Doctor Sleep: Through A Writer's Lens

In 1977, Stephen King published The Shining, an enigmatic and magnetic work of art that garnered the attention and appreciation of millions. The love for the deeply disturbed characters that King curated amassed curiosity that has lived on for decades. At one of his autographing sessions, he got asked, “Hey, any idea what happened to the kid from the shining?” At the time of course, the answer was in the wind and questions swirled. However, in 2013, Stephen King answered this lingering question with the long-awaited sequel, Doctor Sleep.

Doctor Sleep is a story that explores multiple themes, from recovery to evil hiding in the mundane. The structure of this novel is also very revolutionary to me as newbie and shows his mastery in his craft. There are many strengths that I appreciate, such as Kings interpretation of the vampire trope, however there are places where the novel weakens, such as the excessive repetition of known information to the reader. Despite that, the framing around the True Knot as the antagonist stirred complicated feelings and moments of sympathy for the villains. I also want to explore the off-putting phrasing of Abra, a 12-year-old girl and her relationship to Dan.

After consuming this novel, I have a respect for how King not only create characters, but how he makes them vulnerable and gives them a depth that makes them feel tangible. This story is too diverse and complex for a full rehash, but I do want to give a brief summary outlining what happened to the kid from the shining. Danny, now Dan, Torrance, is a deeply disturbed, yet healing character. He suffers with the same ailments that his father tragically fell victim to: alcoholism and rage. It led him to commit egregious deeds to others, unable to establish roots, and distant to those who he loved. Dan is not only dealing with the weight of losing a murderous father, but also with managing the burden of the shining. His shining led him to Abra, a young girl that shared this same talent and to a vampire-like cult, who seeks her and others like her for their pain-infused essence. His shining has also led him closer to healing and his calling as being doctor sleep and helping terminal patients pass on. With the strength of both Dan and Abra’s shining, they work together to stop the True Knot from murdering anymore shining children. If you are looking for a novel that is nostalgic, intense, and a psychological thriller, then Doctor Sleep needs to be your next read.

This novel is masterfully written and there are several components that works exceptionally well, such as the thematic underlining’s that ties the book into a nice and neat bow. Being that The Shining was a novel that explored the evils of addiction, it is only right that Doctor Sleep explores the struggle towards healing from addiction. Trauma inheritance is also underscored in this story and how, if not rectified, will lead you onto the same path of those before you. For Dan and in life in general, there are things you have to heal from before you get to where you need to go. Dan’s journey to recovery was not only a process that he needed to go through to heal himself, but a process he had to go through to help others. Mentorship and community is a big component in this story, such as the regular sponsor luncheons and AA meetings that Dan attended. This is also reflected in Dan retracing back to Dick so that he can properly assist Abra “… because everything that goes around comes around.” (King, p. 227) 

Another thematic element that I caught was how there is evil hiding in the mundane. When it came to the True Knot, it was impossible for anyone to call the authorities because they blended in, they drove around in RV’s and congregated on campgrounds. This mimics reality because the people that are less suspecting of malicious behavior are filled with rot and vile intentions. Honestly, when I think of how everything is described from the regular looking people, to riding around in RV’s and their prey being children, it is reflective of the impending and ever-growing industry of sex trafficking. I also want to compare a psychic method used as a defense mechanism to trap unwanted entities to reality. Lockboxes in Doctor Sleep were used to lock away Mrs. Massey, Horace Derwent or any other Outlook ghostie that came knocking. Lockboxes, in reality, are like things that people forget about that are traumatic. You still have access to it if you choose to trigger or dredge up that memory, but it is still locked up behind mental defenses.

Being that The Shining preceded Doctor Sleep by thirty-six years, it is only right to assume that during this time King has practiced and perfected his craft. And that he did.

The structure in how this novel is written should be standard operating procedure for creative writing. Of course, I am aware that everyone has their own style and tone of writing; however, the masterful way in which the story was constructed solidified certain practices and modes of creative application that can be used within my craft as a novice writer. First, King utilized subsections within chapters which is useful because it allows for breaks and quick transitions mid-chapter, while deleting the in-between and unnecessary exposition. The in-between exposition is either left implied or ambiguous for later story reveal or development. These breaks in chapters allows for momentum without filler, cuts back on over-explaining and mimics scene transitions in film.  The implementation of cinematic pacing is chef’s kiss and a style of formatting that I will be adopting. Secondly, King writes in a nonlinear, yet readable structure that avoids confusion. This allows for purposeful disruption & redirection, and film-like editing logic. This book deserved to be adapted into a movie. Also, since King structures his writing like a movie, he brilliantly, even if short and brief, provide exposition around side plots, such as the owners of the Kozy Kampground, the Salkowiczes.

