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| I’m a sweet little woodchuck, innocently frolicking in my sweet little woodchuck way. NOT FOR LONG SUCKA! |
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| What is this dome thingy? Why can’t we leave town? Confusion! |
Like many classic King novels this is set in a small town peopled by interesting characters. The Dome goes down and people start showing their true colors. The good guys are awesome, the bad guys are despicable. Just what you’d expect from King.
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| I’m Big Jim and I RUN THIS TOWN. (Yes, this is what I picture during Big Jim scenes) |
If I were coming to this as a Stephen King virgin I might not like it very much. The language is simple and the characters aren’t exactly fleshed out. The snob in me says that maybe I should be above this sort of book now. But, I’M NOT! I want to know what’s going to happen next. And that, ladies and gents, says it all.
(There’s a mention of Lord of the Flies. I think that ups the literary cred.)
Also? It’s funny. Even a bit wise.
“…if you were seeing a lot of horseshit, there had to be a pony in the vicinity.”
“Sexy May had met Erudite November, and now they were stuck with each other, refugees in the New England version of No Exit.”
“Give a man or woman back his self-respect, and in most cases-not all, but most- you also give back that person’s ability to think with at least some clarity.”
To sum it up, I’m having a good time with this book and I’m looking forward to the 2nd half.
Are you reading along? What do you think so far?
The Relentless Reader 
I've never read SK before (at least I don't think so… there may have been a book as a youngster, but I'm drawing a blank). I'm only about 100 pages in, but I'm enjoying it a lot so far too. And great GIFs — I feel EXACTLY the same way about Big Jim.
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Isn't Big Jim just the yuckiest of the yucks? I can't wait til he gets his! As I'm sure he will. He'd better!!
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Alllmost makes me wish I was reading it. But I can't commit when I did't even finish the #italong. Arrgh!
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I wish you were Andi, it's a hoot!
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I haven't read any Stephen King books but I almost wish I did because all the gifs you're using are making me laugh.
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I have only finished one King novel, The Green Mile. I should try again. I like the movies, but have never been able to get through them. I don't know what that says about me…
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This King book sounds so good and you know… sometimes your brain just needs a book you can simply enjoy without thinking about things too much. 🙂
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He's a hoot to read. Crazy stuff happens when you're reading King 🙂
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Maybe you just don't like spooky/creepy/messwithyourmind kind of stuff! 🙂
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Yes! And this really fits the bill. It's fun, it's crazy, it's KING! 😀
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I couldn't participate in the readalong (too many other commitments) but I do own this and hope to get to it soon. It will only be my second King novel — the first was 11/22/63!
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I haven't read 11/22/63 yet but I've heard really good things about it. Apparently it was quite a departure for him. I'd definitely like to read it one of these days 😉
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I haven't read any new King since IT came out, and I actually quit reading it because clowns in sewers was too much for me to handle. I've re-read Salem's Lot, The Shining, and Carrie and still love those earlier novels of his.
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IT is the reason for my fear of clowns. 😉
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I am almost half-way through The Dome audiobook. (I'm taking a few days away from it while I listen to Gone Girl for book club next week.) I'm having a good time with it too.. it's classic old-time Stephen King. I knew Big Jim reminded me of someone!
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This is the first time I've read more than one book at a time. I'm getting used to it 😉 Big Jim is the worst isn't he? Ugh!
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Yay! I'm so glad you are liking this book. I loved it! And you are spot on about King's writing – that is why I love it (the simplicity of it). His works always just pull me in and I love that about him. Plus, it always comes down to good vs. evil – who doesn't love that in a story line? I can't wait until you get to the end – I'm itching to find out what you think of it. I'm keeping mum on how I felt until you finish. So keep on reading! 🙂
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I know that I'd be galloping through this book if I wasn't trying to ration myself! I'm dying to know what happens next and next and next 🙂 This is why readalongs are so hard for me! LOL, I'm not a patient person!
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I've actually never read any Stephen King…I am enjoying reading all of your thoughts though! If you were reading King for the first time, where would you start??
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Oh my gosh, that's a great question! I'm going to ask Twitter and see what they think! I would go way back and start at the beginning though ;)A few people suggested that you start with one of his short story collections. Also, a few suggested some of the older stuff like Carrie and/or Pet Semetary.
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LOL that horseshit/pony line popped out at me too when I came to it 🙂 I'm about 20% through and enjoying it a lot! I keep going back and forth between picturing the guy who played Randall Flagg as Big Jim. Also…. everyone is striking me as rather Southern, even though this is taking place in Maine.
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King certainly has a certain way with language doesn't he? 😉 You're right about the Southern flavor, I'm picking that up too!
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I'm at about 40% and I was SO UPSET about the woodchuck! But then, all the other bad stuff started happening and I'm like \”nooooooooo! why must you mess with the children and the dogs?!?!?!\”
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I know!! Sob! I'm afraid it's going to get much worse before it gets better. Not the book itself of course. I mean in terms of people and pets kicking the bucket.
