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Cujo
Cujo slept.
He lay on the verge of grass by the porch, his mangled snout on his fore-paws. His dreams were confused, lunatic things. It was dusk, and the sky was dark with wheeling, red-eyed bats. He leaped at them again and again, and each time he leaped he brought one down, teeth clamped on a leathery, twitching wing. But the bats kept biting his tender face with their sharp little rat-teeth. That was where the pain came from. That was where all the hurt came from. But he would kill them all. He would--
Cujo is a two-hundred-pound Saint Bernard, the beloved family pet of the Joe Cambers of Castle Rock, Maine, and the best friend ten-year-old Brett Camber has ever had. One day Cujo pursues a rabbit into a bolt-hole--a cave inhabited by some very sick bats. What happens to Cujo, and to those unlucky enough to be near him, makes for the most heart-squeezing novel Stephen King has yet written.
Vic Trenton, New York adman obsessed by the struggle to hand on to his one big account, his restive and not entirely faithful wife, Donna, and their four-year-old son, Tad, moved to Castle Rock seeking the peace of rural Maine. But life in this small town--evoked as vividly as a Winesburg or a Spoon River--is not what it seems. As Tad tries bravely to fend off the terror that comes to him at night from his bedroom closet, and as Vic and Donna face their own nightmare of a marriage suddenly on the rocks, there is no way they can know that a monster, infinitely sinister, waits in the daylight, and that the fateful currents of their lives will eddy closer and faster to the horrifying vortex that is Cujo.
Stephen King has never written a book in which readers will turn the pages with such a combination of anticipation and dire apprehension. Doing so, they will experience an absolute master at work.
He lay on the verge of grass by the porch, his mangled snout on his fore-paws. His dreams were confused, lunatic things. It was dusk, and the sky was dark with wheeling, red-eyed bats. He leaped at them again and again, and each time he leaped he brought one down, teeth clamped on a leathery, twitching wing. But the bats kept biting his tender face with their sharp little rat-teeth. That was where the pain came from. That was where all the hurt came from. But he would kill them all. He would--
Cujo is a two-hundred-pound Saint Bernard, the beloved family pet of the Joe Cambers of Castle Rock, Maine, and the best friend ten-year-old Brett Camber has ever had. One day Cujo pursues a rabbit into a bolt-hole--a cave inhabited by some very sick bats. What happens to Cujo, and to those unlucky enough to be near him, makes for the most heart-squeezing novel Stephen King has yet written.
Vic Trenton, New York adman obsessed by the struggle to hand on to his one big account, his restive and not entirely faithful wife, Donna, and their four-year-old son, Tad, moved to Castle Rock seeking the peace of rural Maine. But life in this small town--evoked as vividly as a Winesburg or a Spoon River--is not what it seems. As Tad tries bravely to fend off the terror that comes to him at night from his bedroom closet, and as Vic and Donna face their own nightmare of a marriage suddenly on the rocks, there is no way they can know that a monster, infinitely sinister, waits in the daylight, and that the fateful currents of their lives will eddy closer and faster to the horrifying vortex that is Cujo.
Stephen King has never written a book in which readers will turn the pages with such a combination of anticipation and dire apprehension. Doing so, they will experience an absolute master at work.
319 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1981
About the author
Stephen King
2,530 books857k followersStephen Edwin King was born the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his father left them when Stephen was two, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family was at the time, and in Stratford, Connecticut. When Stephen was eleven, his mother brought her children back to Durham, Maine, for good. Her parents, Guy and Nellie Pillsbury, had become incapacitated with old age, and Ruth King was persuaded by her sisters to take over the physical care of them. Other family members provided a small house in Durham and financial support. After Stephen's grandparents passed away, Mrs. King found work in the kitchens of Pineland, a nearby residential facility for the mentally challenged.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 8,664 reviews
September 14, 2019
Original rating: 4 stars
Re-read rating: 5+ stars
It is great when a book is better than I remember! In fact, this may be my favorite Stephen King re-read so far.
I noticed that in general this book tends to get 3 to 3.5 star ratings. While I haven't dug too deep into why this is, if I had to guess I am thinking it is likely because most of this book is not about Cujo. There is a lot of really great extra storytelling and exposition beyond the rabid dog. And, again, this is just guessing, but I figure a lot of people go in wanting the horror of the monster dog, but that doesn't really get going in earnest until two or three hundred pages in. The buildup is fantastic.
This is some of King's best storytelling and character building. I loved learning about everyone in this world and how their lives all came together in the end under the shadow of a drooling, snarling, and insane St. Bernard; a monster of fate, not through any fault of his own - a truly tragic villain.
And the ending? Absolutely gut-wrenching and chilling! I was riveted until the very last page!
I will be adding this to the list of recommendations for first time King readers. If you don't like this one, I am not sure you will end up liking King in general.
Side note:. I didn't remember until the re-read that this book is basically a sequel to The Dead Zone. So, if you are considering reading that one as well as Cujo, read The Dead Zone first.
Re-read rating: 5+ stars
It is great when a book is better than I remember! In fact, this may be my favorite Stephen King re-read so far.
I noticed that in general this book tends to get 3 to 3.5 star ratings. While I haven't dug too deep into why this is, if I had to guess I am thinking it is likely because most of this book is not about Cujo. There is a lot of really great extra storytelling and exposition beyond the rabid dog. And, again, this is just guessing, but I figure a lot of people go in wanting the horror of the monster dog, but that doesn't really get going in earnest until two or three hundred pages in. The buildup is fantastic.
This is some of King's best storytelling and character building. I loved learning about everyone in this world and how their lives all came together in the end under the shadow of a drooling, snarling, and insane St. Bernard; a monster of fate, not through any fault of his own - a truly tragic villain.
And the ending? Absolutely gut-wrenching and chilling! I was riveted until the very last page!
I will be adding this to the list of recommendations for first time King readers. If you don't like this one, I am not sure you will end up liking King in general.
Side note:. I didn't remember until the re-read that this book is basically a sequel to The Dead Zone. So, if you are considering reading that one as well as Cujo, read The Dead Zone first.
January 31, 2021
That´s what is happening when a year long mixed substance abuse drug alcohol trip doesn´t go ingenious with the works It, Different Seasons, Pet Sematary, Misery, etc., but turns to a literary horror trip for the readers.
At least King admits not remembering writing this one, but liking it for whatever reasons, probably typical parent´s ostrichism, although he should have noticed with under 2 permille blood alcohol, and years later after rehab, that something is going terribly wrong, that he forgot to give his characters the credible motivations and introspections to construct a satisfying plotline and premise.
He said in an interview that he got the inspiration when he met a strange guy in his cottage, home, maybe in the woods, not sure anymore, who had a huge beast of a pretty terrifying dog. Well, that was it already, in other creative enlightenment moments he wrote timeless masterpieces with a real dark force manipulating humans that is culminated into a main antagonist, side characters, sometimes even some meta, and the characterization he is so famous for, but this is just facepalm.
I knew this was average or bad because I am totally into swarm intelligence ratings, so was at least well prepared and truly, letting characters tell the story hardly ever went so wrong in his career, maybe his novel Cell as the only example I remember at the moment, but there might be the, especially subjective, one or other too. A logical, and often seen consequence of the creative writing approach without plotting and just letting creativity flow completely unleashed, are weak and illogical endings and general not really clean and believable plotlines, but there is nothing in here that makes King´s work great.
What shows that King is one of the greatest authors of all time is that even this one can´t be given less than 3 stars, because even completely wasted, not caring about complex storyboarding and creating an interwoven premise, etc. he produces an average novel. Not that it´s a good paragon for the kids, aspiring writers, or something, but one has to acknowledge and honor to write better than most humans would be able to do when high as hell. Drink and do drugs to find your muse, or even more than just one if you overachievingly overdose and see two of them, sexy monozygotic twins, if you want to be successful, doesn´t seem to be the best writing advice. Except beer, that´s just for recreation and harmless.
I guess dog lovers and people not caring about the unusual, superficial, soap opera style characters and their uninteresting lives that are just added to let the dog take a better bite and have more to chew away at, might even see it as a solid 4 star, but I´ve read too much King, some bad ones too, to not protect readers by keeping the rating low.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
At least King admits not remembering writing this one, but liking it for whatever reasons, probably typical parent´s ostrichism, although he should have noticed with under 2 permille blood alcohol, and years later after rehab, that something is going terribly wrong, that he forgot to give his characters the credible motivations and introspections to construct a satisfying plotline and premise.
He said in an interview that he got the inspiration when he met a strange guy in his cottage, home, maybe in the woods, not sure anymore, who had a huge beast of a pretty terrifying dog. Well, that was it already, in other creative enlightenment moments he wrote timeless masterpieces with a real dark force manipulating humans that is culminated into a main antagonist, side characters, sometimes even some meta, and the characterization he is so famous for, but this is just facepalm.
I knew this was average or bad because I am totally into swarm intelligence ratings, so was at least well prepared and truly, letting characters tell the story hardly ever went so wrong in his career, maybe his novel Cell as the only example I remember at the moment, but there might be the, especially subjective, one or other too. A logical, and often seen consequence of the creative writing approach without plotting and just letting creativity flow completely unleashed, are weak and illogical endings and general not really clean and believable plotlines, but there is nothing in here that makes King´s work great.
What shows that King is one of the greatest authors of all time is that even this one can´t be given less than 3 stars, because even completely wasted, not caring about complex storyboarding and creating an interwoven premise, etc. he produces an average novel. Not that it´s a good paragon for the kids, aspiring writers, or something, but one has to acknowledge and honor to write better than most humans would be able to do when high as hell. Drink and do drugs to find your muse, or even more than just one if you overachievingly overdose and see two of them, sexy monozygotic twins, if you want to be successful, doesn´t seem to be the best writing advice. Except beer, that´s just for recreation and harmless.
I guess dog lovers and people not caring about the unusual, superficial, soap opera style characters and their uninteresting lives that are just added to let the dog take a better bite and have more to chew away at, might even see it as a solid 4 star, but I´ve read too much King, some bad ones too, to not protect readers by keeping the rating low.
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
November 19, 2022
I think this is one of those books that's so well known and so frequently referenced that it's hard not to have some idea of the general story-- a rabid dog traps a woman and her kid in a car. It's a great idea. But there's so much more to it than that. For one thing, there's more going on with Cujo than having rabies. This book is set in Castle Rock, so it's never 'just' rabies.
I had a quick scroll through some reviews just now and it's seems quite a few people feel like there is a lot of filler in this book. Obviously thats their opinion and they are welcome to it, but I just wanted to mention that for me, the dynamics of the small town, of the various marriages and what not were some of the most compelling parts for me. I thought the parts detailing people just struggling to deal with this general suffocation of life and circumstances to be one of the most important elements of the book. I can see why it's not everyone's taste, but I found them to be just as tense and uncomfortable as the ongoing standoff with Cujo.
Oh, and poor Cujo -- it wasn't his fault he got rabies. Or that he happened to live in a Stephen King novel! Of all the dog breeds to go rabid, a St Bernard is pretty much the most terrifying option. As I said at the beginning, it really is a great (terrifying) idea.
