I did it.
After months, almost half a year, I finished The Stand by Stephen King.
I wanna start out by saying that I enjoyed it for the most part. I know a lot of people consider it to be his best work. I still have a hard on for the final installment of The Dark Tower series that shares the same name, but I do think this one is in my top five for sure.
That being said, though…
Spoilers ahead:::
My favorite character in the entire book was Nick. Favorite is a bit of an understatement, I think. I was in love with Nick. Like, I am ready to dive headfirst into some fanfiction and read some sweet, sweet Nick scenes over and over again. If Nick was real, my fiancé would have some real hard competition. Do you get what I’m saying here? I have feels for Nick in the worst of ways, and it is probably not healthy. NICK was the BACKBONE of the whole shebang, and what does King decide to do after he birthed this magnificent human being into existence?
He fucking explodes him into a gazillion pieces.
Stephen King took my heart and crushed it like a stale cigarette.
If I ever have the chance to meet him again and actually talk to him, I’m going to have some strong words.
I recently wrote a post in a Stephen King group about this very same topic, to which I got a multitude of responses. Most people agreed with me, so in that aspect, I’m glad I’m not the only one who felt real attraction to a fictional character. I’m also worried about what that says about us as a whole. I don’t think this is a normal thing. Like, I embrace it, but cautiously.
Some people told me basically to get over it, since it is a Stephen King book, and the man has a knack for killing off the most beloved characters. To that, I lovingly say ‘fuck off,’ because it’s not the same. Stephen King has a knack for killing off beloved characters in a satisfying way that gives the reader some closure. I would provide examples, but I don’t want to spoil any more stories than this one. Just take my word for it. I have loved other characters of his, and at the time of their death, while yes, I was devastated, I was also accepting of the fact. My favorite character is dead, but their friends are grieving with me, so it’s going to be okay.
A large handful of people agreed with me, that yes, Nick’s death comes out of nowhere, and yes, the characters did not grieve in the way I wanted. However, the part I was missing was the fact that these people had already experienced so much loss before Nick’s passing. How could I blame them for being numb to it all? And to that, I say…you’re right. Everyone lost their families, their friends, the people who were closest to them. Who had I lost? Who had the readers as a whole lost? Their best friend, Nick.
That speaks to me.
While I felt for (and maybe you did, too!) everyone who lost someone during the pandemic, I couldn’t take part in their pain. I only had a few pages of knowledge about the relationship between them and their loved ones, while they had a whole lifetime with them. I could only share in their pain when I lost someone, too. That someone just so happened to be Nick.
In the end of it all, I suppose I need to be grateful that King created a character so real I could almost touch him. He was made from nothing, and when he returned to nothing, I felt a hole where he once stood. That’s some powerful stuff. That’s why he’s one of my all-time favorite authors.
And, when it comes right down to it, I guess I hope that one day I can do the same thing. I hope that in my own writing, I can create someone that feels real, not just to me, but to another living person. I hope that I can illicit this outpouring of emotion, whether it be good or bad, like he has done for me and countless other people.
I think a lot of authors getting a feel for the ropes want to be famous. As for me, that’s not what I strive for. Don’t get me wrong, selling books to get by sounds amazing. However, in the end, I want to give what authors like King have given to me: an escape.
All that stuff aside, the book was solid. It had several likeable antagonists (Flagg, Lloyd, Trashcan Man), a couple of likeable protagonists (Nick, Tom, Gene, Larry), and some damn fine storytelling throughout. He did a fantastic job of showing the “bad guys” not as monsters who were all out for blood, but real-life people who were just as good as you or me.
As for a rating, I’ll give it an 8/10. You probably think I docked it because of what happened to Nick. You’d be wrong. This baby doesn’t get a solid 10 from me because I didn’t like Stu or Fran, and they got the most screen time out of anyone. They were the main mains, and I wasn’t here for it.
And Nick exploding didn’t help.
Before I end this off, I shared a couple songs when I finished The Dark Tower, and that was kind of fun. So here’s a couple songs that feel like The Stand to me.
This first one reminds me of Nick. It feels sad and a little hopeless, which is something I imagine Nick felt a lot of throughout his journey:::
And this one reminds me of the overall fight between good and evil in the story. It’s less sad, more angry. It’s something I associate especially with those in the Free Zone. Listen to the lyrics:::
Have you read The Stand? God, I hope so, otherwise you just got something big ruined for you. Who was your favorite character, and why was it Nick? I’m just kidding. But really, tell me who your favorite was. If it was Stu or Fran, please tell me what it is about either of them that tickled your fancy. My cousin loves both of them, and I just don’t get it. Tell me your thoughts down below!!
Manda Kay Writes 