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Poor lil woodchuck.
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I adored 11/22/63!
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I would suggest Carrie and THEN On Writing because it REALLY shows his motivation and skill, and it tells about how he came to write Carrie. But 11/22/63 isn't a bad place to start – it covers a lot of genres, really, and it isn't 'scary' like I imagine Pet Cemetary might be. I'm not interested in that one AT ALL. so I still have *some* bias, I know. But I think he is extremely masterful in writing a story that sucks you in and you can hate and/or cheer for characters.
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Haha. Luv the Jabba the Hutt as big Jim Rennie. Now I will be picturing that! 😉
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Aaaaahhh I can't read this!!!! I will at some point read it, since even though I'm not reading all of SK at the moment like some other bloggers, I'm a big SK fan. So I'm supporting this post by hiding myself from spoilers! 🙂
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It's been a looong time since I've read a Stephen King novel. I've been reading his short stories lately, but none of his mega-books. Since they're making a TV show out of this, I've been thinking about it reading it. Hearing you enjoy it makes is great. I'm reading his son, Joe Hill's, book Horns right now. So maybe when I'm done, I'll pick up Under the Dome 🙂
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I didn't even think of On Writing! That's a great little read.
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I know! Poor innocent little thing!
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Right??!! He's a big dumb Jabba! Hmph 😉
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LOL, completely understandable!
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Same here, I haven't read a big King in a LONG time. I think the mini-series was the impetus for this readalong.I haven't read any Hill but I've been meaning to! You know how that goes, lol.
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I'm not reading along because I have a backlog of ARCs (my own damn fault). I wanted to join in! Bwaaaah. But, okay. It'll sit in the cabinet a while longer. 🙂 I'm glad you're enjoying it. I've heard both ends of the love-hate spectrum.
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Ahhh! I love that I came across this post (I've been so busy reading lately, I haven't kept up reading my favorite book blogs, of which yours is one) — I'm almost halfway through Under the Dome for the first time, and I didn't even know there was a group reading it. (It's been on my bookshelf since it was published, and I finally realized I should read it BEFORE the miniseries starts up. Anyway, I *love* your idea of Jabba the Hut as Big Jim Rennie, and now I'll be picturing it as I read! I sincerely hope that something big will fall on Big Jim AND Junior, and soon!
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I'll tell you a secret: I have no business reading this right now either, lol. As I read this I'm catching up on books that I *should* be reading 😉
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Thanks for listing my blogs among your favorites 🙂 That's warms my old ticker! Looks like you are doing the readalong and didn't even know it, ha! Oh man, those two! They are the WORST aren't they?? Thanks for visiting and commenting, I appreciate it!
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I always have an audio and a print book going at the same time. I rarely do two audios at once. Gone Girl only took me a few days though, I pretty much listened non-stop. It was that kind of book. Now I'm back to The Dome and icky Jim!
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I've never read Stephen King *hides face in shame*I am glad you're enjoying it though 🙂
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It's never too late Melinda! 😉
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Glad you're enjoying it! I know what you mean that reading his books feels like coming home again, exactly that. King is my comfort read oddly enough. lol about that Dr Phil gif.
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Dr Phil is confused and dismayed by this book 😉
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\”Maybe you just don't like spooky/creepy/messwithyourmind kind of stuff! :)\” That in a nutshell is why I've never read Stephen King. Under the Dome is the first one that has ever tempted me, both because it's science fiction-y, and because (thanks to you!) I now know that he can be funny, too. (That pony line cracked me up.) But the length is putting me off. Not that I have any objection to long books! But I have a low tolerence for \”spooky/creepy/messwithyourmind\” stuff. Short stories are about all I can handle in that category.
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King can definitely be CREEPY and all of that stuff. A lot of time my mouth is hanging open while I read his books 😉 There's something about his style that keeps me coming back for more. He's seriously funny for one thing. I read a lot of his stuff when I was an impressionable young lass and reading his books now makes me feel at home. Even if he's writing about killer clowns, lol.
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Jennifer!!I have just finished it and I found this post (is your review already on the blog? I haven't found it!).I liked it very much. I have read it in Spanish, of course, but it's a good translation, with the almost bad vocabulary of Big Jim and so on ;)I loved the characters and I have been hooked on the book for the last 2 weeks. I've enjoyed it very much!
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I saw that you finished this! (On Goodreads) No, I never did write up a final review. This is why I stink at readalongs, lol. I read too darn fast and when it's time to write the actual review…well, I don't do it! 😉 I'm so glad you liked it Isi!!
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Yes, there were only a think I didn't like: the \”nature of the dome\”. I didn't expect the alien thing, it was quite disappointing, at least for me. But it is not the main point of the book, and I liked what happened under the dome 😉
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