Book Overview
Set in the fictional town of Castle Rock, Maine Stephen King teams up with long-time friend and award-winning author Richard Chizmar for the first time in this original, chilling novella that revisits the mysterious town of Castle Rock. There are three ways up to Castle View from the town of Castle Rock: Route 117, Pleasant Road, and the Suicide Stairs. Every day in the summer of 1974, twelve-year-old Gwendy Peterson has taken the stairs, which are held by strong--if time-rusted--iron bolts and zig-zag up the precarious cliffside. Then one day when Gwendy gets to the top of Castle View, after catching her breath and hearing the shouts of kids on the playground below, a stranger calls to her. There on a bench in the shade sits a man in black jeans, a black coat, and a white shirt unbuttoned at the top. On his head is a small, neat black hat. The time will come when Gwendy has nightmares about that hat... The little town of Castle Rock, Maine has witnessed some strange events and unusual visitors over the years, but there is one story that has never been told--until now.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:1501188291
ISBN13:9781501188299
Release Date:October 2017
Publisher:Gallery Books
Length:176 Pages
Weight:0.35 lbs.
Dimensions:0.6" x 5.2" x 8.0"
Customer Reviews
4 ratings
Very 90s Style
Published by Author Jenn , 11 months ago
I haven't read Stephen King in about 20yrs. This was a great book to get my toes wet, back into Stephen Kings books. I really enjoyed it; it reminded me of movies and the Goosebumps Books of the 90s. Gwendy's character definitely reminds of you of what it's like to be a teen. I hope to start book 2 or the trilogy this week.
Perfect for a relaxing breakaway.
Published by Julie J. , 5 years ago
The story is so engrossing and easy to read...it's thought provoking and yet a short piece that anyone could commit to. I loved the subtle darkness of the story that makes the reader think "what would I do?".
Nice easy king read
Published by Matt dye , 5 years ago
Nice little read for king fans
Fantastic Novella!
Published by The Irregular Reader , 7 years ago
Welcome back to Castle Rock, Maine, home to numerous Stephen King stories. Clearly nothing bad is going to happen here. Gwendy is twelve when she meets the man in the little black hat. A slightly pudgy girl, Gwendy is determined to slim down before school starts up in the fall. The Man in the little black hat seems to know all about her, and he offers her guardianship of a strange little box with multicolored buttons. The Man explains that the box controlls everything. And while it will give her what she needs, it can also take things away.
This is a perfect little book, only 175 pages, but Chizmar squeezes a hell of a lot of stuff into this book. We see Gwendy grow up, and the relationship between her and the mysterious box grows and changes with her. The box is almost like a character in and of itself, a constant, lurking presence suffusing the entire story with a subtle menace. Gwendy herself is a fully realised character, complex and sympathetic.
I know most people either love or hate short stories and novellas, but if Gwendy’s Button Box is an indication of what the genre can do, then bring ’em on!
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