11/22/63 by Stephen King

Rating: 4 of 5 stars 

Pages: 864 pages
Published: November 2011

11/22/63 was published in 2011, and I received an electronic copy as a Christmas gift later that year. The e-book has sat dormant in my Nook library all these years. A Modern Mrs. Darcy Book Club community reading group prompted me to finally dig in and read this tome! 

The time-traveling story features Jake Epping as the main character, and the set-up is seemingly simple: Jake’s dying friend discovers a portal back to 1958 and compels him to use it to stop the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. But if you didn’t know already, there’s nothing simple about changing history. Stephen King takes his reader on a windy journey that includes several road blocks when Jake tries to fix something because the “past is obdurate” as well as coincidences because the “past harmonizes.” The overall plot is simple, but the detailed presentation is complex and engaging. 

What I loved most is how King makes the past feel alive. You don’t just read about the U.S. in the 60s. You smell the food, hear the music, and feel the slower pace of life. It’s intoxicating reading about it through Jake, a white man’s eyes, and you can understand why he is tempted to stay. (As a Black American reading about this time, where segregation and Jim Crow were prevalent, it’s a bit horrifying. And personally, I’m good in the current craziness in which we live.)  

The premise of the book, thwarting the assassination plot permeates the novel, but the heart of the book is Jake’s relationship with Sadie. Their love story makes the moral dilemma even sharper. If you could save millions by changing history but risk losing the person you love the most, what would you do? Who would you choose? And here’s where the book really got me thinking. We all have moments in our lives we wish we could rewrite, but are the ramifications of change worth it. As King illustrates, tampering with the past doesn’t guarantee a better future. In fact, it often makes things worse. Maybe the wiser path is to learn from history, honor its lessons, and focus on shaping the present. 

Recommendation: If you’re looking to read one of the most prolific writers of the time but aren’t intrigued by his standard horror, consider this book. King stated that he specifically wrote it trying to get a different reading demographic. I strongly recommend 11/22/63. It will allow you to meditate on fate, choice, and the messy beauty of living with the past instead of trying to erase it. 

Until next time ... Read on!

Regardless of whether I purchase a book, borrow a book, or receive a book in exchange for review, my ultimate goal is to be honest, fair, and constructive. I hope you've found this review helpful.