If It Bleeds

Although Stephen King is known for his full length books, some of his best work is actually his short stories and novellas. Cycle of the Werewolf as Silverbullet, Trucks as Maximum Overdrive, The Body as Stand By Me, and Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption have all been made into very successful movies.

I can easily see the same thing happening with the novellas in If It Bleeds. With only four stories in the collection I am able to do something I sometimes struggle doing with Collections and Anthologies, I can review each story and give it the justice it deserves.

The first Novella "Mr. Harrigan's Phone" sets the theme for the book nicely. This story felt very vintage Stephen King. I was reminded of "The Apt Pupil," not in storyline, but in tone. Maybe because it was an older man guiding a young man in life. I liked the classic horror aspect of the story and really enjoyed the idea of the "Ghost in the machine" aspects to the story. I have personally never owned an apple phone, being a dyed in the wool android person from a young age, but since I am of an age when I saw the rise of the internet and cell phones, I could appreciate all the aspect of the story in a way that someone like my kids, having grown up with cell phones and internet, could probably never appreciate.

Solid 4 stars

The Life of Chuck, the second and shortest novella in the series, was my personal favorite, although this is not the most popular opinion judging by the other reviews I have read. This is three short stories about moments in the life of Chuck Krantz. from a chronological stand point of reverse order. We are introduced to Chuck in a unique and surprising way. It is best if the reader goes in as blind as I did, it made the reveal so much more impactful. The second story is just a single perfect moment in Chuck's life, and without the first short story, would have been incredibly odd to have included, because that one moment of pure joy is really only impactful after reading the first story. The third story shows about how Check received a scar on his hand and also slips in a little supernatural element, it had a real "Bluebeard's Castle" aspect to it, and like Bluebeard's wife, I really wanted that cupola's door opened. This to me was the most impactful of all the novellas in the book, and the one I feel will stick with me the longest.

5 amazing stars.

Many readers who are drawn to this collection will come for the third novella, and the story for which this book is titled, If It Bleeds. This was my least favorite novella in the collection, only because I struggle with the character of Holly Gibney. I always have. I have read Mr. Mercedes, and the Outsiders, but Holly Gibney's tics, which in any person who was not a monster, would make her more appealing, just annoy me. I know I should be rooting for her and cheering her success, but maybe because I am one ginormous ball of neurosis myself, I found all her scenes make me want to scream. Not the best thing when 98% of the story is just Holly tracking the mystery. This is nothing against the story, but was more of a personal issue I had with it.

2 shamefaced stars.

The last novella was "Rat" and this felt like something I have seen before from Mr. King. He really does love the idea of the writer struggling, alone in a cabin in the woods.

3 familiar territory stars.

I was able to enjoy all the stories, and I could think "deep thoughts" about them if I wanted to, or I could just enjoy them from the surface and be content. All in all, I think Mr. King handled his chosen theme; the worth of a person, both before and after death, admirably.