Doctor Sleep (novel)

Doctor Sleep

Doctor Sleep is a horror novel written by Stephen King, serving as a sequel to his 1977 novel The Shining. Published in 2013, Doctor Sleep revisits the character of Danny Torrance, the young boy with psychic abilities from the original book, now a middle-aged man. The novel explores themes of redemption, the impact of childhood trauma into adulthood, and the battle between good and evil.

Plot

Doctor Sleep follows Dan Torrance, who has been haunted by the events at the Overlook Hotel and struggles with alcoholism, a trait he inherits from his father. Dan's psychic abilities, referred to as "the shining," have dulled with age and his alcohol abuse. He settles in a New Hampshire town, where he works at a hospice and earns the nickname "Doctor Sleep," for his ability to use his psychic powers to comfort dying patients and help them pass away peacefully.

Dan's life takes a turn when he establishes a telepathic connection with Abra Stone, a young girl with powerful psychic abilities. Abra is being hunted by the True Knot, a group of quasi-immortal beings who feed off the "steam" produced by children with the shining, particularly when they are tortured to death. Dan and Abra form a bond, and he becomes her protector, leading to a confrontation with the True Knot's leader, Rose the Hat.

Themes

Doctor Sleep delves into the themes of redemption and the possibility of change. Dan's journey from a troubled alcoholic to a man who uses his abilities for good reflects King's recurring theme of personal redemption. The novel also explores the impact of childhood trauma and how it shapes individuals into adulthood, a theme that connects back to The Shining.

Reception

Upon its release, Doctor Sleep received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised its character development and the way it built upon the legacy of The Shining. However, some critics felt that the novel did not match the high standards of its predecessor. Despite this, Doctor Sleep won the 2013 Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel and the 2013 British Fantasy Award for Best Novel.

Adaptations

A film adaptation of Doctor Sleep, directed by Mike Flanagan, was released in 2019. The movie attempts to reconcile differences between King's novels and Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation of The Shining, creating a narrative that pays homage to both King's literary universe and Kubrick's cinematic vision.

See Also

• Stephen King
• The Shining
• Horror fiction
• Bram Stoker Award
• British Fantasy Award