Review: Insomnia by Stephen King

Rating: 7/10

Synopsis:

Since his wife died, Ralph Roberts has been having trouble sleeping. Each night he wakes up a bit earlier, until he’s barely sleeping at all. During his late night walks, he observes some strange things going on in Derry, Maine. He sees colored ribbons streaming from people’s heads, two strange little men wandering around town after dark, and more. He begins to suspect that these visions are something more than hallucinations brought on by lack of sleep.

There’s a definite mean streak running through this small New England city; underneath its ordinary surface awesome and terrifying forces are at work. The dying has been going on in Derry for a long, long time. Now Ralph is part of it…and lack of sleep is the least of his worries.

Returning to the same Maine town where It took place, a town that has haunted Stephen King for decades, Insomnia blends King’s trademark bone-chilling realism with supernatural terror to create yet another masterpiece of suspense.

Review:

Insomnia by Stephen King seamlessly weaves together the supernatural, the mundane and the completely bizarre. It dips its toes into metaphysical waters, and even cameos some familiar faces- which is always fun. It’s an absolute roller-coaster of a novel (albeit a very long one) but with the “master-storyteller” at the helm, you can count yourself in for a good time. Insomnia (whilst being far from under-rated) is not as widely acknowledged as the likes of “The Shining,” and “It,” and that’s a real shame, because it’s just as enjoyable. 

The narrative unfolds in the quaint town of Derry (yes, that Derry) where we are introduced to Ralph Roberts. Ralph, a newly-widowed retiree, is thrust into a bizarre world of heightened perceptions and cosmic proportions, following a rather inconvenient bout of Insomnia. Despite trying home remedy after home remedy, he continues to wake up earlier and earlier each morning- and it’s in these strange twilight hours that he begins to witness some pretty peculiar events.

We are also introduced to Ed Deepeneau early on in the novel. According to Ralph, Ed (who used to help care for Ralph’s recently deceased wife Carolyn) is a loving father and husband to Helen and Natalie, and an all-round good-egg. However, recently he has taken a drastic turn for the worst, and when Ralph comes across Helen, who has been badly beaten by her husband, he can’t help but get involved.

Ed, who is promptly arrested by the town’s chief of Police, Jonathan Leydecker, begins to rave about feminist activist Susan Day (who is due to deliver a speech regarding abortion at Derry’s Civic Centre) and about the small bald men who talk to him, the very same small bald men who Ralph has seen prowling the streets at the dead of night. As the mystery shrouding these strange creatures, the insomnia and Ed’s dastardly plans is gradually unveiled, Ralph (along with similarly-widowed neighbour Lois Chasse) finds himself the unlikely hero of a Stephen King novel.

“It was life, often unsatisfying, frequently cruel, usually boring, sometimes beautiful, once in a while exhilarating.”

King’s colloquial prose will always take me a while to adjust to, but eventually began to work for me. The dialogue crackles with authenticity, and the vivid descriptions brought “Insomnia’”s fantastical realms, bizarre creatures and secret societies to life.  There are some truly terrifying moments that are sure to stick with me, especially Ralph’s nightmare, and the unbelievably gory massacre at High Ridge.

The pacing, whilst generally engaging, does meander at certain points- I did almost drift off mid-way through (ironic right). However, the suspense and tension that King’s writing is infused with was enough to keep me interested. Even during slower stretches the narrative is buoyed by the anticipation of the next supernatural revelation.

Whilst there’s plenty I like about King, and plenty I don’t, I definitely admire his willingness to comment on politics. At the time of writing, the Planned Parenthood v Casey case 1992 had just drawn to a close, making King’s comments (pro-choice) about abortion insightful and fascinating to read about. I feel the battle between Susan Day and her supporters and Ed Deepeneau and his, reflects the polarisation and debate at the time.

Ralph, whilst primarily a superb protagonist, is utilised by King to comment on grief, age and love. His relationship with Lois is incredibly entertaining, and heartwarming to watch flourish throughout the novel. Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos- are also brilliant and unique characters to read about- and unlike any other creature/being that I’ve ever read about.

All in all, Insomnia is a testament to King’s writing, and a novel that should sit proudly next to Stephen’s other works. It defies the boundaries of traditional horror- and whilst it certainly has its quirks and detours, is a gripping exploration of what exists just beyond the edge of our sleepy consciousness. If you’re ready to trade your forty winks for a ticket to the surreal, pick this one up- it may well keep you up at night.