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Revival
600 pages
A nostalgic coming-of-age tale that slowly rots into a masterpiece of bleak, Lovecraftian cosmic horror.
What it feels like
Reading this novel feels like sitting on a porch with an old friend who is telling you the story of his life, only to realize as the sun goes down that the shadows are moving on their own. It begins with a warm, folksy nostalgia—a classic coming-of-age tale steeped in rock and roll, first loves, and small-town Americana. But beneath the conversational prose lies a steady, thrumming current of dread. The narrative takes its time, moving through decades of addiction and grief, building an intimate bond with the protagonist before pulling the rug out. By the final act, the melancholic atmosphere shatters into pure, unadulterated cosmic terror. It is a bleak, unforgettable descent into the unknown, perfect for readers who love character-driven horror that leaves a lingering, existential chill.
- Mood
- dread-soaked
- melancholic
- eerie
- nostalgic
- Tone
- nostalgic
- foreboding
- conversational
- reflective
- bleak
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- loss of faith · lifelong obsession · existential dread · the afterlife · addiction and recovery · cosmic insignificance
- The writing
- Conversational, folksy, and deeply immersive, lulling the reader into a false sense of security before delivering cosmic dread.
- The arc
- Begins with warm, nostalgic childhood memories that slowly curdle into lifelong unease, culminating in absolute, existential terror.
- Who it's for
- Fans of slow-burn, character-driven horror who appreciate a deeply unsettling, Lovecraftian conclusion.
Content notes
- addiction
- grief
- death of family members
- religious trauma
- existential dread
- body horror
About the book
In a small New England town over half a century ago, a boy is playing with his new toy soldiers in the dirt when he looks up to see a striking man, the new minister, Jamie learns later he is a man who with his beautiful wife will transform the church and the town. The men and boys are a bit in love with Mrs. Jacobs; the women and girls, with the Reverend Jacobs -- including Jamie's sisters and mother. Then tragedy strikes, and this charismatic preacher curses God, and is banished from the shocked town. Jamie has demons of his own. Wed to his guitar from age 13, he plays in bands across the country, running from his own family tragedies, losing one job after another when his addictions get the better of him. Decades later, sober and living a decent life, he and Reverend Charles Jacobs meet again in a pact beyond even the Devil's devising, and the many terrifying meanings of Revival are revealed. King imbues this spectacularly rich and dark novel with everything he knows about music, addiction, and religious fanaticism, and every nightmare we ever had about death.
Description from Open Library.
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