Steph Reads: 11/22/63 by Stephen King

11/22/63 is the story of a modern day time-traveler attempting to prevent the assassination of John F. Kennedy.  This was my first Stephen King novel and I can say with confidence that it won't be my last. King put an immense amount of research into this novel and it was certainly not for nothing--the details in the world building, the backstories of the characters, and the realistic touches included in every scene kept me completely glued to and immersed in the story with every page.

The story follows Jake Epping, a high school English teacher who gets roped into a conspiratorial plan by the owner of the local diner where a 'rabbit hole' to the past is located. The rules of the rabbit hole are as follows:
-it always brings you to September 9, 1958 at 11:58am
-upon returning through the hole, no matter how long you have stayed in the past, only 2 minutes will have elapsed
-you can change the past but every return to the past 'resets' the timeline
-the past does NOT want to be changed
The novel follows Jake as he navigates the 50s and 60s, waiting for the fated day on November 22nd 1963, when he will attempt to change the course of history as we know it.

Through the course of the story, we get to see Jake test the theories of timelines and time travel and make many mistakes along the way which is perhaps my favorite part of the novel.  I love world building (which there most certainly is a ton of in order for King to paint a realistic portrayal of 1958) as well as testing the rules of something not otherwise established.  Time travel is certainly not a novel subject in pop culture, but I don't feel like it has previously been done as well as King does it in this book by creating definitive rules and repercussions of such a hypothetical, ambiguous idea.  This book is definitely a long one, though I feel like it was necessary in order to develop an investment in the character's life in the past. What above love, relationships--the new life established in the years waiting for the assassination attempt?  The novel took its time to explore niches in the culture of the 50s and 60s as well as teach Jake some unforgiving lessons delivered by a timeline that doesn't want to be altered.  The book is lengthy leading up to 1963, though it doesn't feel like it drags as it is full of events that are both dreamy and nightmare worthy.  Suddenly its like someone presses the fast forward button leading up to the assassination date and everything happens all at once climaxing in an ultimately bitter sweet ending that left me teary-eyed.

I recommend this book for anyone who loves conspiracy theories, world building, and doesn't mind things getting a bit cerebral.  This book was definitely a thrilling ride!

xxSJ

Check out my other Steph Reads posts!
Baby Proof by Emily Giffin
Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
I Didn't Come Here to Make Friends by Courtney Robertson
Golden Son by Pierce Brown
The Hypnotist's Love Story by Lianne Moriarty
The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
Bossy Pants by Tina Fey
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks
Someday Someday Maybe by Lauren Graham
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffrey Eugenides
Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
The Husband's Secret by Lianne Moriarty
Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn
What Alice Forgot by Lianne Moriarty
Uninvited by Sophie Jordan
Splintered by AG Howard
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Beneath the Glitter by Elle and Blair Fowler