September 21, 2020
4.5 Stars. Love book & movie!
Found two old school books of Cujo and one has pics!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
BLOG:
https://melissa413readsalot.blogspot....
Found two old school books of Cujo and one has pics!
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
BLOG:
https://melissa413readsalot.blogspot....
April 27, 2021
Written in 1981, so another book verging on being a modern classic? Jeez Louise, how does a writer create such a terrific suspense and horror tale from the central point of a Saint Bernard? Ask Stephen King! This is a great read that looks deeper into the darkness of claustrophobic scenarios such as in closets, cars and dead ends themselves, as well as change, love and a big dog... a big rabid dog, Cujo!
One of Stephen King's most horrific early works (alongside Pet Sematary), this book sits firmly in the horror camp. A Castle Rock jam. 8 out of 12.
One of Stephen King's most horrific early works (alongside Pet Sematary), this book sits firmly in the horror camp. A Castle Rock jam. 8 out of 12.
November 23, 2016
When a two hundred pound St. Bernard goes rabid, no one is safe! Who will fall to Cujo before the disease he carries finishes him off?
I'm just going to come out and say it. Most of this book feels like filler to me. I think King took what was potentially an award winning tale of terror and jammed as much padding into it as he could until it was one of his shorter novels. Basically, it's a fantastic short story wrapped in a soap opera I couldn't give two shits about.
That being said, Cujo is a really powerful book in places. While I didn't care about a lot of things on the periphery, the core of it is pretty terrifying and heart-wrenching. No one wants their beloved family pet to turn on them and a rabid dog trapping a woman and her child in a car for DAYS is damn horrifying. As opposed to most of his menaces, Cujo is all too plausible.
The writing is good and the ending packs a huge punch. I sure didn't see that coming. It was like being kicked in the balls after you're already lying on the ground after being shot in the heart.
While I found that there was a lot of fat on this bone, it was pretty good at the core. Or marrow, in this case. Three hard-earned stars.
I'm just going to come out and say it. Most of this book feels like filler to me. I think King took what was potentially an award winning tale of terror and jammed as much padding into it as he could until it was one of his shorter novels. Basically, it's a fantastic short story wrapped in a soap opera I couldn't give two shits about.
That being said, Cujo is a really powerful book in places. While I didn't care about a lot of things on the periphery, the core of it is pretty terrifying and heart-wrenching. No one wants their beloved family pet to turn on them and a rabid dog trapping a woman and her child in a car for DAYS is damn horrifying. As opposed to most of his menaces, Cujo is all too plausible.
The writing is good and the ending packs a huge punch. I sure didn't see that coming. It was like being kicked in the balls after you're already lying on the ground after being shot in the heart.
While I found that there was a lot of fat on this bone, it was pretty good at the core. Or marrow, in this case. Three hard-earned stars.
May 16, 2022
Cujo, Stephen King
"Once upon a time, not so long ago, a monster came to the small town of Castle Rock, Maine."
Cujo used to be a big friendly dog, lovable and loyal to his trinity (The Man, The Woman, and The Boy) and everyone around him, and always did his best to not be a BAD DOG. But that all ends on the day this nearly two-hundred-pound Saint Bernard makes the mistake of chasing a rabbit into a hidden underground cave, setting off a tragic chain of events. Now Cujo is no longer himself as he is slowly overcome by a growing sickness, one that consumes his mind even as his once affable thoughts turn uncontrollably and inexorably to hatred and murder. Cujo is about to become the center of a horrifying vortex that will inescapably draw in everyone around him—a relentless reign of terror, fury, and madness from which no one in Castle Rock will truly be safe...
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز بیست و ششم ماه سپتامبر سال2014میلادی
عنوان: کوجو؛ نویسنده: استیفن کینگ ؛ مترجم: مریم ملکوتی؛ تهران: نشر قطره، (سال1390) سال1391؛ در460ص؛ چاپ دوم در سال1392؛ شابک9786001194091؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان ایالات متحده امریکا - سده20م
کتاب «کوجو» در ژانر وحشت روانشناختی اثر «استیفن کینگ» است که نخستین بار در سال1981میلادی منتشر شده است
نقل نمونه متن کتاب کوجو: (روزی روزگاری در زمان های نه چندان دور ـ در سال1970میلادی ـ هیولایی به شهر کوچک «کسل راک» در «مین» آمد و خدمتکار زنی به نام «آلمافرشت» و زن دیگری به نام «پولین توتیکر» را به قتل رساند.؛ در سال1971میلادی دانش آموز سال اول دبیرستانی به نام «شریل مودی» و باز در سال1974میلادی دختر زیبایی به نام «کارول دانبرگر» و در سال1975میلادی، معلمی به نام «اتارینگ گولد»، و در زمستان همان سال دانش آموز دبستانی به نام «ماری کیت هندراسن» را، به قتل رسانید
او گرگ آدم نما، دراکولا، غول یا موجودی بی نام و نشان از ناکجاآباد نبود، پاسبانی بود به نام «فرانک داد» که با مشکلات روحی و جسمی؛ دست و پنجه نرم میکرد؛ مردی به نام «جان اسمیت»، سرانجام توانست قاتل را، شناسایی کند، اما پیش از آنکه دستگیرش کنند، «فرانک داد» خودش را کشت؛
این موضوع همه را شوکه کرد، اما در آن شهر کوچک همه خوشحال بودند، هیولایی که آنجور خواب را از چشمها ربوده بود، سرانجام از بین رفته و اکنون کابوس شهر، با خود او در گورش مدفون شده بود.؛ با اینحال در آن دوران، فارغ از خرافات، که بسیاری از والدین، نگران آسیبهای روانشناختی به فرزندانشان بودند، مادری یا شاید مادر بزر��ی، جایی در «کسل راک» زندگی میکرد، که برای ساکت کردن بچه ها تهدیدشان میکرد، اگر رفتارشان مودبانه نباشد، «فرانک داد» آنها را با خود خواهد برد.؛ وقتی بچه ها به پنجره های تاریک مینگریستند، و «فرانک داد» را، در پالتو بارانی سیاه وینیل براقش، مجسم میکردند، که آدمها را یکی پس از دیگری خفه میکند، سکوتی وهم انگیز اتاق را در بر میگرفت.؛ «خودشه!»، صدای مادر بزرگ را میشنوم، که در لابلای سر و صدای سوت وار باد داخل لوله بخاری، و صدای فین فین در قابلمه کهنه، بر روی شعله آتش، میگوید: اون اومده، اگه بچه های خوبی نباشین، ممکنه بعد از اینکه همه خوابیدن، صورتشو پشت پنجره اتاقتون ببینین، یا ببینید، که نیمه شب با چهره ای خندان، از داخل کمدتان، به شما زل زده، یا تابلوی ایست اونو ببینین، که از جلو بچه ها رد میشه، و بالای سرش نگاه میداره، یا تیغی که باهاش خودشو کشت...؛ پس ساکت باشین و صداتون در نیاد.؛
برای خیلیها پایان او به راستی پایان تلقی شد؛ اما هنوز کابوسهایی وجود داشت، هنوز کودکانی از وحشت خوابشان نمیبرد، و کسی به خانه ی خالی، که اکنون به عنوان خانه ی ارواح، شناخته میشد، پا نمیگذاشت.؛ به هر حال اینها همه پدیده هایی گذرا، جنبه های جانبی و احتناب ناپذیر زنجیره ی قتلهای بی معنا و احمقانه بودند.؛ پنج سال گذشت.؛ هیولا رفته بود.؛ هیولا مرده بود.؛ «فرانک داد» در تابوت خود پوسیده، و خاک شده بود.؛ اما هیولاها، گرگهای آدم نما، خون آشامها، غولها و موجودات سرزمینهای بینام ونشان هرگز نمیمیرند.؛
در تابستان سال 1980میلادی هیولا به «کسل راک» بازگشت.؛ در ماه مه همانسال، «تد ترنتون» چهار ساله، کمی پس از نیمه شب از خواب بیدار شد تا به دستشویی برود.؛ از تخت بیرون آمد، و خواب آلود به سمت نور مهتابی لنگه ی باز در رفت.؛ شلوارش را پایین کشید و وقتی کارش در دستشویی تمام شد، سیفون را کشید، و به رختخوابش برگشت، و پتو را رویش کشید.؛ در همین موقع بود، که هیولایی را در کمدش دید.؛ هیولا نشسته بود و سرش در میان شانه های پهنش، یکوری قرار گرفته بود، و چشمهایش مانند کهربا میدرخشید.؛ او موجودی بود، که نیمه گرگ و نیمه آدم به نظر میآمد.؛ وقتی بلند شد، چشمهایش به سمت بالا چرخید، تا او را دنبال کند.؛ موهایش سیخ در هوا، و صدای نفسش مانند سوز زمستانی در گلو به گوشش رسید.؛ چشمهای دیوانه ای که میخندید، و پیام آور مرگی وحشتناک، و فریادهایی ناشنیدنی بود.؛ صدای غرش خرخر مانندش را میشنید، و بوی مرگ را از او استشمام میکرد.؛ «تد ترنتون» کوچک دستهایش را روی چشمهایش گذاشت، نفسش را حبس کرد و فریاد کشید.؛
از اتاقی دیگر صدای متعجب پدر، و بعد صدای وحشت انگیز مادر را شنید، که فریاد زد: «چی بود؟»، صدای دویدنشان را شنید، اما همچنان در حالیکه به درون اتاق میآمدند، از لای انگشتانش دید که هیولا هنوز در کمد است و خرخر میکند، و به او این پیام وحشت آور را میدهد، که والدینش میآیند و بعد دوباره به اتاق خود باز میگردند و وقتی رفتند....؛
چراغ اتاق روشن شد. «ویک» و «دونا ترنتون» به سمت تختش دویدند، و از بالای صورت رنگ پریده، و چشمهای خیره اش، نگاه نگرانی را با هم رد و بدل کردند.؛ مادرش با صدای بلند و پرخاش گونه گفت: «ویک بهت گفتم که سه تا هات داگ زیادیش میکنه.»؛ پدر روی تخت نشست و دستش را دور کمرش حلقه کرد، و از او علت فریادش را پرسید.؛ «تد» جرئت کرد تا بار دیگر نگاهی به داخل کمدش بیندازد.؛ هیولا رفته بود.؛ به جای آن جانوری گرسنه روی دو کپه ی نابرابر پتو و روتختیهای زمستانی ایستاده بود، که «دونا» هنوز وقت پیدا نکرده بود، آنها را به طبقه ی سوم ببرد، و روی صندلی تلمبار شده بودند، و «تد» عادت داشت وقتی میخواست چیزی را از طبقه ی بالای کمد بردارد، روی آنها بایستد.؛ به جای سر مثلثی شکل یکوری جانوری شکارچی با آن حالت پرسشگرانه، خرس عروسکی خودش را دید، که بر روی پتوها قرار گرفته بود.؛ به جای چشمهای کهربایی تهدیدآمیز چشمهای شیشه ای قهوه ای رنگ مهربان خرس عروسکی اش را دید.؛
پدرش دوباره پرسید: «تدر! چی شده؟» تد فریاد زد: «توی کمدم یک هیولا بود» و بعد شروع به گریه کرد.؛ مادرش کنارش نشست.؛ او را در میان خود گرفتند، و به هر نحویکه میتوانستند، آرامش کردند.؛ آنها در حقیقت وظیفه ی خود را به عنوان والدین انجام میدادند.؛ برایش توضیح دادند که هیولایی وجود ندارد، واین موضوع کابوسی بیش نبوده است.؛ مادرش توضیح داد گاهی سایه ها به نظر، مانند چیزهای ترسناک میآیند.؛ چیزهای ترسناکی که در تلویزیون یا در کتابها نشان داده میشوند، و پدر دلداریش داد که هیچ مشکلی وجود ندارد، و هیچ چیز در خانه ی کوچکشان نمیتواند به او آسیبی برساند.؛ تد سری به علامت تایید تکان داد، ولی میدانست که اینگونه نیست.؛
پدرش توضیح داد که چگونه در تاریکی دو کپه ی پتو مانند شانه های خمیده، و خرس عروسکی مانند سری یکوری به نظر میرسند، و لامپ دستشویی در چشمهای شیشه ای خرس عروسکی بازتاب مییابد، و مانند جانوری زنده به چشم میآید.؛ سپس گفت: «حالا نگاه کن، خوب به من نگاه کن تدر.» تد به او نگاه کرد.؛ پدر دو کپه ی پتو را برداشت، و آنها را در داخل کمد فرو برد.؛ تد صدای به هم خوردن ملایم چوب رختیها را میشنید.؛ به نظرش میرسید که دارند درباره ی پدرش به زبان خودشان با هم حرف میزنند.؛ به نظرش جالب میآمد، و لبخند کمرنگی بر لبانش نشست.؛ مادر لبخندش را دید، و لبخندی زد و آرام شد.؛ پدر از کمد بیرون آمد، و خرس عروسکی را برداشت، و آن را در میان دستان تد قرار داد.؛ بعد با تعظیمی که تد و مادر را به خنده انداخت، گفت: «و حالا بهترین و آخرین قسمت کار... صندلی!»؛ در کمد را محکم بست و صندلی را جلوی در کمد گذاشت.؛ وقتی به سمت تخت تد برمیگشت، لبخند بر لبانش بود، اما چشمهایش نگاهی جدی داشت.؛ ـ خوب شد تد؟ تد گفت: «بله» ولی بعد با ناراحتی گفت: «اما پدر! هیولا اونجا بود من واقعا دیدمش.» پدر گفت: «تو اونو تو ذهنت دیدی تد.»؛ و با دست گرم و بزرگش موهای تد را نوازش کرد، و ادامه داد: «اون هیولا نبود، هیولای واقعی وجود نداره و فقط در داستانها و ذهن تو میتونه وجود داشته باشه.» او نگاهش را از پدر به سمت مادر برگرداند، و باز به پدر نگاه کرد، به چهره های بزرگ و دوست داشتنیشان.؛ ـ راستی؟ مادرش گفت: «بله، حالا ازت میخوام بری دستشویی! بدو مرد بزرگ!)؛ پایان نقل
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 04/05/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 24/02/1401هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
"Once upon a time, not so long ago, a monster came to the small town of Castle Rock, Maine."
