This is the newest book by Stephen King and I found it to be really fantastic! 😁🥳👍🏻 It is a collection of twelve previously published and also new stories (for the individual stories, take a look down below). I actually didn‘t know any of them, since these stories where only published in magazines or with memberships and I don‘t have access to either in Switzerland. Since I intentionally read „Cujo“ just before that one, I was especially curious about the sequel „Rattlesnakes“. 🐶🦴🐍

„«You like it darker? Fine, so do I,» writes Stephen King in the afterword to this magnificent new collection of twelve stories that delve into the darker part of life-both metaphorical and literal. King has, for half a century, been a master of the form, and these stories, about fate, mortality, luck, and the folds in reality where anything can happen, are as rich and riveting as his novels, both weighty in theme and a huge pleasure to read. King writes to feel «the exhilaration of leaving ordinary day-to-day life behind,» and in You Like It Darker, readers will feel that exhilaration too, again and again.”

Blurb

Normally these collections are a mixed bag but this one (at least for me) delivered brilliantly. Let‘s take a look at the individual stories and how I rated them:

Two Talented Bastids / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It is about two guys who are very successful artists and some people start asking themselves how they became as good as they are. The explanation is quite interesting and I liked that story very much. I also was able to really care for the protagonists.

The Fifth Step / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A man meets another man on a bench in the park and they start talking. This one was very short but the end really packed a punch and left me shocked. Brilliant.

Willie the Weirdo / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A story about a young boy who really is a little weird and who only finds company in his grandfather. The end was creepy but also an amazing twist.

Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Danny has a dream and can help the police find a body but what happens then, wasn‘t what he expected. That one made me so angry at times but in a good way. A really amazing, sometimes infuriating story with a terrific end.

Finn / ⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a weird story about a very poor guy who is constantly pursued by bad luck. He stumbles into a strange man and his life takes a turn, he never expected. I actually liked the story fine but the end was a litttle strange and I didn‘t fully get it.

On Slide Inn Road / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A family is on the way in an old car, which happens to break-down and they encounter some bullies that are up to no good. It really delves into generational relations between an unpleasant older men and the younger generation. I again liked the shortness and the great and surprising ending to that story.

Red Screen / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We follow a man through his day, where he meets someone with some strange views on the world. Later in his day we capture a glimpse of something horrifying but the story ends there, leaving us guessing… Loved it!

The Turbulence Expert / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you have a fear of flying don‘t read that story or maybe do, I‘m not sure. It also gives you a glimpse of something much bigger behind the scenes. It wasn‘t the most original or unpredictable story but I still liked it.

Laurie / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The story follows a man who is struggling with greif and his sister has a great idea of helping him. There are also several animals involved and since not much happens I thought this story to be boring but actually it is kind of sweet.

Rattlesnakes / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is kind of a sequel to „Cujo“ and parts of it are similar to Danny Coughlin‘s story. Please do not read that story before „Cujo“ since there are heavy spoilers included. I loved to see what happened to Vic and his family after the events of „Cujo“. He meets an old lady which seems to be a bit off, but soon Vic discovers the connections to his own past and tries to deal with everything thrown at him. Good sequel but not the best story in the collection.

The Dreamers / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you love Lovecraft‘s stories, you will like this story very much. It has some similarities to SK‘s „Revival“ and dives into the work of a scientist and his assistant who research dreams and the people that dream. The ending is cool and it left me speechless.

The Answer Man / ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

There is a lawyer who needs to make some decisions in his life and suddenly he meets „The Answer Man“. Also a story that is a bit predictable and nothing totally new but as I liked the protagonists and cared for their story, I liked this one very much.

Overall-Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️