11.22.63 book review

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS CONTENT INAPPROPRIATE FOR CHILDREN

What exactly happened on 11.22.63? Any person over the age of 12 could probably tell you that Lee Harvey Oswald shot JFK three times. But, other people might say that Lee didn't take the shot. Some people debate if the president was set up by the CIA! In over 800 pages Stephen King delivers a thrilling novel.

Jake Epping is a college English teacher (played by James Franco in the TV series), he hears Harry Dunning, one of his students, give an essay that makes him cry. The essay explains how all of Harry's family was brutally murdered with a sledgehammer by their own father, who had some alcohol issues. Harry survived with brain damage, and not to mention emotional scars.

Jake gives Harry an A+ and is present at Harry's graduation. Jake has another friend Al Templeton (played by Chris Cooper in the TV series), who tells him that he has a portal to 1958. Every time Al went back and forth through the portal it reset. So, if he for instance, killed someone then left through the portal, then came back, the person would have never died. Every time back and through the portal is exactly two minutes, even if you spend five years in the past.

Al tells Jake that he has to save JFK from his assassination on (you guessed it), 11.22.63. Jake goes through the portal with the idea that he can save Harry Dunning's family too. Before he goes in he is told that the pass doesn't want to be changed, and it will fight back when Jake tries to change it.

Overall, if you are a mature teen or adult this book and Hulu miniseries are good. As with many King books language is usually the main concern, and 11.22.63 doesn't seem as dark as books like The Shining or Salem's Lot. Nevertheless, 11.22.63 still has some dark moments, but a lot of it seems more upbeat than some Stephen King books, and it's not very scary, it's thrilling.

Language: Innumerable f-words, mostly said by adults, some by children. Several uses of
c-nt, c-ck, c-cksucker, and p-ssy. There are many uses of the s-word and uses of ass, damn, hell, bitch, and piss. Also, there are racial swear words such as n-gger.

Sexual Content: There are some moderate sexual references throughout the novel. Jake meets a girl who later becomes his significant other throughout the story. They engage in a couple of mild to moderate sex scenes. Also, it is briefly mentioned that Jake visits a strip club to track Lee, he doesn't do anything. Lee beats his wife occasionaly. Sadie's ex-husband has OCD, but he had other problems as well. John (Sadie's Husband), never had intercourse with Sadie, instead he'd have her masturbate him every night. Then he would place a broom in between them in the bed and if she moved it while they sleep he would get up and move it. None of the sex between John and Sadie is described. John says some very mean sexual things to his wife. Sadie seduces Jake a few times with some double entendres. References to a dildo, condoms, ribbed condoms, and a diaphragm.

Violence: A kid has his head smashed open in front of Jake. Jake goes back in time and saves the kid. People are threatened with knives and guns. A man gets his arm cut open, a woman has her whole left cheek almost cut off. Jake is brutally beaten by a gang. He suffers brain damage afterword. General fighting, Lee beats his wife. A man slits his own throat and there is other talk of suicide. A woman is shot and another man is shot repeatedly all over his body. Overall not to violent, but the violence that is there can be somewhat graphic.

Drug and alcohol: references to drugs. Jake catches kids drinking whiskey underage. A woman gets drunk, and there is talk of alcoholism. Jake has a few drinks himself. Tons of smoking (same in the series). Jake takes lots of headache powder when he gets hurt.

Other: Jake bets quite a lot. Since he is from the future he knows who will win the games. This makes his bets fixed. Jake lies to a lot of people.

Age Rating: 15+