Cujo used to be a big friendly dog, lovable and loyal to his trinity (The Man, The Woman, and The Boy) and everyone around him, and always did his best to not be a BAD DOG. But that all ends on the day this nearly two-hundred-pound Saint Bernard makes the mistake of chasing a rabbit into a hidden underground cave, setting off a tragic chain of events. Now Cujo is no longer himself as he is slowly overcome by a growing sickness, one that consumes his mind even as his once affable thoughts turn uncontrollably and inexorably to hatred and murder. Cujo is about to become the center of a horrifying vortex that will inescapably draw in everyone around him—a relentless reign of terror, fury, and madness from which no one in Castle Rock will truly be safe...
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز بیست و ششم ماه سپتامبر سال2014میلادی
عنوان: کوجو؛ نویسنده: استیفن کینگ ؛ مترجم: مریم ملکوتی؛ تهران: نشر قطره، (سال1390) سال1391؛ در460ص؛ چاپ دوم در سال1392؛ شابک9786001194091؛ موضوع: داستانهای نویسندگان ایالات متحده امریکا - سده20م
کتاب «کوجو» در ژانر وحشت روانشناختی اثر «استیفن کینگ» است که نخستین بار در سال1981میلادی منتشر شده است
نقل نمونه متن کتاب کوجو: (روزی روزگاری در زمان های نه چندان دور ـ در سال1970میلادی ـ هیولایی به شهر کوچک «کسل راک» در «مین» آمد و خدمتکار زنی به نام «آلمافرشت» و زن دیگری به نام «پولین توتیکر» را به قتل رساند.؛ در سال1971میلادی دانش آموز سال اول دبیرستانی به نام «شریل مودی» و باز در سال1974میلادی دختر زیبایی به نام «کارول دانبرگر» و در سال1975میلادی، معلمی به نام «اتارینگ گولد»، و در زمستان همان سال دانش آموز دبستانی به نام «ماری کیت هندراسن» را، به قتل رسانید
او گرگ آدم نما، دراکولا، غول یا موجودی بی نام و نشان از ناکجاآباد نبود، پاسبانی بود به نام «فرانک داد» که با مشکلات روحی و جسمی؛ دست و پنجه نرم میکرد؛ مردی به نام «جان اسمیت»، سرانجام توانست قاتل را، شناسایی کند، اما پیش از آنکه دستگیرش کنند، «فرانک داد» خودش را کشت؛
این موضوع همه را شوکه کرد، اما در آن شهر کوچک همه خوشحال بودند، هیولایی که آنجور خواب را از چشمها ربوده بود، سرانجام از بین رفته و اکنون کابوس شهر، با خود او در گورش مدفون شده بود.؛ با اینحال در آن دوران، فارغ از خرافات، که بسیاری از والدین، نگران آسیبهای روانشناختی به فرزندانشان بودند، مادری یا شاید مادر بزر��ی، جایی در «کسل راک» زندگی میکرد، که برای ساکت کردن بچه ها تهدیدشان میکرد، اگر رفتارشان مودبانه نباشد، «فرانک داد» آنها را با خود خواهد برد.؛ وقتی بچه ها به پنجره های تاریک مینگریستند، و «فرانک داد» را، در پالتو بارانی سیاه وینیل براقش، مجسم میکردند، که آدمها را یکی پس از دیگری خفه میکند، سکوتی وهم انگیز اتاق را در بر میگرفت.؛ «خودشه!»، صدای مادر بزرگ را میشنوم، که در لابلای سر و صدای سوت وار باد داخل لوله بخاری، و صدای فین فین در قابلمه کهنه، بر روی شعله آتش، میگوید: اون اومده، اگه بچه های خوبی نباشین، ممکنه بعد از اینکه همه خوابیدن، صورتشو پشت پنجره اتاقتون ببینین، یا ببینید، که نیمه شب با چهره ای خندان، از داخل کمدتان، به شما زل زده، یا تابلوی ایست اونو ببینین، که از جلو بچه ها رد میشه، و بالای سرش نگاه میداره، یا تیغی که باهاش خودشو کشت...؛ پس ساکت باشین و صداتون در نیاد.؛
برای خیلیها پایان او به راستی پایان تلقی شد؛ اما هنوز کابوسهایی وجود داشت، هنوز کودکانی از وحشت خوابشان نمیبرد، و کسی به خانه ی خالی، که اکنون به عنوان خانه ی ارواح، شناخته میشد، پا نمیگذاشت.؛ به هر حال اینها همه پدیده هایی گذرا، جنبه های جانبی و احتناب ناپذیر زنجیره ی قتلهای بی معنا و احمقانه بودند.؛ پنج سال گذشت.؛ هیولا رفته بود.؛ هیولا مرده بود.؛ «فرانک داد» در تابوت خود پوسیده، و خاک شده بود.؛ اما هیولاها، گرگهای آدم نما، خون آشامها، غولها و موجودات سرزمینهای بینام ونشان هرگز نمیمیرند.؛
در تابستان سال 1980میلادی هیولا به «کسل راک» بازگشت.؛ در ماه مه همانسال، «تد ترنتون» چهار ساله، کمی پس از نیمه شب از خواب بیدار شد تا به دستشویی برود.؛ از تخت بیرون آمد، و خواب آلود به سمت نور مهتابی لنگه ی باز در رفت.؛ شلوارش را پایین کشید و وقتی کارش در دستشویی تمام شد، سیفون را کشید، و به رختخوابش برگشت، و پتو را رویش کشید.؛ در همین موقع بود، که هیولایی را در کمدش دید.؛ هیولا نشسته بود و سرش در میان شانه های پهنش، یکوری قرار گرفته بود، و چشمهایش مانند کهربا میدرخشید.؛ او موجودی بود، که نیمه گرگ و نیمه آدم به نظر میآمد.؛ وقتی بلند شد، چشمهایش به سمت بالا چرخید، تا او را دنبال کند.؛ موهایش سیخ در هوا، و صدای نفسش مانند سوز زمستانی در گلو به گوشش رسید.؛ چشمهای دیوانه ای که میخندید، و پیام آور مرگی وحشتناک، و فریادهایی ناشنیدنی بود.؛ صدای غرش خرخر مانندش را میشنید، و بوی مرگ را از او استشمام میکرد.؛ «تد ترنتون» کوچک دستهایش را روی چشمهایش گذاشت، نفسش را حبس کرد و فریاد کشید.؛
از اتاقی دیگر صدای متعجب پدر، و بعد صدای وحشت انگیز مادر را شنید، که فریاد زد: «چی بود؟»، صدای دویدنشان را شنید، اما همچنان در حالیکه به درون اتاق میآمدند، از لای انگشتانش دید که هیولا هنوز در کمد است و خرخر میکند، و به او این پیام وحشت آور را میدهد، که والدینش میآیند و بعد دوباره به اتاق خود باز میگردند و وقتی رفتند....؛
چراغ اتاق روشن شد. «ویک» و «دونا ترنتون» به سمت تختش دویدند، و از بالای صورت رنگ پریده، و چشمهای خیره اش، نگاه نگرانی را با هم رد و بدل کردند.؛ مادرش با صدای بلند و پرخاش گونه گفت: «ویک بهت گفتم که سه تا هات داگ زیادیش میکنه.»؛ پدر روی تخت نشست و دستش را دور کمرش حلقه کرد، و از او علت فریادش را پرسید.؛ «تد» جرئت کرد تا بار دیگر نگاهی به داخل کمدش بیندازد.؛ هیولا رفته بود.؛ به جای آن جانوری گرسنه روی دو کپه ی نابرابر پتو و روتختیهای زمستانی ایستاده بود، که «دونا» هنوز وقت پیدا نکرده بود، آنها را به طبقه ی سوم ببرد، و روی صندلی تلمبار شده بودند، و «تد» عادت داشت وقتی میخواست چیزی را از طبقه ی بالای کمد بردارد، روی آنها بایستد.؛ به جای سر مثلثی شکل یکوری جانوری شکارچی با آن حالت پرسشگرانه، خرس عروسکی خودش را دید، که بر روی پتوها قرار گرفته بود.؛ به جای چشمهای کهربایی تهدیدآمیز چشمهای شیشه ای قهوه ای رنگ مهربان خرس عروسکی اش را دید.؛
پدرش دوباره پرسید: «تدر! چی شده؟» تد فریاد زد: «توی کمدم یک هیولا بود» و بعد شروع به گریه کرد.؛ مادرش کنارش نشست.؛ او را در میان خود گرفتند، و به هر نحویکه میتوانستند، آرامش کردند.؛ آنها در حقیقت وظیفه ی خود را به عنوان والدین انجام میدادند.؛ برایش توضیح دادند که هیولایی وجود ندارد، واین موضوع کابوسی بیش نبوده است.؛ مادرش توضیح داد گاهی سایه ها به نظر، مانند چیزهای ترسناک میآیند.؛ چیزهای ترسناکی که در تلویزیون یا در کتابها نشان داده میشوند، و پدر دلداریش داد که هیچ مشکلی وجود ندارد، و هیچ چیز در خانه ی کوچکشان نمیتواند به او آسیبی برساند.؛ تد سری به علامت تایید تکان داد، ولی میدانست که اینگونه نیست.؛
پدرش توضیح داد که چگونه در تاریکی دو کپه ی پتو مانند شانه های خمیده، و خرس عروسکی مانند سری یکوری به نظر میرسند، و لامپ دستشویی در چشمهای شیشه ای خرس عروسکی بازتاب مییابد، و مانند جانوری زنده به چشم میآید.؛ سپس گفت: «حالا نگاه کن، خوب به من نگاه کن تدر.» تد به او نگاه کرد.؛ پدر دو کپه ی پتو را برداشت، و آنها را در داخل کمد فرو برد.؛ تد صدای به هم خوردن ملایم چوب رختیها را میشنید.؛ به نظرش میرسید که دارند درباره ی پدرش به زبان خودشان با هم حرف میزنند.؛ به نظرش جالب میآمد، و لبخند کمرنگی بر لبانش نشست.؛ مادر لبخندش را دید، و لبخندی زد و آرام شد.؛ پدر از کمد بیرون آمد، و خرس عروسکی را برداشت، و آن را در میان دستان تد قرار داد.؛ بعد با تعظیمی که تد و مادر را به خنده انداخت، گفت: «و حالا بهترین و آخرین قسمت کار... صندلی!»؛ در کمد را محکم بست و صندلی را جلوی در کمد گذاشت.؛ وقتی به سمت تخت تد برمیگشت، لبخند بر لبانش بود، اما چشمهایش نگاهی جدی داشت.؛ ـ خوب شد تد؟ تد گفت: «بله» ولی بعد با ناراحتی گفت: «اما پدر! هیولا اونجا بود من واقعا دیدمش.» پدر گفت: «تو اونو تو ذهنت دیدی تد.»؛ و با دست گرم و بزرگش موهای تد را نوازش کرد، و ادامه داد: «اون هیولا نبود، هیولای واقعی وجود نداره و فقط در داستانها و ذهن تو میتونه وجود داشته باشه.» او نگاهش را از پدر به سمت مادر برگرداند، و باز به پدر نگاه کرد، به چهره های بزرگ و دوست داشتنیشان.؛ ـ راستی؟ مادرش گفت: «بله، حالا ازت میخوام بری دستشویی! بدو مرد بزرگ!)؛ پایان نقل
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 04/05/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 24/02/1401هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
December 24, 2020
Well, I can probably now clarify, that I'm a member of the Stephen King fan club. I literally devoured this book in a couple of days. If it wasn't for real life, I could have read it in one sitting. This book is a terrifying mind-fuck. Terrifying in the sense that the events that pan out in this story, in reality, they could all actually happen. There was nothing supernatural about this, it was all very real. Apparently Stephen King wrote this novel at the very height of his alcoholism, and it certainly shows. There are no chapters, no breaks, there is not even much time to breathe as you get sucked into the next paragraph. The story itself is set over three days, but the pace is constant. I read the majority of this while I had quiet time, and I was that edgy, I could feel my heartbeat quickening in my chest, eager to turn the next page.
