Beliefs: A Review of Stephen King’s Revival

I am always in the mood for Stephen King. Something about his writing style can drag me in and then keep me up! His newer books have been different, and yet similar in the way they make me feel. And Revival did not disappoint in either arena.

Jamie Morton is just a boy when a new minister, Reverend Charles Jacobs, and his young family come to lead their local church. Jacobs takes Jamie under his wing, showing him the magical world of electricity. However, when tragedy strikes the young family, and Jacobs takes a darker turn at the pulpit, prompting him to leave town.

Before leaving, Jacobs performs a miracle for Jamie’s brother. This is an act that will keep in the back of Jamie’s mind for many years to come, decades in fact. As a middle-aged rocker, Jamie finds himself kicked out of a band due to a terrible heroin addiction and meets his minister friend, who goes by another name now. Jamie, himself, is cured of addiction due to the older man’s ministrations and gets put into a steady job. Years later, the draw of Charles Jacobs rears its ugly head again, as the minister has started a series of tent revivals to cure the sick. But, as the healed begin to pile up as dead, Jamie has to start doing some detective work. If he’s right, there are dire consequences of the healing. But, can Jamie find his childhood hero and persuade him to stop healing.

I really enjoyed this, especially in the trade paperback format. While it comes in at 400 pages, it is still packs a punch. In fact, it brought up some things in my own experiences. I also like the nod to Joyland within the novel.

Jamie is a classic King character, and it was nice to see the music part of Stephen King’s inspiration (he plays in a band with a few other authors). I didn’t have any real questions within the novel. However, this story may stay with me a little longer. The horrors are classic King, but built to withstand current pressures and considerations. There are horror elements, but this isn’t a horror novel. Well, until maybe the end.

Overall, I really enjoyed Revival. Not as much as I may have been in love with the Finders Keepers/Mr Mercedes books, but on its own, so GOOD!

Have you ever read Stephen King? If not, why?