Thirdly, King, on occasion, will narrate background information instead of story, which pauses momentum, inserts-mini essays and explains systems rather than dramatizing them. However, I will want to be careful implementing this because it can tend to have different outcomes, where it sometimes works, in the case of the True Knot logistics, and sometimes it can just be too much information. The way King seamlessly switches the narrator is very refreshing because a lot of books generally follow a one-narrator perspective for either a full chapter or the entire book. However, King was able to switch narrators seamlessly from one person to the next within the same page and without confusion because of his ability to write in the third person. I know, this is nothing new, but seeing it in full effect and how smoothly it can be done is definitely worth noting. Writing in first person is easier for me, but learning how to effectively write in different perspectives will for sure be rewarding to me and my craft. Finally, I really appreciated Kings use of italics/parentheticals for interiority where it would express someone inner thoughts mid-dialogue. Of course, I know that these techniques are not new, nor created by Stephen King, however I appreciate the way it was implemented and the techniques that I took away from it.

“I don’t think this dog’s asleep,” Dan said. “These

 (empty devils)

freaks want her for the same reason they wanted the Trevor boy…” (King, p.278)

I also have a reverence for how King not only create characters, but how he gives them a depth that sets them apart from traditional tropes. Classic vampirism traits can range, but generally have some if not all of the following traits: feed on blood to survive, immortality, seduction, exist in covens, are outsiders living parallel to society, dramatic transformation and death, such as fire or turn to dust and, of course, fangs. Comparing these classic traits to King’s version of a vampire shows just how good he is at setting the building blocks to character and world development.

The True Knot in Doctor Sleep feed on the life force of their prey and calls it steam. There have also been times when a member of the True Knot licks at the blood on their hands. This steam is used to preserve their immortality. The True Knot immortality is shown differently and less elegantly compared to other vampires, such as in The Vampire Diaries or Twilight. Instead of being an immortal vampire with striking beauty, they were RV-driving, aging, sick, paranoid and almost pathetic. The need to feed is similar to the vampires in The Vampire Diaries in how if blood or life force is not consumed then the body deteriorates. However, in The Vampire Diaries if they do not feed they simply turn into a living corpse until revived; whereas, the True Knot if they do not feed they will become weak, begin cycling, and then vanish, with only clothes as their remains. It is also interesting how when you look at someone such as Damon Salvatore and their palate, it is considerably larger than that of the True Knot. One can only feed off of a specific demographic, whereas the other one isn’t as much of a picky eater. They also seek seventh waves, which is when a big rube (human) disaster is approaching. The True Knot senses it before it happens and can consume the steam from the site.

“They weren’t vampires from one of those old Hammer Horror pictures, but they still needed to eat.” (King, p. 155)

Vampires are generally beautiful, mysterious and erotic, however in this case they are the complete opposite and was portrayed as sick and weak for the majority of the novel. Even the steam that they consumed had to be rid of impurities to cure them from measles. This subversion shows a different outlook on the traditionally super strong and healthy vampires. In addition, the True Knot subverts the classic trope because they are lazy predators. As I previously mentioned, their choice of prey are children who are incapable or to unaware to fight back. So, they are accustomed to passive victims and unpracticed at resistance, which led them to underestimate their opponent a lot. Even in how they were written, they are talked about as these uber dangerous torturous gang of people, but when it came to getting in the field, they missed every pitch. Abra, a 12-year-old child, frequently had the upper hand and would even taunt Rose to the point of her exploding. The True Knot’s threat is conceptually strong but under-dramatized in execution.

Similarly, to the vampires in Twilight, the True Knot exists in a coven or a cult-like community, however they do differentiate greatly. They travel in caravans, have different roles in the group and a few even possess talents, such as Andi and her sleeper talent and they all follow a single leader, Rose. They even have a ritual chant. Even though they can blend in and survive using their Rube (human) identification, multiple full bank accounts and many resources, they are still living parallel to society. The Volturi existed in the same world that Forks, Washington did but it was still a different planet. The True Knot exists in the same world as Frazier, New Hampshire, but still congregated on the outskirts, and flock to disaster sites, such as the Twin Towers.