Cujo, in short, is about a saint bernard, that due to an unfortunate event, turns rabid. Around the centre of this event there are other side plots going on, too. All of these events tie up incredibly well, and we end up with one huge event, but hell, it's definitely worth the wait. I expected gore, but actually, there was nothing especially significant that caused me to wince. It is the physiological affect that King is ultimately the grand master at. He literally gets under your skin, and messes with your mind, and, just when you think you're getting a handle on reality again, he hits you with another twist. He's good like that, Mr King.
Although I loved this book, I didn't love it as much as Pet Sematary,as that one completely blew my mind, but, that said, this was still an amazingly suspenseful, and petrifying read. Thank you, once again, Mr King.
Cujo, in short, is about a saint bernard, that due to an unfortunate event, turns rabid. Around the centre of this event there are other side plots going on, too. All of these events tie up incredibly well, and we end up with one huge event, but hell, it's definitely worth the wait. I expected gore, but actually, there was nothing especially significant that caused me to wince. It is the physiological affect that King is ultimately the grand master at. He literally gets under your skin, and messes with your mind, and, just when you think you're getting a handle on reality again, he hits you with another twist. He's good like that, Mr King.
Although I loved this book, I didn't love it as much as Pet Sematary,as that one completely blew my mind, but, that said, this was still an amazingly suspenseful, and petrifying read. Thank you, once again, Mr King.
December 15, 2019
Writing a review about Cujo is a little like reminiscing about being a teenager and listening to Black Sabbath.
Trying to describe it, and to put the experience in words, reveals the cartoonish elements in stark relief. But while being read, the novel is rich with storytelling and more complex than would seem on it's surface.
And like the best of Sabbath: It rocks.
Yes, it's about a town that gets eaten by a big, rabid dog, but King is able, and with some credibility, to tell a tale of modern paranoia and suspense, with elements of horror that are all too believable to a modern audience.
Trying to describe it, and to put the experience in words, reveals the cartoonish elements in stark relief. But while being read, the novel is rich with storytelling and more complex than would seem on it's surface.
And like the best of Sabbath: It rocks.
Yes, it's about a town that gets eaten by a big, rabid dog, but King is able, and with some credibility, to tell a tale of modern paranoia and suspense, with elements of horror that are all too believable to a modern audience.
November 24, 2022
الرواية التي أوجعت قلب الأمهات و الأزواج و من يخافون من الكلاب
تراجيديا مثيرة و مؤلمة لن يتحملها البعض
ليست مجرد قصة عن كلب مسعور فقد بوصلته
و لكنها عن الخيانة حيث يكون الوفاء و عن الأم التي تنسى نفسها في سبيل إسرتها و الأب المشغل فقط في مستقبل أولاده مستغرقا في عمله فقط
عن الحلم الإمريكي في حياة رغدة و عصرية و الذي يؤدي إلى كوارث من هذا النوع حينما يكون جامحا لا يتريث قليلا ليكون له من الحاضر نصيبا
عندما يكتب كينج عن شيء فإنه يغوص في هذا الشيء لتدرك الأشياء كلها و تحبس أنفاسك من البداية للنهاية
January 29, 2019
Wow! That ending was a real gut punch. Stephen King usually doesn't do that but......
Holy Shit!
Cujo was written while Stephen King was in the depths of his alcoholism. Uncle Stevie doesn't even remember writing it and if you think about it he didn't write it his alcoholism did. Like Cujo, alcoholism is rabid dog that will stop at nothing in its mission to kill you. Like Cujo alcoholism is unrelenting and scary. Cujo is written almost stream of conscious there are no chapters.
I didn't expect to feel bad for Cujo but I did. He wasn't evil he was just sick. Through no fault of his own he got bit and contracted rabies. He was suffering and in pain. That proves Stephen King is an amazing writer because I don't even like dogs.
Cujo is a classic! A must read!
Stephen King Fans Book club January read.
Holy Shit!
Cujo was written while Stephen King was in the depths of his alcoholism. Uncle Stevie doesn't even remember writing it and if you think about it he didn't write it his alcoholism did. Like Cujo, alcoholism is rabid dog that will stop at nothing in its mission to kill you. Like Cujo alcoholism is unrelenting and scary. Cujo is written almost stream of conscious there are no chapters.
I didn't expect to feel bad for Cujo but I did. He wasn't evil he was just sick. Through no fault of his own he got bit and contracted rabies. He was suffering and in pain. That proves Stephen King is an amazing writer because I don't even like dogs.
Cujo is a classic! A must read!
Stephen King Fans Book club January read.
April 26, 2024
Edited to include new revelations on my particular dog at the end lol - 4/25/2024
Cujo is one of those books I've never not known about. This speaks a lot to Stephen King's presence in American culture; that even as a baby/toddler/child, long before I would ever read his books, I knew about Carrie soaked in blood, Pennywise speaking from the gutter, and Cujo the rabid St. Bernard.
Even though I had absorbed so much via cultural osmosis, I always skirted around Cujo. Too much of an animal lover all my life.
But I read about Patrick Hockstetter's "secret fridge" in It. I read about the unfortunate fate of Lloyd Henreid's bunny in The Stand. I read about what Hugh Priest did to poor Raider, all for a foxtail, in Needful Things.
I can now report that anything that happens in (or to) Cujo is much less brutal than any of that.
Of the million things I love about King's The Stand, one of them is the latter part of Ch. 52: the dog Kojak's POV, crossing the US in search of Glen Bateman. It's easily one of the sweetest things I've ever read.
Sharing much of Cujo's POV, both pre- and post-rabies, imbues the book with so much pathos. No matter how sick, he's still just a dog. Even when he does his most aggressive acts, you know it's not out of genuine malice. Just the actions of a sick and dying dog, still trying to do his best.
I found the writing of Donna's and Tad's entrapment in the Pinto to be tight and tension-filled. The build of these scenes, however, was cut somewhat by switching POV to Vic's PR nightmare in NYC & Boston, Charity Camber's attempts to reorient her son, and just the character of Steve Kemp in general.
While these plots weren't uninteresting - I was genuinely piqued by Vic's marketing schemes - the way they came together in the end didn't completely justify the attention they took from the clear and present danger.
But, back to my first point on Stephen King's ubiquity in American culture; Cujo is a very fascinating time capsule of another cultural phenomenon:
Star Wars is mentioned throughout this 1981 publication constantly. The characters can't get away from the grip that franchise has on their world - the kids have Star Wars action figures and coloring books, Star Wars t-shirts are roaming the wild - I loved every single mention of it. These people had just learned Darth Vader was Luke's father, but still wouldn't know what Jabba the Hutt looked like until 1983. Iconic. It was so unexpected and easily my favorite element of the book
As with Stephen King, there was never a moment where Star Wars wasn't part of my life. I loved reading of one cultural titan tipping his hat to another💕
Anywho, here's me and my pupper dressed up to see Barbie ~ Cujo would've been much less formidable had he been a Lhasa Apso :p
EDIT: lol we did a DNA test on our dog since I wrote this review; he's not even 1% Lhasa Apso like we were told 😂 So,
Cujo would've been much less formidable had he been a Shih Tzu-Havanese-Pekingese-Yorkie-Maltese mix :p
Cujo is one of those books I've never not known about. This speaks a lot to Stephen King's presence in American culture; that even as a baby/toddler/child, long before I would ever read his books, I knew about Carrie soaked in blood, Pennywise speaking from the gutter, and Cujo the rabid St. Bernard.
