PopSugar 2019 Reading Challenge Prompt: A book featuring an extinct or imaginary creature


TW: Death, suicide, violence/gore



I watched both the film and series versions of The Mist, and while I liked both - I found the film to be a bit corny (though I haven't watched it since probably 2008). After reading the book, I can say the show is wildly different (but good). I enjoyed reading The Mist, but hasn't been my favorite in terms of King's works. It's actually a short story, so it's a very quick read.


Following a terrible storm in a small vacation-town, David Drayton, his young son, and their neighbor travel together to a local grocery store to stock up on a some necessary supplies. But an almost solid mist traps them and the other customers in the story indefinitely. What's worse, there's something in the mist, and it's after human blood.


I already knew the overall story from the movie (which again, I haven't seen in about 10 years), but it was really nice to read the story, as well. King has such a way with character development and diving you into the story. I wasn't actually expecting much in terms of the plot being character-driven, since it's such a short book, but he did it again. Regardless of the story, his characters are oh so central to the plot, every. single. time.

I couldn't remember anything about what the creatures in the mist were, so getting introduced to them all over again was so terrifying.

I was a bit annoyed with one particular scene that became a kind of turning point in the story and changed my entire perception of one of the main characters. It really irked me and just felt so unnecessary. It's what led me to rate the story four stars instead of five. I also wasn't a fan of the ending. It wasn't a bad ending, per se, but left me wanting (not in a way where I longed for more story, just in terms of what I needed for closure).







Overall, it's a King book, so of course I enjoyed it. I would recommend it. It's actually part of a larger collection of his short stories, but I was lucky to be gifted this one as its own single book. (Special thanks to my book swap buddy.) As usual, King is a master story-teller, and The Mist is terrifying in so many ways (as it's own story and quite the allegory).





Goodreads rating: ★★★★☆