Our lead character is losing weight. He's not getting smaller, just losing weight. Even when he loads his pockets with quarters, he wieghs the same as before. For some reason, gravity is slosing its hold on him. Mixed in with this is the story of a new local restaurant run by a pair of married women which is faring badly with the locals through homophobic attitudes.
This book has received a fair few negative comments - and after reading it I know why. That's not saying that I agree with the negativity leveled at it. I know what the reason for it is.
Personally I thought it was excellent. It wasn't scary, but some of King's best loved work (particularly in his shorter fiction) hasn't been scary. Look at Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption, The Body (filmed so memorably as Stand by Me). Therefore the "it isn't scary" comments as a reason people don't think it's good really don't hold water.
The reason people online have been nasty about this is that the esteemed Mr King is vitriolic in his dislike of homophobia, with several sideswipes at Trump and his politics. This book is about those attitudes breaking down. It's wide open to SJW accusations and that is IMHO the root of the negative commentary.
The one criticism I would level is that people's attitudes in the town change possibly too quickly and easily. It's maybe a little naive that things would improve so much so quickly.
The finale of the book is sad and touching and oddly uplifting (pun well and truly intended).
7/10
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