Even though I had absorbed so much via cultural osmosis, I always skirted around Cujo. Too much of an animal lover all my life.
But I read about Patrick Hockstetter's "secret fridge" in It. I read about the unfortunate fate of Lloyd Henreid's bunny in The Stand. I read about what Hugh Priest did to poor Raider, all for a foxtail, in Needful Things.
I can now report that anything that happens in (or to) Cujo is much less brutal than any of that.
Of the million things I love about King's The Stand, one of them is the latter part of Ch. 52: the dog Kojak's POV, crossing the US in search of Glen Bateman. It's easily one of the sweetest things I've ever read.
Sharing much of Cujo's POV, both pre- and post-rabies, imbues the book with so much pathos. No matter how sick, he's still just a dog. Even when he does his most aggressive acts, you know it's not out of genuine malice. Just the actions of a sick and dying dog, still trying to do his best.
I found the writing of Donna's and Tad's entrapment in the Pinto to be tight and tension-filled. The build of these scenes, however, was cut somewhat by switching POV to Vic's PR nightmare in NYC & Boston, Charity Camber's attempts to reorient her son, and just the character of Steve Kemp in general.
While these plots weren't uninteresting - I was genuinely piqued by Vic's marketing schemes - the way they came together in the end didn't completely justify the attention they took from the clear and present danger.
But, back to my first point on Stephen King's ubiquity in American culture; Cujo is a very fascinating time capsule of another cultural phenomenon:
Star Wars is mentioned throughout this 1981 publication constantly. The characters can't get away from the grip that franchise has on their world - the kids have Star Wars action figures and coloring books, Star Wars t-shirts are roaming the wild - I loved every single mention of it. These people had just learned Darth Vader was Luke's father, but still wouldn't know what Jabba the Hutt looked like until 1983. Iconic. It was so unexpected and easily my favorite element of the book
As with Stephen King, there was never a moment where Star Wars wasn't part of my life. I loved reading of one cultural titan tipping his hat to another💕
Anywho, here's me and my pupper dressed up to see Barbie ~ Cujo would've been much less formidable had he been a Lhasa Apso :p
EDIT: lol we did a DNA test on our dog since I wrote this review; he's not even 1% Lhasa Apso like we were told 😂 So,
Cujo would've been much less formidable had he been a Shih Tzu-Havanese-Pekingese-Yorkie-Maltese mix :p
August 28, 2022
Cujo just wanted to be a good boy!!! 😭😭😭
May 4, 2020
4.5 Stars.
"He always tried to be a good dog"..........
Put off reading this one for years bc it's a known fact something bad happens to a dog. But then, it came to me, one of my favorite KING reads is Pet Semetary and that involves a cat....my preferred furry friend.
So......as I hit about 100 pages in, was surprised to discover there's a lot more going on here than a story about five year old CUJO the dog, his unfortunate encounter....and his sickness. And aside from no chapter breaks, it is really a good read!
But......I knew the bad was coming....bad things always happen in Castle Rock....like crazy, hungry monsters in a closet and old granny who thus predicts something foul is on the way.
And......then there's the ending. Oh.My.Gosh.
I like that King left us with these lyrics from an old folk song too: "I'm tellin you so you know, I'm tellin you so you know, I'm tellin you so you know, Ole Blue's gone where the good dogs go."
***As for the movie, had to check that out too. It pretty much mirrors the novel, except for one unexpected major difference that I thought a bit lame....and won't reveal here.***
January 12, 2023
¡Pedazo de comienzo de año! 💥
Por fin le toca el turno a Cujo de Stephen King. Es una novela que empieza muy potente, luego tiene partes relacionadas con el viaje de negocios de uno de los protagonistas que han cortado y ralentizado el ritmo de la novela, esas partes son las que me han costado más y han llegado a aburrirme, tratando temas de marketing y spots publicitarios.
Pero a pesar de ello, esta novela ha conseguido calarme y emocionarme como pocas. Y es que tiene uno de los mejores finales que he leído.
Pero empecemos por el principio 😊
La trama transcurre en Castle Rock, población ficticia de Maine, donde Donna y Vic acaban de mudarse al pueblo con su hijo Tad de 4 años, parecen ser la pareja perfecta americana hasta que al pequeño empieza a costarle dormir por las noches, algo acecha tras el armario. Y aunque sus progenitores lo cierren antes de que se acueste, misteriosamente vuelve a abrirse y mostrar al pequeño mientras se halla en su cama, lo que esconde en su interior, entre esas mantas... ni las palabras que su padre le dedica al monstruo para hacerlo desaparecer ni la silla que coloca contra el armario, consiguen hacer que el pequeño se tranquilice, y que la puerta no vuelva a abrirse...
Y por otro lado, tenemos al matrimonio compuesto por Charity, Joe y su hijo Brett. Un matrimonio que pronto muestra sus problemas. Nada es idílico aquí, ni siquiera en apariencia como en la anterior pareja.
Joe es el mecánico del pueblo y tienen un precioso perro de raza San Bernardo que derrocha nobleza equiparable a su inmenso tamaño, 100kg de perro, ahí es nada 😍
Pero pronto la curiosidad de Cujo hará que se meta en problemas, su instinto le jugará una mala pasada al meterse en el bosque y descubrir en una oscura cueva aquello que hará que todo desemboque en una pesadilla de proporciones descomunales.
La tensión va en aumento a medida que vayamos viendo la transformación del adorable Cujo, ese peluche gigante al que nadie hace caso.
Las escenas sangrientas harán presencia cuanto menos te lo esperas y la desesperación de los protagonistas te llegará y lo sufrirás irremediablemente.
Leeremos algunas partes narradas desde el punto de vista de Cujo, muy pocas pero muy buenas. Las suficientes para hacerte estremecer.
Yo que soy una gran amante de los perros, lo he pasado francamente mal.
King sabe relatar a la perfección las desgracias de un pueblo al que parece que la mala suerte le persigue, sabe denunciar temas como la violencia de género, algo que plasmó muy bien en Dolores Claiborne por ejemplo. Así como la crisis económica, las diferencias entre clases sociales y los problemas en las relaciones de pareja, ya sea infidelidades o los arriba mencionados malos tratos.
Problemas que veremos reflejados en ambas parejas protagonistas.
Y claro, ante todo este panorama, nadie tiene tiempo de ocuparse del pobre Cujo, al que nadie hace caso preocupados por sus fútiles problemas.
👌🔝A pesar de las partes más pesadas referentes al viaje de negocios del padre de familia, que sentía que ralentizaban la trama, ese final lo es TODO.
Me ha emocionado y sobrecogido como pocos.
La tensión y las partes tan buenas que tiene, no ya de terror, sino de saber crear una atmósfera que te asfixia por momentos, han sido las que han hecho que me decante por la máxima puntuación.
Es una historia muy trágica y emotiva que te mantendrá en vilo hasta el final.
Por todo ello, no puedo hacer otra cosa que recomendarla.
🐕 "Sólo que el monstruo nunca muere. Hombre lobo, vampiro, espíritu demoníaco, criatura innominable de los yermos. El monstruo nunca muere."
🐕 "El mundo estaba lleno de monstruos y todos ellos estaban autorizados a morder a los inocentes y los incautos."
🐕 "Habían descubierto que estaba bien abrir los armarios... siempre y cuando no se hurgara demasiado en su interior. Porque era posible que las cosas aún estuvieran acechando allí, dispuestas a morder."
📖 Próxima lectura:
"El perro de los Baskerville" - Arthur Conan Doyle.
📚 https://www.facebook.com/LaLocadelosL... 📚
Por fin le toca el turno a Cujo de Stephen King. Es una novela que empieza muy potente, luego tiene partes relacionadas con el viaje de negocios de uno de los protagonistas que han cortado y ralentizado el ritmo de la novela, esas partes son las que me han costado más y han llegado a aburrirme, tratando temas de marketing y spots publicitarios.
Pero a pesar de ello, esta novela ha conseguido calarme y emocionarme como pocas. Y es que tiene uno de los mejores finales que he leído.
Pero empecemos por el principio 😊
La trama transcurre en Castle Rock, población ficticia de Maine, donde Donna y Vic acaban de mudarse al pueblo con su hijo Tad de 4 años, parecen ser la pareja perfecta americana hasta que al pequeño empieza a costarle dormir por las noches, algo acecha tras el armario. Y aunque sus progenitores lo cierren antes de que se acueste, misteriosamente vuelve a abrirse y mostrar al pequeño mientras se halla en su cama, lo que esconde en su interior, entre esas mantas... ni las palabras que su padre le dedica al monstruo para hacerlo desaparecer ni la silla que coloca contra el armario, consiguen hacer que el pequeño se tranquilice, y que la puerta no vuelva a abrirse...
Y por otro lado, tenemos al matrimonio compuesto por Charity, Joe y su hijo Brett. Un matrimonio que pronto muestra sus problemas. Nada es idílico aquí, ni siquiera en apariencia como en la anterior pareja.
Joe es el mecánico del pueblo y tienen un precioso perro de raza San Bernardo que derrocha nobleza equiparable a su inmenso tamaño, 100kg de perro, ahí es nada 😍
Pero pronto la curiosidad de Cujo hará que se meta en problemas, su instinto le jugará una mala pasada al meterse en el bosque y descubrir en una oscura cueva aquello que hará que todo desemboque en una pesadilla de proporciones descomunales.
La tensión va en aumento a medida que vayamos viendo la transformación del adorable Cujo, ese peluche gigante al que nadie hace caso.
Las escenas sangrientas harán presencia cuanto menos te lo esperas y la desesperación de los protagonistas te llegará y lo sufrirás irremediablemente.
Leeremos algunas partes narradas desde el punto de vista de Cujo, muy pocas pero muy buenas. Las suficientes para hacerte estremecer.
Yo que soy una gran amante de los perros, lo he pasado francamente mal.
King sabe relatar a la perfección las desgracias de un pueblo al que parece que la mala suerte le persigue, sabe denunciar temas como la violencia de género, algo que plasmó muy bien en Dolores Claiborne por ejemplo. Así como la crisis económica, las diferencias entre clases sociales y los problemas en las relaciones de pareja, ya sea infidelidades o los arriba mencionados malos tratos.
Problemas que veremos reflejados en ambas parejas protagonistas.
Y claro, ante todo este panorama, nadie tiene tiempo de ocuparse del pobre Cujo, al que nadie hace caso preocupados por sus fútiles problemas.
👌🔝A pesar de las partes más pesadas referentes al viaje de negocios del padre de familia, que sentía que ralentizaban la trama, ese final lo es TODO.
Me ha emocionado y sobrecogido como pocos.
La tensión y las partes tan buenas que tiene, no ya de terror, sino de saber crear una atmósfera que te asfixia por momentos, han sido las que han hecho que me decante por la máxima puntuación.
Es una historia muy trágica y emotiva que te mantendrá en vilo hasta el final.
