Name: 11/22/63
ISBN: 9781451627282

Stephen King

Receiving a horrific essay from a GED student with a traumatic past, high-school English teacher Jake Epping is enlisted by a friend to travel back in time to prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy, a mission for which he must reacclimate to 1960s culture and befriend troubled loner Lee Harvey Oswald. By the best-selling author of Full Dark, No Stars.

11/22/63

Danny White

I stroked a big red A on top of his paper. Looked at it for a moment or two, then added a big red +. Because it was good, and because his pain had evoked an emotional reaction in me, his reader. And isn’t that what A+ writing is supposed to do? Evoke a response?

In America, where surface has always passed for substance

Mentions of Derry, Bevvy Marsh, Richie T, and murderous clowns. A nod to IT.

Evelyn Morales

I honestly will not stop thinking about this book for a while. The tension and genuine fear I felt during the final 200 pages was so palpable it was as if I were there. The ending made me sob while reading it, theh again while talking to my husband about it. Such a good book! A little gratuitous in it's violence or attitudes at times but so so good

Soph

This had me under its spell for 3 weeks straight and I loved every second 

Lili

I avoided this book for so long because of how daunting the length was. So glad I committed to it finally because wow! Now I understand why Stephen king is such a revered author. Beautiful and detailed writing but still interesting and exciting! 

Alicia Evans

An interesting premise - what would happen if you could go back in time and change one of history’s most defining moments? 

I wouldn’t dare critique America’s most prolific writer, but this book just didn’t do it for me. I found myself getting bored in the hundreds of pages of tangential side stories from the protagonists journey into the land of ago. Perhaps my next King novel will hit the mark.

Jacqui Spears

An interesting premise - what would happen if you could go back in time and change one of history’s most defining moments? 

I wouldn’t dare critique America’s most prolific writer, but this book just didn’t do it for me. I found myself getting bored in the hundreds of pages of tangential side stories from the protagonists journey into the land of ago. Perhaps my next King novel will hit the mark.

Bowie 

Patrick Book

Surprisingly beautiful, romantic, and human. Maybe it's been too long since I read any of King's new work but this feels sort of like a revelation -- despite the fact that it's a time travel story that hinges in alternate histories it feels uncharacteristically grounded in the real world. And it's achingly romantic -- I don't remember ever being brought so close to tears by Stephen King. 

There are problems and issues with this, undoubtedly, but I got caught up enough in the story that I haven't dwelled on them for a moment. I loved this.

Mat Connor

My favorite Stephen King Novel.

I'm extremely nostalgic for this book. I recommend the audiobook version because the narrator Craig Wasson is just perfect. I tried watching the James Franco TV miniseries a little while back and I couldn't even finish it. Wasson's version is that important to me. I own a hardcover copy of this book, but if I ever reread this novel I'll be listening to the audiobook. 

One of the smartest decisions King makes is that he gives us a time travel story where time seems to slow down during the novel. The protagonist Jake is sent back in time to save JFK from assassination, but the portal sends him to 1958 and not 1963. So Jake has to live life for 5 years preparing to save the day. 

Those 5 years in between where Jake is just living life--teaching, correcting injustices of the past, making money by betting on sports, and falling in love with a librarian named Sadie--are the best parts of the novel. King tells the story in a deliberate (not slow) way so that you really feel the investment Jake is making with his time. It's a cliche to say that you didn't want a book to end but that's how I felt here.

Stephen King gets a lot of criticism for his endings. This is considered one of his best endings. The last scene is flawless, but I do think the ending could be improved a little. You should only read this spoiler if you've read the book:

(view spoiler)[Jake saves JFK but in doing so Sadie is shot and killed by Lee Harvey Oswald. Jake is treated as a hero but heartbroken at losing Sadie. Jake returns to present day (2011) and finds out that saving JFK caused a terrible chain of events: nuclear war, environmental collapse, and race relations are even worse than now because the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is never passed. In a nutshell, saving JFK did serious harm to the world.

