Pet Semetary (Pet Sematary - Stephen King)

Member Name: padley2009

Product:	Pet Sematary - Stephen King
Date:	03/11/09 (9 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: well written, atmospheric, well crafted

Disadvantages: the end seems rushed

Stephen King, born September 21st 1947 in Portland Maine, renound for his horror fiction, science fiction and other books. Bring us Pet Semetary a cleverly written horror novel, that has been a personal favourite of mine for many years.

The story follows both Louis Creed and his wife Rachel along with his two children Gage and Ellie, and of course her cat Winston Churchill "Church" for short. They have moved there due to Louis new office opening, they soon become friends with the neighbours Jud, with him sort of becoming a father role for Louis who's father died at a young age. Jud warns Louis about the road as it has endless trucks driving chemicals towards the plant.

Following a string of traumatic events of both a student dying (Victor Pascow) and his ghostly spirit leading him up to the 'semetary' in which he tells him not to cross the barrier, 'no matter how much he feels he needs to' and later on Juds wife Norma suffering a fatal heart attack, luckily Louis manages to save her. It is then that Jud decided to repay Louis in taking him to an 'ancient burial grown' which we later find out, when 'Church' is run over one Thanksgiving while Ellie, Gage and Rachel are away at her parents.

A day later Church returns after the 'cairn' is performed, but Church has changed, he is what appears to be 'death'. He savagely eats birds and mice. He smells putrid and seems to watch Louis whatever he's doing. But that is the least of the family's problem when one day Gage is tragically hit by one of the trucks when he starts walking. It is then that Louis considers on taking him to the burial ground. But Jud (who feels partly responsible for the death) warns him not to do so, and tells him the story of Timmy Baterman, a boy who died during the first world war, and how his own father shot him and killed himself burning his house down.

Despite Jude and his own reservation his is too grief stricken to live without his son and buries him in the ground whilst his wife and daughter go and stay with her parents. Gage comes back as a demonic form of his own self, taunting Jud and eventually killing him with one of his fathers scalpels. With his daughter Ellie having a dream earlier about Pascow who tells her that her dad is in trouble. Rachel at once comes home to see that her husband is okay. But Gage also kills her. Louis who is by this point totally insane, kills his son with a dosage of morphine and proceeds to burn down Juds house.

He then goes on to take his wife to the burial grown stating he left it too late for his son and would not make the same mistake with his wife. After police questions he proceeds home to wait for his wife. It ends with his wife's lifeless corpse coming into the house and whispering 'Darling'

This book has so much atmosphere it is unbelievable, I suggest you read this and don't watch the film as it does it no justice. The characters are all formed well, but then again you expect this from King, as to me he is pure genius. Jud the friendly neighbour, Pascow sort of the hero and a guardian angel sort of (you get this more in the film). Louis the typical working man, new job providing for his family.

I would recommend this book to anybody that loves horror, or King himself as this was him at his best in my opinion, its well crafted, amazingly written such detail in everything that he writes about. I couldn't put this down until it was read, and I have since read it more than 5 times. I thurally enjoyed this and I'm sure you die hard horror fans would love it also.

Summary: a great book, that I couldnt put down, it will send chills. I guarantee