Por todo ello, no puedo hacer otra cosa que recomendarla.
🐕 "Sólo que el monstruo nunca muere. Hombre lobo, vampiro, espíritu demoníaco, criatura innominable de los yermos. El monstruo nunca muere."
🐕 "El mundo estaba lleno de monstruos y todos ellos estaban autorizados a morder a los inocentes y los incautos."
🐕 "Habían descubierto que estaba bien abrir los armarios... siempre y cuando no se hurgara demasiado en su interior. Porque era posible que las cosas aún estuvieran acechando allí, dispuestas a morder."
📖 Próxima lectura:
"El perro de los Baskerville" - Arthur Conan Doyle.
📚 https://www.facebook.com/LaLocadelosL... 📚
August 16, 2018
4.5 estrellas
Regreso a hacerle la reseña
Regreso a hacerle la reseña
August 20, 2007
I'm guessing that many of you own or have owned a dog at some point in your life. And, i'm also guessing that you'd consider said dog to be loyal to you and part of your family. So, I ask you, can you possibly imagine what you'd do if your dog went rabid?
Pooch would lose his appetite. Start to become easily confused. Tired. His brain would melt and with that he'd forget about you. Forget the loyalty and love he held for you.
He'd feel intense pain.
In his eyes YOU would become the reason that he feels this pain.
Mix this with a claustrophobic seige over a few days, some marital issues, a child that suffers from sleepless nights and you have Cujo.
King really doesn't hold back any punches with this. Be warned. It's bleak, but an amazing read.
Pooch would lose his appetite. Start to become easily confused. Tired. His brain would melt and with that he'd forget about you. Forget the loyalty and love he held for you.
He'd feel intense pain.
In his eyes YOU would become the reason that he feels this pain.
Mix this with a claustrophobic seige over a few days, some marital issues, a child that suffers from sleepless nights and you have Cujo.
King really doesn't hold back any punches with this. Be warned. It's bleak, but an amazing read.
May 10, 2020
Cujo is such a good dog, so why is he glaring and growling and grinning? A crazy kaleidoscope of coincidences leaves a mother and her four year old son stranded in their Pinto in the dooryard of a shade tree mechanic on a dead end road. Not just stranded, but trapped in the car. A Pandora's Box has been opened here and there is nothing but misery to be had as a result. The unrelenting heat, the desperation, the disbelief at not being able to protect your little kid is horrifying.
Monsters are real, they are out there in our world and you don't always have to look that closely to see them. Coincidences, do they really happen, or do they just pave the way that you were destined to travel all along?
Monsters are real, they are out there in our world and you don't always have to look that closely to see them. Coincidences, do they really happen, or do they just pave the way that you were destined to travel all along?
August 26, 2024
One of the best things about Cujo is the sense of dread throughout this book.
The ending is a punch in the face and not just any punch. It’s coming from Mike Tyson!
Cujo is set in Castle Rock, Maine and involves the Trenton family and a Saint Bernard named Cujo.
The most fascinating thing for me in this book was seeing a fun loving dog turn into a raging monster.
I also have a large dog that’s a gentle giant. To me, this was psychological horror at its best while I was petting him. 🫠😂
You know deep down as a reader, this shouldn’t be happening to Cujo or any well loved pet.
In the beginning of the book, the characters of Vic, Roger and the Cambers family felt like filler. The book felt a bit bloated and I didn’t care about a stupid business trip.
I was struggling to connect with one character until Donna showed up. When her character comes into the story and you see the drama that’s about to slap the Trenton family, I was more invested into this plot.
I guess I needed some messiness with our characters!
And obviously, there's lots of punching and slapping going on in this review. 🤷🏼♀️😂🤣
I love how Stephen King shows the fears, demons and desires of all of the characters in this book. He ramps up the tension, suspense and horror, and makes it impossible to put this down at the end.
As a reader, you’ll question your own capacity for violence and madness just like our good boy Cujo does. This plot ended up triggering my claustrophobia issues and I felt the full scale of horror at the end with Donna, Tad and Cujo. Well done sir!
In my opinion, that’s why Cujo is a must read for horror and Stephen King fans!
The ending is a punch in the face and not just any punch. It’s coming from Mike Tyson!
Cujo is set in Castle Rock, Maine and involves the Trenton family and a Saint Bernard named Cujo.
The most fascinating thing for me in this book was seeing a fun loving dog turn into a raging monster.
I also have a large dog that’s a gentle giant. To me, this was psychological horror at its best while I was petting him. 🫠😂
You know deep down as a reader, this shouldn’t be happening to Cujo or any well loved pet.
In the beginning of the book, the characters of Vic, Roger and the Cambers family felt like filler. The book felt a bit bloated and I didn’t care about a stupid business trip.
I was struggling to connect with one character until Donna showed up. When her character comes into the story and you see the drama that’s about to slap the Trenton family, I was more invested into this plot.
I guess I needed some messiness with our characters!
And obviously, there's lots of punching and slapping going on in this review. 🤷🏼♀️😂🤣
I love how Stephen King shows the fears, demons and desires of all of the characters in this book. He ramps up the tension, suspense and horror, and makes it impossible to put this down at the end.
As a reader, you’ll question your own capacity for violence and madness just like our good boy Cujo does. This plot ended up triggering my claustrophobia issues and I felt the full scale of horror at the end with Donna, Tad and Cujo. Well done sir!
In my opinion, that’s why Cujo is a must read for horror and Stephen King fans!
April 10, 2017
The monster never dies.
4.5
Cujo was a book I thought I was going to like, but not be scared of it (I mean, how scary can a rabid dog be, really?), but boy was I wrong with the second statement! This book did scare me. It still does when I think about it. It even reminded me of Pet Sematary which is my favorite King's book, and that says quite a lot.
Cujo is a story about a Saint Bernard dog who one day chased a rabbit into a bolt-hole. The problem was that the hole was filled with rabid bats, and one of them scratched Cujo. But the horror of this book does not begin there. It begins on page one, with Frank Dodd, but because I don't want to spoil anyone I will not say anything more about that, except that I wished that King focused on that aspect of the story a bit more since those parts scared me the most. When it comes to characters, as usual, King did not disappoint. Most of the characters were well flushed out, and it's not hard to care for their problems. But my main problem with this book is that around 50 pages could've been left out, and the story would not change a bit (especially Sharp Cereal Professor discussions; I honestly don't know what was the point of them). Apart from that, I really liked it, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to read a scary story that will crawl under your skin, and stay there even after you close the book.
4.5
Cujo was a book I thought I was going to like, but not be scared of it (I mean, how scary can a rabid dog be, really?), but boy was I wrong with the second statement! This book did scare me. It still does when I think about it. It even reminded me of Pet Sematary which is my favorite King's book, and that says quite a lot.
Cujo is a story about a Saint Bernard dog who one day chased a rabbit into a bolt-hole. The problem was that the hole was filled with rabid bats, and one of them scratched Cujo. But the horror of this book does not begin there. It begins on page one, with Frank Dodd, but because I don't want to spoil anyone I will not say anything more about that, except that I wished that King focused on that aspect of the story a bit more since those parts scared me the most. When it comes to characters, as usual, King did not disappoint. Most of the characters were well flushed out, and it's not hard to care for their problems. But my main problem with this book is that around 50 pages could've been left out, and the story would not change a bit (especially Sharp Cereal Professor discussions; I honestly don't know what was the point of them). Apart from that, I really liked it, and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to read a scary story that will crawl under your skin, and stay there even after you close the book.
July 27, 2017
If you're looking for a creepy read, this is it. "Cujo" was written during a time in which Stephen King was doing drugs, and it was exactly for that reason that I wanted to read it.
Cujo is a cute, however big, St. Bernhards dog, who one day gets bitten by a rabid bat. This incidence turns Cujo into monster who longs for food and no one can feel safe around this formerly beloved dog.
The scenes with Cujo were nerve-wracking, but what I loved the most about this novel were the characters which we get to know very well. "Cujo" features children and adults who all find themselves in everyday situations when Cujo appears and makes their lives a living hell. I think that if you have a fear of rabid animals, this book will certainly hit you. To me personally, it wasn't the scariest book I've ever read, but it definitely contains some chapters and (car) scenes which will stick to my mind.
Cujo is a cute, however big, St. Bernhards dog, who one day gets bitten by a rabid bat. This incidence turns Cujo into monster who longs for food and no one can feel safe around this formerly beloved dog.
The scenes with Cujo were nerve-wracking, but what I loved the most about this novel were the characters which we get to know very well. "Cujo" features children and adults who all find themselves in everyday situations when Cujo appears and makes their lives a living hell. I think that if you have a fear of rabid animals, this book will certainly hit you. To me personally, it wasn't the scariest book I've ever read, but it definitely contains some chapters and (car) scenes which will stick to my mind.
November 29, 2021
Este libro es lentísimo pero el último trecho es impactante y doloroso hasta no decir más.
En realidad es un 3.5
La historia está dividida en dos actos que son toda la historia de la familia Trenton y la familia Camber. Más de la primera que de la segunda. Y aunque me gustó, no es una historia que recomendaría a alguien que quiera empezar a leer a Stephen King.
Ahora, el primer acto nos cuenta un poco de la vida de cada familia, lo que quieren y los conflictos que están por desatarse. Por un lado, nos enteramos de que Vic Trenton está sufriendo infidelidad por parte de su mujer con un tipo que es bastante violento y obsesivo. Su hijo Tadder es un niño con un miedo latente a su armario, donde hay un supuesto monstruo. En la otra familia vemos como Charity planea irse con su hijo a visitar a su hermana pero primero debe deshacerse de su esposo Joe Camber; que es un hombre con un temperamento bastante jodido y alguien muy abusivo. Y por último está el diaparador que hace que la trama coja ritmo; Cujo, el famoso perro mascota de esta última familia que por una mordida de murciélago contraerá rabia y dejará de ser amigable e inofensivo.
A partir de aquí spoiler de la trama bastante significativos.
Ahora, el problema de la primera parte es que es muy tediosa. Por lo menos, a mí personalmente, me aburrió meterme en la piel de cada personaje. Habían muchas descripciones detalladas sobre sus vidas que sentí que no avanzaba nada. Pero curiosamente, la historia sí iba uniendo los hilos para el segundo punto de giro, sin embargo, se puede hacer bastante lento y cansino. Aunque también es cierto que el segundo acto es sublime porque tenemos el infierno por el que tiene que pasar Donna y Tad dentro de un auto por culpa del instinto asesino de Cujo. Y estos sí que son una explosión de capítulos porque dejan bastante intrigado y tensionado en la medida que vas leyendo.
Voy a decir que el "Destino" hizo de todo y hasta lo imposible porque la pobre Donna sufriera. Literalmente, moría ella o moría el perro... O el hijo. En mi percepción es un libro que juega bastante con el destino y lo utiliza como excusa para que todas las cosas se den a favor de la trama y el trágico desenlace al que llega, lo que puede resultar hasta cómico e inverosímil.
