I must have read the abridged version way back and maybe I should have left things there. But a friend gifted me the unabridged version for Christmas and then she kept asking me if I had started reading it yet, so for the best part of January I was somewhat forced to feast on King’s offering. That is not to say I am a slow reader. Just that while the writing style makes The Stand a page-turner, the narrative plods along rather like most of the characters. Is anyone in the story that memorable? Did the plot twists come thick and fast enough? Was the pay off at the end worth the effort of wading through all those words? For me, The Stand is a fairly ordinary book that came along at the right time in history and captured the imagination of the average American. Being neither average nor American, I can safely say I was not that moved. This is not to say that I did not find the book pleasurable. It just didn’t make me soar. I would not return for a second feasting.
Alicia Feasts on Books 