Feeling as a Literary Outsider

I rarely feel completely as an outsider in the literary world. I love a good story regardless the topic - with only one exception, the vampire stories - and I always appreciate a skillful storyteller. I am not too much inclined to taste the supernatural stories, with djinnis and other strange mythical creatures but a strongly emotional story like Carrie, by Stephen King is for me a fundamental read in terms of literary achievements. In the last years I've almost devoured many of Stephen King's books, one of my latest favorite being Mr. Mercedes. It is almost not impossible not to learn something from his books that might help improving the writing skills, regardless how far you are on the way to achieve as a published or not-yet published writer. As just a reader, you are entering a world of suspense, surprises and where good and evil are often notions empty of any moral value. I am far from reading all his books, but at least most of those I've had the chance to read were a good lesson in how to create a very suspensful plot, almost always with a very surprising ending - rarely a happy one.

The Outsider was published this year and I decided to start reading it without a previous research. After all, it is the King who wrote it and regardless the topic, it might be something interesting about it. For over 50 pages though, I've felt that the writer is actually playing with his charming position as a literary star and is slowly slowly bringing the story in. He can do that because after all, you know something is waiting for you, regardless after how many pages.

Personally, I have nothing to say against this book: complex plot, surprising page turning episodes and a lot of suspense surrounding some hard to describe crimes committed against children in a deep American town. Although the perpetrators are obvious, yet their alibis are strong and their innocence is also easy to prove. The answer is belonging to the supernatural register and therefore, this is the very moment when I am usually leaving as a faithful reader. There is nothing kitsch about the explanation and the urban myth is smoothly introduced into the narrative, but once the revelation is brought to light, little by little, there is nothing to expect further. I personally lost any interest and after over 300 pages, I think I was having enough of moving in circle over and over again only for waiting for the final - predictable revelation.

That's all about this book. I wish I did read a bit more about what it is about. The fault is all mine.

Rating: 2 stars