Pet Sematary by Stephen KingMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
I first read Pet Sematary back in the 80s, more than thirty years ago. All the hype surrounding the forthcoming film (movie) persuaded me to buy a copy and read again. I rather wish I hadn't...
The story rose out of incidents that occurred with Stephen King's own family. His daughter's cat, Smucky, was killed on Route 5 near their home and buried in the PET SEMATARY - that is how the sign read at this charming little makeshift graveyard. And became the book's title... When King finished the book he read it over. He found the result so startling and so gruesome that he put the book in a drawer, thinking it would never be published. But of course it was and the rest, as they say, is history...
The protagonist is Dr Louis Creed and on this read through I came to detest him. Funny how time can twist opinion. The book's most resonant line, spoken by Creed's elderly neighbour Jud: "Sometimes, Louis, dead is better". In the case of Pet Sematary, Amen to that. Because the book is insane, although on this second read - not as scary - I guess because I knew more or less what was coming.
Nevertheless - if you are going to read this for the first time I would suggest not reading on your own at night. King can make the flesh creep half a world away...
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