Book Review - You Like It Darker by Stephen King

Title: You Like It Darker
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Horror
Published: 2024
 
Description: “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 dark 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. You like it darker? You got it.
 
Review: Stephen King’s 2024 release, “You Like It Darker”, is a collection of 12 short stories. They live up to the hype, though some stories are more memorable than others. And like the title says, it explores the grimmer aspects of life.
 
There was only one story I didn’t really care for, called “Red Screen”. The rest of the stories were all really good. And I will focus on a few of my favorites.
 
“The Fifth Step” is one of the shortest stories and this makes it even more impressive that it packs such a powerful punch. We meet Harold who agrees to listen to the confessions of a recovering alcoholic named Jack. His revelation are initially mild but the twist in this story is what makes your jaw drop.
 
“Rattlesnakes” is a (sort of) sequel to “Cujo”. This is the scariest story in the book, about a man named Vic facing a haunting in Florida. He staying at a friend’s home and befriends the neighbor woman, who also lost her children. It’s a frightening horror story.  
 
There were two stories I rated 5 stars and one of them might be an unpopular one. I loved “Laurie”, which focuses on death and grief, but is the most heartwarming story in this collection. I was emotionally invested and loved the main character and his dog Laurie. No supernatural, no twists, just really good.
 
My absolute favorite was “Danny Coughlin’s Bad Dream”. It’s the longest story, with over 150 pages, it’s a novella within a book. Danny has been having the same dream, about an abandoned gas station with a person’s hand sticking from the ground. When he finds the actual gas station, he decides to visit it, and there he finds a dead body. He makes an anonymous call, but when he’s been tracked by the police, Danny becomes the prime suspect. Danny Coughlin is one of the most compelling main characters and the story is very compelling from start to finish.
 
Other favorites were “Two Talented Bastids”,”Willie the Weirdo”, “The Turbulence Expert”,  “The Dreamers” and “The Answer Man. I was so happy that this turned out as good as I hoped it would be, because you never know with a short story collection.
 
Rating: 4/ 5