When turning, Bella experienced heart failure and venom that felt like fire in the veins – a pretty dramatic transformation. In Doctor Sleep, to become a member of the cult it is also pretty dramatic and a surplus amount of pain is required. The prospective member would firstly need to have the shining and then survive a series of cycling or painfully shift to where their skin and organs become translucent. A member also suffer this same fate when fatally wounded or ill and the cycling can be worse than the actual wound that was inflicted. Contrary to someone like Stefan Salvatore, the True Knot initiation and transformation to become a member is a choice. Finally, the signature of classical vampirism are fangs. From Klaus Mikaelson in The Vampire Diaries to Bill Compton from True Blood, fangs are a defining characteristic of vampirism. While King’s version of a vampire is weaker, and inferior, they do have this key characteristic – it’s a single fang, but a fang, nevertheless.

“The madwoman in the darkening window grinned, and when her lips spread apart, Abra saw she only had one tooth on top, a monstrous discolored tusk.” (King, p.221)

Separate from the vampire trope, the True Knot as the antagonist stirred complicated feelings within myself. As the story unfolded at certain points I found myself asking, “Why do I feel bad for the antagonist and low-key root for them.” I sympathized with these villains because King’s humanization of monsters. He does this by giving them motives, routines, illnesses, internal politics, and a familial sense of survival. Even when they would explain themselves, it nearly had me to the point of wavering and considering their point of view. At the end of the day, everything that Rose The Hat, Crow Daddy and everyone else did, was to protect and save the people that they loved. They experienced the same feelings that anyone else does: grief, loss, hunger, anger and fear.

“Through the red mist, Dan saw two of them embracing with their foreheads pressed together, and in spite of all they had done – all they were – the sight moved him.” (King, p. 494)

I can talk about how great this book is for another ten pages, however I want to pivot and analyze where it weakens. When I first read the book, in certain places it felt like it was dragging and I couldn’t understand why. But when I reached the end and reviewed over my notes, I realized that some of the chapters is a bunch of regurgitated exposition. Abra explains the conflict to Dan, which prompts him to explain it to Billy and John, which led to Dan and John explaining it to David and everyone explaining it to Lucy. While the debrief on each level is important, the repetitive exposition isn’t needed. These debriefing loops lead to stalls in tension, scenes existing solely to re-explain known information and the reader feels talked at. The over explanation could have been compressed, left implicit and handled through action instead of dialogue.

Another weakness that grinds my gears is the epilogue choice. In the epilogue, Dan got called to the Helen Rivington House where Fred Carling was dying, to help him pass on – someone he hated. I believe this epilogue could have been better if Bradley Trevor’s parents were contacted and informed of his death/remains like Dan intended and said he would. King did really great with building subplots, but fell short when it came to this underdeveloped emotional closure. I understand that the epilogue is intentional, reflects Dan’s journey and allows for forgiveness of the cruel… but it still doesn’t necessarily satisfy the narrative justice I was craving. Thematic consistency came at the cost of emotional payoff. Dan not offering closure to Bradley’s parents was definitely a missed opportunity.

I want to preface the next point with the understanding that I am not insinuating anything and that it is just something that I noticed. When it comes to the phrasing centered around Abra, it can be a bit off-putting. King’s language around this pre-teen occasionally slips into suggestive framing. I am not pushing any kind of eeriness when it comes to this book, however I did see how the phrasing made it sound like Dan was Abra’s secret ‘boyfriend’. The diction occasionally borrows from romantic frameworks that don’t serve the relationship being portrayed. Maybe this was intentional so that the parents’ outrage could be amplified. Nevertheless, the writing of Abra and Dan’s relationship is different from how I would have portrayed a relationship between 12-year-old girl and a thirty something year old man.

“’Are you seeing any ladies, cher?’… ‘Not currently, no.’ With one exception, and she was years too young for amour.” (King, p. 248)

“It was also nice to have a grown man stand up for her and it didn’t hurt that he was handsome...” (King p. 259)

“… but these were men, men, and it seemed that the one he didn’t know had been dating his daughter for quite some time.” (King, p. 321)

Regardless, I still enjoyed reading this nostalgic, intense, and psychological thriller. From the great character and story building, to the unique subversion of the vampire trope, this sequel earns its existence. King responsibly answers the question of what happened to the kid from the shining and provides a masterful creation that will positively influence me in my own craft. Although, I mourn that Dan was unable to establish his own set of roots and have his own family, I appreciate his journey for the way it is because it expresses how healing can be lonely.

“Let me close with a word of caution: when you’re on the turnpikes and freeways of America, watch out for those Winnebago’s and Bounders… You never know who might be inside. Or what.” (King, p. 531)