#Review #5stars Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption, by Stephen Kink #KeepersofKing

MY REVIEW 5 STARS:

This classic novella, to me, has a bit of a different feel to it than a lot of other King books. The pace, the impact, the calculation… really just all of it. There’s a sense of patience and buildup that has a sort of satisfaction to it. For the most part, King delivers that suspenseful shock factor, that’s different (often too wordy lol) and bold. However, in the Shawshank Redemption that shock factor isn’t so much of a surprise as a reward. It’s satisfying. I feel like you can end the book with a sigh and a smile, nod your head, maybe even have a glass of wine by your fireplace and offer up a toast to the thin air, naturally, as the MC practically disappeared into it.
I’m actually reading the whole Different Seasons set, so this review will be short and included in my overall review on the set.
Here’s a few things I love about it: The first person narration is told by the MC’s friend in prison. Which is awesome! King is a master wordsmith both in first and third person, but I tend to favor his first person writing style best. That said, this bite sized book is like the best of both worlds. You get to look into the life of prison escape artist Andy through the eyes of his friend so it offers an outside view, yet it’s narrated in a personal and more emotionally impactful way.
Prison life obviously isn’t easy in Shawshank, and the nastiness of it all isn’t sugar coated at all. Yet, Andy has a quiet sort of grit to him. He’s smart, patient and respectable. He makes a name for himself behind bars by helping the Warden and prison workers with their taxes and helping them with applications and other paperwork. He’s a skilled paper-pusher that winds up finding a way to expand the prison library and to win a room all to himself. Because of his approach to life behind bars, his quiet respectable nature and lack of trouble making Andy has the time and knowhow he needs to achieve the seemingly impossible. Not only that, but he makes friends with Red – the narrator – who is the guy who can “get things”.
Red has a cool way of observing the other inmates. They don’t mess with him, for the most part, because he’s their go-to guy for sneaking stuff into them. He’s also friendly and understanding to Andy. They really are both awesome, unforgettable, and unique characters. I watched the movie several years ago, and even though its been such a long time I still remember the story well. I enjoyed the movie then, and I loved the book now! 5 stars 🙂

DESCRIPTION:

Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman star in The Shawshank Redemption, now a major motion picture from Columbia based on the novella Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption in Different Seasons by Stephen King. A prisoner exacts a revenge and escape so meticulous, so brilliant, that no one suspects his plan. . . .