Ahora, prueba de que el "Destino" metió mano son las siguientes: Que Vic se haya tenido que ir por problemas con unos comerciales que le hicieron a cereales dañinos; que Charity se ganara la lotería; que el hijo de los Camber sabía que Cujo estaba mal y aún así no se hizo nada; que este mismo niño (Brett), le insistió a su madre todo el tiempo para que averiguara cómo estaba el perro y nunca se pudo lograr por algún motivo; que Vic, el esposo de Donna, tuvo sus presentimientos y pesadillas sobre algo que atacaba a su familia y no fue sino hasta muy tarde que reaccionó; es más, también murió Joe Camber y su amigo para dejarle el camino libre de sufrimiento a Donna y su hijo y esta última sufrió heridas mortales pero, aún así, hasta el final luchó.
Fueron 3 días de infierno para Donna y Tad; con calor, encerrados y casi asfixiados, muertos del hambre y con un miedo hacia un perro que no dejaba de atacarlos hasta el cansancio por cualquier mínimo ruido y sí, el final es triste, por las dos muertes que lo encierran. Y sobre todo, Donna sin duda es la protagonista de toda la historia y con la única que pude empatizar. Los demás me dieron un poco igual.
Lo bueno: un segundo acto que no querrás parar de leer con un final desgarrador.
Lo malo: el primer acto es lento y aburrido para quien no está acostumbrado a las descripciones detalladas y muy masticadas de King.
En realidad es un 3.5
La historia está dividida en dos actos que son toda la historia de la familia Trenton y la familia Camber. Más de la primera que de la segunda. Y aunque me gustó, no es una historia que recomendaría a alguien que quiera empezar a leer a Stephen King.
Ahora, el primer acto nos cuenta un poco de la vida de cada familia, lo que quieren y los conflictos que están por desatarse. Por un lado, nos enteramos de que Vic Trenton está sufriendo infidelidad por parte de su mujer con un tipo que es bastante violento y obsesivo. Su hijo Tadder es un niño con un miedo latente a su armario, donde hay un supuesto monstruo. En la otra familia vemos como Charity planea irse con su hijo a visitar a su hermana pero primero debe deshacerse de su esposo Joe Camber; que es un hombre con un temperamento bastante jodido y alguien muy abusivo. Y por último está el diaparador que hace que la trama coja ritmo; Cujo, el famoso perro mascota de esta última familia que por una mordida de murciélago contraerá rabia y dejará de ser amigable e inofensivo.
A partir de aquí spoiler de la trama bastante significativos.
Ahora, el problema de la primera parte es que es muy tediosa. Por lo menos, a mí personalmente, me aburrió meterme en la piel de cada personaje. Habían muchas descripciones detalladas sobre sus vidas que sentí que no avanzaba nada. Pero curiosamente, la historia sí iba uniendo los hilos para el segundo punto de giro, sin embargo, se puede hacer bastante lento y cansino. Aunque también es cierto que el segundo acto es sublime porque tenemos el infierno por el que tiene que pasar Donna y Tad dentro de un auto por culpa del instinto asesino de Cujo. Y estos sí que son una explosión de capítulos porque dejan bastante intrigado y tensionado en la medida que vas leyendo.
Voy a decir que el "Destino" hizo de todo y hasta lo imposible porque la pobre Donna sufriera. Literalmente, moría ella o moría el perro... O el hijo. En mi percepción es un libro que juega bastante con el destino y lo utiliza como excusa para que todas las cosas se den a favor de la trama y el trágico desenlace al que llega, lo que puede resultar hasta cómico e inverosímil.
Ahora, prueba de que el "Destino" metió mano son las siguientes: Que Vic se haya tenido que ir por problemas con unos comerciales que le hicieron a cereales dañinos; que Charity se ganara la lotería; que el hijo de los Camber sabía que Cujo estaba mal y aún así no se hizo nada; que este mismo niño (Brett), le insistió a su madre todo el tiempo para que averiguara cómo estaba el perro y nunca se pudo lograr por algún motivo; que Vic, el esposo de Donna, tuvo sus presentimientos y pesadillas sobre algo que atacaba a su familia y no fue sino hasta muy tarde que reaccionó; es más, también murió Joe Camber y su amigo para dejarle el camino libre de sufrimiento a Donna y su hijo y esta última sufrió heridas mortales pero, aún así, hasta el final luchó.
Fueron 3 días de infierno para Donna y Tad; con calor, encerrados y casi asfixiados, muertos del hambre y con un miedo hacia un perro que no dejaba de atacarlos hasta el cansancio por cualquier mínimo ruido y sí, el final es triste, por las dos muertes que lo encierran. Y sobre todo, Donna sin duda es la protagonista de toda la historia y con la única que pude empatizar. Los demás me dieron un poco igual.
Lo bueno: un segundo acto que no querrás parar de leer con un final desgarrador.
Lo malo: el primer acto es lento y aburrido para quien no está acostumbrado a las descripciones detalladas y muy masticadas de King.
April 6, 2022
FORMULA ANTIMOSTRO
Per Tad
Mostri, state fuori da questa stanza!
Lo spazio per voi non è abbastanza.
Sotto il letto di Tad non c'è posto,
E quello che ci prova andrà arrosto!
Nell'armadio di Tad non c'è spazio
E per quello che ci prova sarà uno strazio!
Alla finestra di Tad non t'affacciare
Vedresti cose da far tremare!
Niente vampiri e lupi e morti vivi
Non c'è posto qui per i cattivi!
Niente farà del male a Tad per tutta la notte
A chi ci prova una manica di botte!
Quando ero bambino fui aggredito da due pastori maremmani una mattina mentre andavo a scuola. L'intervento provvidenziale di due operatori ecologici evitò il peggio, ma da allora mi è rimasta la fobia dei cani al punto tale che per anni non sono riuscito ad accarezzare un barboncino oppure cambiavo strada in caso incrociassi qualche suo simile più grande.
Cujo stava sdraiato nella penombra dell'officina. Faceva caldo li dentro, ma fuori era ancora peggio... E poi fuori c'era anche il riverbero del sole che era insopportabile. Non era mai stato così. A dire la verità non si era mai accorto prima delle diverse intensità della luce. Era un fatto nuovo nella sua vita. Gli faceva male la testa. Gli facevano male i muscoli. La luce gli faceva male agli occhi. Aveva caldo.
Con il passare degli anni il mio terrore dei cani è diventato paura ed infine semplice disagio, anche se qualche volta ho delle ricadute, così ho potuto finalmente leggere questo libro, comprato in una Mondadori circa venti anni fa insieme ad un'altra decina di romanzi di Stephen King in offerta a metà prezzo durante una promozione, e lasciato ad ammuffire sugli scaffali della mia libreria perché non riuscivo neanche a guardarne la copertina senza sentirmi male.
Quando dormiva faceva sogni di inconsueta e piacevole vividezza. In uno di quei sogni aveva straziato IL RAGAZZO, gli aveva squarciato la gola e poi gli aveva scavato fuori gomitoli fumanti di viscere. Si era svegliato guaendo, con guizzi nervosi per tutto il corpo.
Un gran bel racconto con personaggi ben delineati e sviluppati che si legge quasi tutto d'un fiato fino all'impietoso finale, purtroppo spoileratomi da un paio di recensioni, ed ho adorato come il defunto psicopatico poliziotto Frank Dodd de La Zona Morta sia praticamente diventato il boogeyman di Castle Rock.
Vedeva le sue grandi zanne. E di nuovo ebbe quella terribile sensazione che il cane stesse guardando lei, non una donna che il caso aveva intrappolato in macchina con il suo figlioletto, bensì Donna Trenton, come se fosse rimasto li tutto il tempo ad aspettare che arrivasse.
Non siamo ai livelli del precedente Le Notti di Salem o del successivo Pet Sematary che ho letto e riletto alla follia in gioventù, ma qui si respirano tutte le atmosfere del King anni d'oro, con una Castle Rock che più viva non si può e la tragedia della famiglia Trevor probabilmente mi resterà impressa per sempre nella memoria.
Effetto serra. Il volantino diceva che la temperatura dell'abitacolo di un'automobile parcheggiata in pieno sole poteva salire fino a 90 °C con i finestrini alzati e perciò era crudele e pericoloso chiudervi dentro un animale mentre si andava a fare la spesa o
al cinema. Le scappò un risolino, breve e crepato. Le parti si erano invertite, no? Era il cane che aveva chiuso dentro la gente.
E adesso proviamo a vedere anche il film, comprato in DVD anch'esso da anni ed ancora incellofanato.
September 24, 2019
It might just be me but the novel Cujo is way more disturbing and intense than the film, Cujo. I was completely enthralled reading thus book. I kept letting the film characters (that I remember visually) play out in my mind to the novel. So glad I finally got around to reading this. I use to watch the film with my mom so it was nostalgic...in an odd maybe dark way. Lol.
May 6, 2021
This book is terrifying. More so because the important events in the story could all actually happen. They are real possibilities. This story would not work in today’s age of cell phones and constant communication, but for anyone with a memory of the way things used to be, it reads as all too possible. On a personal note, I have always kept a small box of water bottles and snacks in my car since learning to drive because of THIS book.
Any true King fan knows how he loves to tie his novels together with the tenuous threads of shared locales and characters. Cujo makes much use of the Frank Dodd “bad guy” from The Dead Zone, completely skipping Firestarter references. Dodd has become something of a bogeyman used to scare children into behaving and a fear the adults in town would like to forget.
I love all of King’s work (not equally!) but have always felt his novels that do not contain a supernatural element make the best movies. Cujo was an excellent movie! What’s funny is that there is a very real undercurrent of the supernatural in the book that does not appear in the movie at all. Dodd is that element. The novel hints that the evil in Dodd is still hanging around Castle Rock. I’m spoiling nothing here by saying Cujo has rabies, but there are very definite pointers to that case of rabies also being a manifestation of the evil of Dodd. King’s hints in this direction are not crucial to the story, but they certainly add a scary element as you read.
King has said, on several occasions, that he wrote this novel at the height of his alcoholism and addiction and it shows. There are no chapters or formal narrative breaks. You are almost forced to read at breakneck speed. Probably the way he wrote it! The narrative takes place over three days with a few flashbacks thrown in to lengthen the plot, but the pace never slows.
There are quite a few coincidences necessary for a series of unfortunate events to occur, but I never found these coincidences unbelievable or even far-fetched. Often in life, the worst tragedies occur because of a string of coincidences. In my life alone there have been times when I’ve said “if this was a movie, I’d stop watching.” because really, how many coincidences can occur? Apparently, a lot!
Although the idea of this situation is a bit horrific and indicates gore, King doesn’t use a lot of gore in these pages. There’s some, but not a lot. I think almost anyone could get a thrill of some sort from this novel. The movie is also terrific. I think Dee Wallace gives the performance of a lifetime and it was King that gave her the material to do so.
Read it. Watch it. You won’t be sorry.
Any true King fan knows how he loves to tie his novels together with the tenuous threads of shared locales and characters. Cujo makes much use of the Frank Dodd “bad guy” from The Dead Zone, completely skipping Firestarter references. Dodd has become something of a bogeyman used to scare children into behaving and a fear the adults in town would like to forget.
