Tonight: The Dead Zone
Cast: Michele, Michelle, Tracy, Mark, and Cath
Some thoughts:
When you read it now, it doesn’t feel dated. It felt pertinent. The book feels real, especially politically. The themes can be transferred to any time.
King seems to really focus on character and relationship in this book. King is also an author who focuses on a great many different genres.
King does human nature best. His best work focuses on people. Those books don’t require too far a stretch beyond the reality of what already is, which might be horrifying. Small steps eventually take the reader out there, and then you’re out there.
How about Sarah and Johny? Michele doesn’t find it believable. Tracy thinks it’s better in the tv show, engaged and pregnant with Johny’s child. Guilt? Is that why Sarah pursues him later? Lost opportunity? Closure?
Characters? Folding Bannerman and Walt? Okay. We miss Bruce! We miss Gene! In the book, Johny’s dad is wonderful. Keeps Johny talking.
Michele is the champion of the book, and sticking more with it than some of our group think she should.
Decision making is the most important them in the book. In each story arc, Johny is faced with a decision he doesn’t want to make, but he feels he must do so. Some discussion of what Johny is obligated or not to do, based with his power.
