I’ve never reviewed anything by Stephen King because there is just SO many reviews out there for all of his stories. For October, however, I want to review three or four of my favorite books by him. The first one I wanted to review is my all time favorite, Pet Sematary. I’ve read this book around five or six times and it’s just as disturbing every time. This book is truly a horror story. There will be spoilers in this review.

Synopsis

Louis Creed, a doctor, takes a new job in Ludlow, Maine and moves his family there from Chicago. His wife, Rachel, two kids, Ellie and Gage, and cat, Church, are excited about their new home. Soon after arriving they meet their elderly neighbors, Jud and Norma Crandall. Over time Jud and Louis become friends with Jud being like a father figure to Louis. Soon after the Creeds move in Jud decides to show them the old pet cemetery located behind their new house. It’s filled with homemade markers and crosses bearing the names of beloved, deceased pets. The cemetery is tucked into the woods, surrounded by trees on all sides, except one. That side has a strange barrier of limbs separating the cemetery from the wild forest that the Micmac Indians once roamed. Louis feels a strange sense of unease but shakes it off and the family heads home. In the following weeks Louis begins his new job as the doctor at the university. His first day is an unforgettable and tragic one due to the death of one of the students. Victor Pascow had been jogging when he was struck by a car that fatally wounded him. His friends carried him to Louis’ office and as he died he tells Louis that the “pet cemetery is not the real cemetery.” Louis is terrified because he doesn’t know this boy and the boy isn’t even from Maine. Louis convinces himself that he didn’t actually hear that but that it was his mind playing tricks on him. He manages to put the incident in the back of his mind until one night he’s awoken by the ghost of Victor Pascow. He convinces himself that he’s just dreaming and when Pascow wants Louis to follow him, he does. They go to Pet Cemetery where Pascow points to the barrier of limbs and warns Louis, saying “don’t go beyond, no matter how much you feel you need to. The barrier was not made to be broken.” Louis awakens in his own bed and notices that his feet are covered in mud, which he tries to dismiss as just sleep walking. The next few months are peaceful until Church is ran over and killed in the road. Luckily, the whole family, except Louis, are in Chicago visiting family members when it happens. Jud asks Louis if he could bring back his daughter’s cat would he do it and Louis tells him that he would. Jud then takes him past the barrier to the old Micmac burial ground where they bury the cat. The next day Church reappears, different and slow, but alive. Louis tries to rationalize it but knows that the power from the burial ground did this. He puts it out of his mind until that spring. That spring Gage runs into the road and is ran over by a truck. He’s killed instantly and the family is shattered. Louis begins to make a plan. A plan to get his son back from the dead…

My Thoughts

I think what is so horrifying about this book is that it is based on our most common fears, namely the death of loved ones. It makes you really think about if you were in that situation and had the chance to bring a pet or family member back from the dead would you do it, no matter the consequences? This story is so heart breaking and beautifully written. The end is tragic but I won’t spoil that.

If you’ve never read any of King’s books or just want a good scary story I highly recommend you read this one. If you’ve read this book or want to I would love to hear your thoughts about it! Also, today is the first day of what I’m calling B.E.D.O. or Blog Everyday in October. I’m so excited about this month and I hope you’ll stick around for it! Thank you for reading and have a great day!