Doctor Sleep Read-a-long Chapters 7 - 13

Doctor Sleep Read-a-long Weeks 1 and 2 :

I am a little behind in responding to the read-a-long questions which Tif at Tif Talks Books and Charlene of Cheap Thrills have done a great job coming up with each week.  Sorry Tif and Charlene, than you for these awesome questions!!  I’ve responded to this week’s questions first but last week’s questions are listed at the bottom of this post.

Chapters 7 – 13:

 6. In Part One, we get to know Abra mostly through her parents or other adults. In Part Two, we get to know her much better. What do you think of this extraordinary girl?

I think Abra is adorable.  She seems to be a mix between an old soul and a sweet, naïve young girl.  She’s very happy (I love the frequent referral to her giggling!) and has grown up in a loving home.  It’s remarkable that she’s been able to hide her powers from her parents as she got older. This is also so sweet and an indication of how much she loves them.  She seems quite happy to have met Danny, since he’s someone with whom she can discuss shining and other special abilities. She’s obviously pretty scared, too, but like so many children who trust adults to keep them safe, she trusts Danny won’t let anything happen to her.

 7. Do you have any speculations on what the True Knot are? We know how they sustain themselves, and we've seen the way they die. They're not, as Abra calls them, "ghostie people," but they aren't really human either.

The “True Knot” people seem to be a mix of human and monster.  They are able to look like humans and behave like them when they want to. And they can be scary monsters when they choose to be.  All the True Knot members seem to have some kind of power, like Snakebite Andi can put people to sleep by suggesting they’re tired. Dick Hallorann told Danny the True Knot are “empty devils”.  They’re “like a cancer on the skin” and they “eat screams and drink pain”.  It makes me shudder just thinking about them!

9. Considering that Chapter Thirteen is one of the most intense in the book so far, did anyone actually stop reading here? Or could you not wait to race on ahead?

Wow, was Chapter 13 intense!  I couldn’t stop and not continue on to 14 since Crow had been left in Anniston and would be looking for Abra.  And Rose’s reaction in Chapter 13 was too good not to read on and se what else happens!

10. How is Doctor Sleep treating you so far?  Is it keeping you awake at nights?  Are you excited to finish it and chat next week about the ending?

Doctor Sleep is great, I’m really enjoying it.  It isn’t keeping up at night because of fear but because I cannot stop reading it!  There are times when I get nervous or freaked out because the story is scary but I like that!  I’m really looking forward to chatting about the ending.

Chapters 1 – 6:

1. Doctor Sleep picks up not long after the closing of The Shining.  For those who have recently read The Shining, do you think it proves to be helpful in diving into the sequel?  If you have not recently read The Shining, do you feel you are missing out on some of the details?

I haven’t recently read The Shining but I don’t feel as if I’m missing out on anything.  I think Stephen King does an excellent job of filling in the back story for anyone who never read The Shining or read it long ago.  I think Chapter One is necessary for this book as well as for the past.  I like the way King handles this aspect of Doctor Sleep in relation to The Shining, including young Danny and Dick Hallorann in the story.  And I loved the lockboxes idea even though they scared me…a lot!

 2. Danny has now become Dan.  In Part One, we watch his transformations from learning to live with the horrors of The Overlook to succumbing to the drink (like his father) to his road to sobriety and earning the title of Doctor Sleep.  What do you think about the journey King has taken Dan on thus far?

Dan has been through quite a bit and I’m not surprised he succumbed to drinking given his entire situation and his DNA.  But I agree with Ti at Book Chatter that DAN is a little too perfect or something’s off with him.  He just land’s on his feet and finds exactly what he needs too easily.  I like Dan, though, and I liked how the story went.  I also really enjoy King’s writing and the detail he puts in the story, such as Teenytown and Rivington House with the cat Azzie.

 3. We are also introduced to the True Knot in this first section.  What do you think about this group?

They scare me.  They’re very smug and sure of themselves.  It’s also disconcerting how little regard they have for other people.  They are also really into having sex with each other although it sounds as if, eventually, they partner up!

4.  Overall, what do you think so far?  Have you completely fallen into the story?  Or, has it taken a bit longer to get back into the life of little Danny Torrance?

I’ve been enjoying the story from page one. I think it’s really interesting and draws you in right away