously?!) and which took me a solid year to finish, this is the longest book I've ever read. There is a lot of meat in this story and yet it flies. I hated putting it down and today I knew I wouldn't be able to do anything else until I had finished it. I had reached the "nitty gritty" and I needed to get through to the end. I did and it was fantastic! I truly enjoyed this book: the history, the characters, the spot on descriptions of places near where I grew up, and the course of events that had me captivated. If you, like me, have procrastinated reading this novel because looked like too much, I recommend you have a little faith in yourself and in Mr. King and get started right away. You won't be disappointed.
