Review

“The Outsider” is a beautiful story that takes a reader on a journey of self-discovery and bravery. It portrays the lives of a group of imperfect people, who, against all odds, fight and defeat a great monster who feeds off others’ demise.

A Thrilling Story

“The Outsider” is an incredible novel that creates a thrilling and scary atmosphere for readers. At every turn in the book, readers will find themselves on edge, as they root for the survival of characters who face off against El Cuco, an ancient monster that shape-shifts and leaves traces of DNA to frame his victims.

When the novel first begins, Stephen King expertly hides the antagonist’s existence from everyone, but leaves traces of doubt, as Terry Maitland explains he was in Cap City on the day Frankie was murdered. The introduction of Terry’s whereabouts makes the reader question reality, as they wonder how he could be in two places at once.

As the story dives deeper, the reader starts believing that the plot will focus on Terry struggling to maintain his innocence. Then in a brutal twist of events, Ollie kills him. Terry dying in the first section of the book without proving his innocence becomes like a thorn in almost every reader’s flesh because the lack of justice for the person they believe to be the primary protagonist sits uneasily in their minds.

Stephen King continues to withhold information as he expertly eases everyone into the grunt conflict of the story. His fluid introduction of the villain and addition of Jack turns “The Outsider” from just another detective story into a thrilling, adrenaline-packed adventure of the fight against a monster with supernatural abilities.

“The Outsider” also pays attention to intricate real-life details; this makes the story even more captivating at every turn and by the end, most readers are left in sheer awe.

Themes Criticizing Society

Every theme used by “The Outsider” points to flaws in human society and people’s mindsets. The story criticizes society and shows how some emotions can lead to destruction.

The first crucial theme the novel tackles is the loss of disbelief. When Terry was publicly arrested for killing Frankie Peterson, almost no one came forward to defend him, even though they had known him as the Little Boys League Coach for years. Instantly, he went from the beloved teacher to the most hated person in the town.

Even Ralph, who was his friend, and should have known better, was so blinded by rage that he failed to see the obvious discrepancies in Terry’s arrest. The continuous public outrage Terry and his family received eventually resulted in his death, and it was only at that time Ralph finally realized something was amiss.

The loss of disbelief becomes crucial after Terry’s death, as Ralph is forced to accept the impossible. He tries to shield his mind but fails when El Cuco confronts him and his group.

Another primary theme tackled by “The Outsider” is fear. The story shows how fear can be the ultimate mind-control tool. When El Cuco stalked Jack, he knew there was no way he would get him to do his bidding if he did not use fear; this made the monster conjure up lies about killing Jack if he did not succumb to his wishes. The corrupt officer later realized he had fallen into chaos because he could not fight fear.

In-Depth Characters

“The Outsider” is a good story because of its well-defined characters. Stephen King used people to drive the story, making predicting the next course of action almost impossible. “The Outsider’s” eloquent use of its characters made it one of the best horror-detective-thriller stories ever written. By the end of the conflict, most readers realize how much the characters have advanced.

Ralph drops his rigid atheistic belief and becomes an open-minded man who is cautious of taking on criminal cases. Holly grows mentally and becomes an even stronger woman ready to face whatever life throws at her. Marcy rests easy as she successfully acquits her husband of his accused crimes, and Jeannie, like her husband, becomes open-minded to the vast possibilities the universe has to offer.

Intriguing Dialogues

“The Outsider’s” dialogues were intriguing and emotion-filled. Each character expressed their feelings using fluid and easy-to-follow conversations. Stephen King’s technical organization of dialogues in “The Outsider” enhanced the characters’ validity and gave the story more depth.

Writing Style

Stephen King’s adoption of the third-person omniscient perspective of writing for “The Outsider” made the book a thrilling piece of realistic horror fiction. Stephen also employed his signature epistolary writing style; this added a fresh perspective to the events occurring, giving readers a 360-degree view of every aspect of the plot.

Structure and Pacing

“The Outsider” has a fluid pacing that starts slow but tightens when the conflict begins. It is divided into 12 sections with stand-alone chapters. Every section has a detailed name and is marked by a specific date which shows when the distinct events occur. Each section feels like a separate plot but connects to the next sequentially.

Setting

As with Stephen King’s novels, “The Outsider’s” setting is crucial to its story. The novel’s plot happens because a character, Ralph, could not reconcile Terry Maitland’s presence in two different cities, Flint and Cap City, on the day Frankie Peterson died. Stephen expertly used his setting to introduce the story’s conflict and, eventually, villain.

Main Pros and Cons

As a thrilling story of horror and triumph over evil, “The Outsider” has pros and cons.

Firstly, the novel is excellent and character-driven. Stephen King wrote the story with people in mind, as every action or dialogue portrays the characters’ intricate mindset and advancement.

Secondly, the novel has a satisfying conclusion. Though Howie and Alec die from Jack’s gun, the protagonists triumph over their enemies and El Cuco is defeated alongside his minion, Jack. Another positive of the novel is its awesome description of events. As Stephen King used epistolary writing, most events and actions are described beautifully, leaving no stone unturned.

As for its cons, “The Outsider” is a bulky novel. Most readers unfamiliar with Stephen King’s lengthy books may find reading it difficult. However, with a little push, completing the story would be a breeze as the tension makes the pages fly by. Another downside of the novel is extreme violence. As the story contains depictions of sexual assault and murder of young children, it is unsuitable for sensitive readers.

Also, the profanities, drug, and alcohol use depicted in the novel make it unsuitable for younger readers. People below 18 are not advised to read it.

Lasting Impact On Reader

As with his previous books, Stephen King chose an ending that perfectly suits his story. Ralph’s team destroying El Cuco was so satisfying because of the extreme difficulty they met while facing him. “The Outsider” has a lasting impact on its readers, as its horror, thrill, and mystery resonate in their minds.

The Outsider Review: The Good, Bad, and Impossible

Book Title: The Outsider

Book Description: A story of the good, the bad, and the impossible.

Book Author: Stephen King

Book Edition: First Edition

Book Format: Hardcover

Publisher - Organization: Scribner

Date published: June 2, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-4767-9004-2

Number Of Pages: 560

• Story
• Characters
• Setting
• Writing Style
• Dialogue
• Conclusion
• Lasting Effect On Reader

4.4

The Outsider Review

‘The Outsider’ is a story of individual identity and belief. Following the murder of Frankie, an 11-year-old, detective Ralph Anderson arrests Terry Maitland, the main suspect of Frankie’s death but after a series of evidence show Terry’s innocence, Ralph is left with a choice to either believe in the impossible or maintain his ground on disbelieving.

Pros

• Excellent character-driven story.
• Well-defined characters and dialogues.
• Satisfying conclusion.
• Intricate description of events.

Cons

• Bulky