Jake goes through the portal again and returns to 1958. He needs to decide whether to immediately go back to 2011 and reset the timeline (letting JFK die) or to stay back in 1958 where he led a happy life with Sadie and risk making more alterations to the historical timeline. He ultimately decides to go back to 2011. The world is back to normal. He looks up Sadie who is now in her 80s and asks her for a dance at an event celebrating her life. That last scene is beautifully done in the book.

My only issue is that Jake isn't given much of a reason to not reset the timeline. He's lost the woman he loved and the world went to shit. It would have been a more poignant decision if he was making a harder choice. For example, it would have been better if he returned to the present day after saving JFK and found that things were either not that different or even a little better. Maybe he would then decide to go back to see if he can do it better but this time save JFK and Sadie only to decide that he's risking too much by playing with time. I just think the decision should have been harder to make. It would have made it more poignant. (hide spoiler)]

Stephen King is a genius though so maybe I'm wrong and need to re-read this at some point to see if the ending works better for me.

Bria

There was so much going on here but it all had a place and there weren't any loose ends, especially with the alternate ending. I really enjoyed this.

Melissa M.

One of my favorite King books. The characters are incredibly well crafted, as they usually are in King's books. The storyline is compelling and a page turner to the very end. I was captivated the entire book, waiting to see how Stephen King plans to change the course of history in this story.

Peggy Walker

I am from the generation that can easily answer the question "Where were you when JFK was shot?" (my college library). That made this book especially interesting to me...and I'm sure many others. This was one of the first National tragedies to play out on television, and the whole nation was glued to their TVs for many days. I enjoyed many of Steven King's earlier novels, but felt he had lost something with most of his later works. However, I was willing to give this one a chance because of the historical context and intriguing premise. I thought that the author handled all of the details of the time-travel and the peculiarities that went with it very well. The effects on the time-traveler himself reminded me a bit of stories about space travel...how much time would have passed for the traveler versus how much time would have passed "on earth". Very well done. It was obvious that a LOT of research went into this book. I certainly learned more about Lee Harvey Oswald than I had ever known before, and I found it very interesting. I liked the ways that he conveyed how hard "history" fights not to be changed, and how we can never predict how "if only" scenarios might play out. I have always found Mr. King's "sentinel" characters to be annoying, but in this case I thought he resolved the "yellow-card men" fairly well. FINALLY, there was one who explained his role, somewhat. Overall, I found 11/22/63 to be a very absorbing and interesting read, and the best Steven King novel in quite some time.

Jonathan Tysick

I can't remember a novel I've read more obsessively. Despite it's length it keeps good pace and balances immersion in the late 50's/early 60's (meticulously researched!), romance, and thriller. Had my heart racing, face grimacing and eyes leaking. The ending is the bees knees. Probably a 4.5 because of the graphic (language, violence, sex), but this book is pretty amazing.

Ivan Giorgi

Kelly

This was one of the best books I've read in a long time - even though it took me 5 months to finish.

The characters are complex and well-rounded, the plot is captivating, and the ending was surprising but not rushed.

Keernan Lanismore

This could've been 350 pages shorter for a more solid ending. 

I might post a slightly better review later, but I might also decide not to waste any more time on King. >.<

Ashlyn

This could've been 350 pages shorter for a more solid ending. 

I might post a slightly better review later, but I might also decide not to waste any more time on King. >.<

Mary Garza

Por segunda vez que leo Stephen King y no me decepciona, un libro que entretiene bastante, personajes que adoras y otros no tanto. El asesinato de Kennedy es un acontesimiento en la historia que al menos a mi me es irrelevante pero sin embargo me mantuvo enganchada de principio a fin, Y no era tanto por JFK sino por la historia que relataba Jake y todo lo demás, temía por el final algo me decía que no iba a terminar bien pero fue un final muy acertado y quede complacida con el. Y ya por el ultimo es lamentable y triste que me di cuenta que algunos pensamientos de los 60´s aun siguen presentes en pleno siglo XXI (racismo, desigualdad en la mujer y un gran etc.)

