Needful Things was originally published in October of 1991.Warning, the following review does contain spoilers.
A new shop opens up in Castle Rock called Needful Things. Proprietor Leland Gaunt seems to have just what each person wants more than anything. He sells these items at low prices and the promise of a favor, or more accurately, a prank. All of the customers ignore the sign stating "Caveat emptor" (buyer beware).
The pranks that Gaunt charges for his wares escalate tensions already within the town. It is not long before murders start occurring. Unable to control the downward spiral the town is in, sheriff Alan Pangborn searches for a root cause to the trouble. He has been suspicious of Needful Things from the beginning and knows the store is playing a part in the destruction of his town.
Castle Rock spins further out of control as riots and dynamite explosions pummel the town. Sheriff Pangborn confronts Leland Gaunt. Using a magic trick, Sheriff Pangborn is able to reveal Gaunt for what he truly is. He summons a chariot pulled by a sickly white horse and escapes the town. The book ends much as it began, only with the opening of a shop named Answered Prayers in a different town.
This is a great novel. King captures the darker desires and urges in people and exploits them via Leland Gaunt. It is scary to think that so many people are close to violence with just the right stimulus to ignite their flame.
The fight between good and evil is once again the overall theme in this story. Many of Stephen King's stories have taken place in the fictional town of Castle Rock. This is the last story to feature the town.
Needful Things was made into a motion picture of the same name. It starred Max von Sydow, Ed Harris and Bonnie Bedelia. This is one of the few movie adaptations of King's works that is not half bad. It retains the overall ambiance of the book and can serve as stand alone if you have never read the book.
No comments:
Post a Comment