YOUth Review: 1922 by Stephen King

The novella 1922 was written by Stephen King and released in 2010 as a part of his collection Full Dark, No Stars. As the title implies, the narrative takes place in rural Nebraska in the year 1922 and is a psychological horror thriller. The story is told as a confession made by Wilfred James, the main character, who reflects on the events that transpired. A farmer named Wilfred James plans to kill his wife Arlette with his son Henry in order to maintain the family farm. Wilfred starts to feel paranoid and guilty after carrying out the horrific deed. He begins to have terrifying experiences and feels as though Arlette’s soul is haunting him. The novella delves into topics such as responsibility, the fallout from one’s deeds, and the journey towards insanity. Wilfred’s life falls apart as the narrative progresses, resulting in a horrifying and terrible ending.

One thing I don’t like about this novella is how slow the pacing is, especially in the beginning when it goes into the characters’ intricate setup and the events leading up to the main crime. Although the characters and story are given more depth by this methodical approach, I found the novel to be a little slow at first before picking up steam. Other than that, I thought the book was an amazing read. The characters were likeable, the setting was very well thought out, and the horror in this book was astounding.

I would give this book a 3.5/5.

This book review was written by Anshul G.