Dee B. 

Dana Kraft

I can't remember the last book that I couldn't stop thinking about day and night until I finished it. I guess I need to read more Stephen King books because I loved this. Fun, terrifying, thought-provoking and addictive. I'm too young to get wrapped up in Kennedy stuff but I totally buy the depiction of Oswald as the lone gunman.

Dany

Just finished this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars 
🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹 this book! this book!!!
Stephen king made me cry while reading pet sematary and he did it again!! Amazing, heartwarming, cute and there is dancing 😭😭😭 now I am to watch the adaptation!!!

RunLevelRobot

Charlotte J. Ruth

courtney garrison

11/22/63 had an intriguing premise and kept me interested throughout. I will admit the middle bit I was bored because it was just character stories and plot leading up to the end. I know why it was there I just wish it would have kept my attention better. The ending was the best for me because of all the information on JFK, his life, what life would have been like had he lived, etc.

Your MC Jake is shown essentially a portal in 2011 that leads back in time to 1958. His friend Al convinced Jake that he has to go back in time and stop the assassination of JFK. Throughout the story, you see Jake not only try to figure out life in the 50s but also try and keep up with Oswald and his plan to kill JFK.

The time-traveling was an interesting concept to explore. Did the past want to be changed or left alone? I think it also played into the mantra of everything happens for a reason and maybe you should leave the past in the past. I loved the different time loops and how many stories were interwoven but it did make it drag for me in places. I wish there wouldn’t have been so many different stories as it can get confusing if you are not paying attention.

The writing is good and I highly recommend the audiobook because it plays music here and there and the narrator is great. My favorite aspect was the time travel, yes, but the romance too and how you could go from action to romance in a matter of seconds. King is no doubt talented and one of the best.

Overall I enjoyed this book. I didn’t think it was his best. The stand still holds the best in my opinion. I loved exploring the possibility of saving JFK and what the world would look like had he lived.

Tws - Murder, Suicide, Gun Violence, Use of the N-word, Domestic Abuse, Racism but called out

—————— Spoilers ——————-

 

I will say the ending left me sad and so emotional and confused, to be honest. I wanted Jake and Sadie to last and see more of the world after he saved JFK. When jake went back it was like the apocalypse and I would have loved to have to know the course history took when he lived. I think it was fascinating to see the world was in utter chaos when jake came back and I would have loved to see what course had history taken to get to that point.

Ashutosh

11.22.63 is a book that's not only a historical fiction and a "What If" novel but also something Stephen king doesn't usually write. He is know for horror and science fiction but that's just because of the popularity of "It" , "The Shining", "The Outsider" etc. With this book it felt like he was trying to explore more genres and experiment with his writing. And so he did, and though the book is huge like any other stephen king book, its also an amazing one. Fast paced at the start with some draggy scenes halfway, an unexpected crossover (Where the protagonist meets Beverly and Richie from "It" in Derry), and a nice and probably the best suited ending. 
 
When Stephen king writes horror novels, he kinda focuses mainly on the darker side of human minds, and that's what makes it creepy, but in this novel there's no horror of that kind, the only thing that might terrify the readers is the sense of anxiety and rush that arrives everytime the protagonist gets more closer and closer towards the goal. As its a very dense novel you'll find many scenes to just forget about the goal, like the whole part of the protagonist and a girl he meets in the past, and the intimacy between them,which also proves that Stephen king is good at writing love scenes. 
 
 - Someone who is new to Stephen King might not like the book that much, as it has some slow paced writing as well which would have been worth it if it had some significant role in the story. 
 - Also they might not understand the crossover. 
 - People who have read that SK is a "Master Of Horror", should never start with this book. As it has little or no horror scenes. 
 
 But hey if you're into some thought provoking and intense writing go for it. And I'm pretty sure, you'll never stop reading SK. 
 
 Happy Reading!😁❤️

11/22/63

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