Fairy Tale- Stephen King (Audiobook)

Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was seven, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad. When Charlie is seventeen, he meets a dog named Radar and her aging master, Howard Bowditch, a recluse in a big house at the top of a big hill, with a locked shed in the backyard. Sometimes strange sounds emerge from it.

Charlie starts doing jobs for Mr. Bowditch and loses his heart to Radar. Then, when Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie a cassette tape telling a story no one would believe. What Bowditch knows, and has kept secret all his long life, is that inside the shed is a portal to another world.

King’s storytelling in Fairy Tale soars. This is a magnificent and terrifying tale in which good is pitted against overwhelming evil, and a heroic boy—and his dog—must lead the battle.

My review: If I didn't see an author on the cover, I wouldn't have guessed this is a Stephen King novel. It's a story that will absorb your whole being. It will make your heart ache, it will challenge your imagination, and you will definitely meet your new favorite dog. Fairy Tale is a dark love letter to the Grimm Brothers and to H.P. Lovecraft. I chose the audiobook version and I'm happy I did. The narrators, Stephen King and Seth Numrich will transpose you into a magical world. The deep and expressive narration will keep you glued even 3 hours past bedtime. Personally, I didn't find it scary, however, the suspense is there in every chapter. I found myself on pins and needles rooting for Radar. It's a 10/10 story that fully deserves its best-seller rank.

Publisher: ‎ Scribner (September 6, 2022)

Language: ‎ English

Hardcover: ‎ 608 pages

ISBN-13: ‎ 978-1668002179

Audiobook Length: 24 hours and 6 minutes