Stephen King’s new book Fairy Tale is the heart-warming tale of a boy and his dog, who venture down a well to a world of magic and wonder. Complete with a princess in need of saving, giant enemies, and a talking bug, the story is at once very familiar yet simultaneously very fresh. King seasons this book with many references to old tales such as “Rumplestiltskin” and “Jack and the Beanstalk” as well as newer ones such as Lovecraft’s “The Call of Cthulhu.” The story lulled me into a feeling of nostalgia for stories told to me at bedtime, tales I read during summer breaks as a child, and the type of books I received at Christmas. This book brought me back to a place of magic. I wish I could forget it and read it again for the very first time.
All the chapters are titled in a very no-nonsense kind of way. Listing just the highlights to keep you guessing, and illustrated with a snapshot of what’s to come. The illustrations are reminiscent of the etchings that decorate old stories in classical novels. Each chapter is divided into smaller subchapters, cutting up the 600-page novel into small bite-size pieces for ease of reading. I would consider the overall pacing to be of medium speed. King has a way of answering one question while creating two more, which I found hooked me into the story. Throughout the whole novel I was eager to find out what came next.
In classic Stephen King fashion, the first portion of the story begins slowly but remains enjoyable. Low expository foreplay gets you emotionally invested in the characters before throwing them (and the reader) into the action. The only downfall to this is that only two thirds of the novel take place under the well. This left me wanting for more.
I found the characters so well fleshed out, and so human that when the action hit, I couldn’t let go of the pages. I found myself easily frustrated with some of the decisions they made, and felt myself empathize with their struggles. The overarching theme of self-forgiveness, making amends, and willingness to do what is right, felt relatable on so many levels. King describes the imperfections of humans, relationships, and the decisions one makes while stumbling away from their character defects.
Like most King novels I found myself looking up words and referenced material that I was unfamiliar with. This might sound daunting to some, but I found the added nuance and information added to the overall experience of the story. King’s references to other literary works, when I look them up, always guide me to more stories I enjoy. He also includes Easter eggs to his own work, which always makes me smile.
Stephen King is and will always be the “King of Horror,” however, this is not a horror book. Don’t set yourself up for disappointment by going into it expecting to be horrified. Now, that’s not to say this book lacks any dark passages. King thoroughly explores the dark well inside all of us, whether it be regrets from our darker impulses or internal battles brought on by an inability to live up to our own moral standards, King succeeds in exploring these through the characters. Not every moral compass points north, some will guide you down a well and through the gray before bringing you back to sunlight.
Fairy tales and folklore have for generations been used to leave the mundane behind and escape into new horizons. In an interview from May of 2022, King said that the hope he had for this book is “for [his] reader to forget all their problems for a while and just relax and get totally immersed in the story and get carried away to a different world.” He certainly accomplished this mission.
This book was a feel-good, cozy read for me, but the real gut puncher which truly winded me was the last page. In his acknowledgements, King refers to the fans of his that have passed from the pandemic that has affected so many over the past two years. It hit me right in the feels to think that the man who has written so many glorious nightmares has also written such a tale of hope. Here in Fairy Tale, King gives us a story of bravery, redemption, and a dream of magic. Doing so during a two-year nightmare that has plagued our world makes Fairy Tale even more magical.