I love all of King’s work (not equally!) but have always felt his novels that do not contain a supernatural element make the best movies. Cujo was an excellent movie! What’s funny is that there is a very real undercurrent of the supernatural in the book that does not appear in the movie at all. Dodd is that element. The novel hints that the evil in Dodd is still hanging around Castle Rock. I’m spoiling nothing here by saying Cujo has rabies, but there are very definite pointers to that case of rabies also being a manifestation of the evil of Dodd. King’s hints in this direction are not crucial to the story, but they certainly add a scary element as you read.
King has said, on several occasions, that he wrote this novel at the height of his alcoholism and addiction and it shows. There are no chapters or formal narrative breaks. You are almost forced to read at breakneck speed. Probably the way he wrote it! The narrative takes place over three days with a few flashbacks thrown in to lengthen the plot, but the pace never slows.
There are quite a few coincidences necessary for a series of unfortunate events to occur, but I never found these coincidences unbelievable or even far-fetched. Often in life, the worst tragedies occur because of a string of coincidences. In my life alone there have been times when I’ve said “if this was a movie, I’d stop watching.” because really, how many coincidences can occur? Apparently, a lot!
Although the idea of this situation is a bit horrific and indicates gore, King doesn’t use a lot of gore in these pages. There’s some, but not a lot. I think almost anyone could get a thrill of some sort from this novel. The movie is also terrific. I think Dee Wallace gives the performance of a lifetime and it was King that gave her the material to do so.
Read it. Watch it. You won’t be sorry.
May 10, 2017
Isuse Hriste na biciklu _________
Nedeljama nakon čitanja ove knjige osećaj izmoždenosti i devastiranosti me ne napušta, utisak je i dalje prejak. Iz neobjašnjivih razloga dugo sam želela da pročitam ovu knjigu i ispostavilo se da će mi ona biti među omiljenim Kingovim pričama.
Opisi likova i radnje, tačnije apsolutno svega što se dešava čine da sve teče toliko sporo da se u jednom trenutku zapitate zašto i čemu sve to. Sa druge stranje, upravo zbog te detaljnosti, sa likovima sam se povezala i više nego što bi trebalo. Nejasan je tačan trenutak u kojem počinje borba za život jer je zapravo opisan ceo proces u kojem nastupa užas. Cepanje dramskog vremena gde se stvara iluzija da događaj traje beskonačno iako je sve gotovo u manje od 48 sati vas potpuno sluđuje, dok pročitano ostaje sa vama i nakon što zaklopite korice.
U osnovi, priča i likovi su potpuno tipični - tročlana porodica, dete je uvek dečak između 5 i 10 godina, dok je radnja u neku ruku i banalna. Svakako nije nikakva genijalština u pitanju kada govorimo o činiocima i o postavci radnje. Genijalan je način stvaranja suspenzije kod čitaoca, kao i njegovo pecanje različitim emotivnim udica,a. Ono što me je možda oduševilo više od svega jeste to što ova priča zapravo ima kraj.
Nedeljama nakon čitanja ove knjige osećaj izmoždenosti i devastiranosti me ne napušta, utisak je i dalje prejak. Iz neobjašnjivih razloga dugo sam želela da pročitam ovu knjigu i ispostavilo se da će mi ona biti među omiljenim Kingovim pričama.
Opisi likova i radnje, tačnije apsolutno svega što se dešava čine da sve teče toliko sporo da se u jednom trenutku zapitate zašto i čemu sve to. Sa druge stranje, upravo zbog te detaljnosti, sa likovima sam se povezala i više nego što bi trebalo. Nejasan je tačan trenutak u kojem počinje borba za život jer je zapravo opisan ceo proces u kojem nastupa užas. Cepanje dramskog vremena gde se stvara iluzija da događaj traje beskonačno iako je sve gotovo u manje od 48 sati vas potpuno sluđuje, dok pročitano ostaje sa vama i nakon što zaklopite korice.
U osnovi, priča i likovi su potpuno tipični - tročlana porodica, dete je uvek dečak između 5 i 10 godina, dok je radnja u neku ruku i banalna. Svakako nije nikakva genijalština u pitanju kada govorimo o činiocima i o postavci radnje. Genijalan je način stvaranja suspenzije kod čitaoca, kao i njegovo pecanje različitim emotivnim udica,a. Ono što me je možda oduševilo više od svega jeste to što ova priča zapravo ima kraj.
October 27, 2022
”But time passed. Five years of time.
The monster was gone, the monster was dead. Frank Dodd moldered inside his coffin.
Except the monster never dies. Werewolf, vampire, ghoul, unnameable creature from the wastes. The monster never dies.
It came to Castle Rock again in the summer of 1980.”
It was '82, when I first opened the pages of Cujo to read those lines. The book's cover jacket had depicted those unforgettable snarling fangs of an angry dog, but inside is where the magic lie. I didn't know who Frank Dodd was. He meant nothing to me at the time because I hadn't read the Dead Zone. This was my first experience reading Stephen King, and I was transfixed by the imaginings of this place in Maine. I was 14, so I would have told the 4 year old Tad not to worry. Monsters do not exist in the back of a young boy's closet. But at the same time, I believed it did. King made it so. Tad's dad read “The Monster Words” for his son: ”Nothing will touch Tad, or hurt Tad, all this night. You have no business here!” With those words, the monster had been vanquished. Until the lights were turned off, and the latch on Tad's closet door popped free from its base.
I wasn't afraid of dogs. It was the opposite for me, and so it's no coincidence after seeing a classmate hold that book in his hands that I begged my mom for a ride into town. Soon after those monster words, Cujo chased a rabbit through the back fields of the Cambers, and down into that cave. The story had more than begun its journey into a place I did not know a book could take me. I experienced fear for the dog, and then fear for people.
You could say that villain of this story is Cujo, but it is not as simple as that, and I know my mind wrestled with that thought at 14. The true villain here are rabies and coincidence. In fact, many coincidences, a conviction that crosses more than one character's reasoning. I also remember being struck by adult themes that I had not run into in a book before this. It wasn't about sex, although there is some of that. To build the story, King deposits more than one type of family, and situation in life. Different backgrounds, and different futures. In the years to come, I'd come to be accustomed to these and other situations in his books, but for the time the way things were described were wholly new to me. I know the ending is what I thought of most back then, as I do once again. Pain on all sides. Near that end, trapped in the car with Tad, the character Donna's thoughts are prescient and moving, "Surely everything that had gone before had been a dream, little more than a short wait in the wings."
October 26, 2016
4.5* New movie version currently in production!
This book was so well written, the characters completely fleshed out, that it's very hard to believe King wrote this book so drunk that he doesn't even remember writing it! Wow! And to then win the British Fantasy Award...and (two!) movies. All I ever seemed to do when I was drunk was trash the house....and worse--hurt those who loved me closest (which is why, like King, I gave the stuff up over a year ago).
What a complete page turner--very hard to put down, especially when the action starts...impossible not to get your stomach in a terrible knot during the last part of the book, ugh--physically painful to read! Earlier on...very sad for dog lovers--before he loses all that was lovable. King is great at many things, and one he's done on several occasions is to write from a dog's point of view--which he does very well once again in Cujo--what happened to him was so unfair. and the tiniest bit of money for a yearly shot would have saved both Cujo from this agonizingly slow, painful, and miserable way to die, as well as the people!
Of all of King's early novels, this is the only one that relies on horror that can actually happen to normal people....
This book tells the stories of two very different families. Both with very real problems. Vic and Donna Trenton are facing a crisis in their marriage--infidelity on her part, which is broken off before Vic becomes aware. Unfortunately he finds out at the worst possible time; a time he really needs to focus on his Ad agency.....saving it from losing it's biggest client and plummeting the family out of their successful lifestyle. Their son Tad has his own demons...right in his bedroom closet (which does act strangely.....the door opening when it's latched--and more. It's the only part of the novel which is outside the realm of real-life horror**note on this below). Steve the tennis pro does not take to the break-up very well and adds much more drama that could cost Tad and Donna their lives (or looking at it with an ironic twist possibly save them, because his actions bring Vic running home from his important meeting in New York...) The second family include blue collar Joe and Charity Chambers, and their son Brett--and oh boy, do they face a household of demons as well; including alcoholism, spousal abuse and child abuse....and (most important to this story) neglect of the family dog, especially when it comes to the vet.
The first half of this book is spent excellently developing the characters (including an superb job with Cujo). When Vic has to leave for his meeting in New York, he leaves Donna with car problems....which leads to Donna and tiny Tad just barely making it to the Cambers' home garage (Joe is an excellent, inexpensive mechanic), when the car finally dies (in near 100 degree weather). Every person in the house is gone for a long time, and they are met by Cujo, whose illness has finally driven him mad. Here begins the gut-wrenching stakeout (for days trapped in the cars growing oven)......It's utterly horrifying, and I do not remember ever forgetting to breath as I read a book, but here I did forget---over and over....I couldn't take it (felt like ripping my own hair out at times!). This book took everything I physically had in me to not die of desperation myself......
***I need to add here: Edward Lorn's review adds some pretty cool tie-ins, that make that seemingly unimportant closet door much more interesting!!!!
This book was so well written, the characters completely fleshed out, that it's very hard to believe King wrote this book so drunk that he doesn't even remember writing it! Wow! And to then win the British Fantasy Award...and (two!) movies. All I ever seemed to do when I was drunk was trash the house....and worse--hurt those who loved me closest (which is why, like King, I gave the stuff up over a year ago).
What a complete page turner--very hard to put down, especially when the action starts...impossible not to get your stomach in a terrible knot during the last part of the book, ugh--physically painful to read! Earlier on...very sad for dog lovers--before he loses all that was lovable. King is great at many things, and one he's done on several occasions is to write from a dog's point of view--which he does very well once again in Cujo--what happened to him was so unfair. and the tiniest bit of money for a yearly shot would have saved both Cujo from this agonizingly slow, painful, and miserable way to die, as well as the people!
Of all of King's early novels, this is the only one that relies on horror that can actually happen to normal people....
This book tells the stories of two very different families. Both with very real problems. Vic and Donna Trenton are facing a crisis in their marriage--infidelity on her part, which is broken off before Vic becomes aware. Unfortunately he finds out at the worst possible time; a time he really needs to focus on his Ad agency.....saving it from losing it's biggest client and plummeting the family out of their successful lifestyle. Their son Tad has his own demons...right in his bedroom closet (which does act strangely.....the door opening when it's latched--and more. It's the only part of the novel which is outside the realm of real-life horror**note on this below). Steve the tennis pro does not take to the break-up very well and adds much more drama that could cost Tad and Donna their lives (or looking at it with an ironic twist possibly save them, because his actions bring Vic running home from his important meeting in New York...) The second family include blue collar Joe and Charity Chambers, and their son Brett--and oh boy, do they face a household of demons as well; including alcoholism, spousal abuse and child abuse....and (most important to this story) neglect of the family dog, especially when it comes to the vet.
The first half of this book is spent excellently developing the characters (including an superb job with Cujo). When Vic has to leave for his meeting in New York, he leaves Donna with car problems....which leads to Donna and tiny Tad just barely making it to the Cambers' home garage (Joe is an excellent, inexpensive mechanic), when the car finally dies (in near 100 degree weather). Every person in the house is gone for a long time, and they are met by Cujo, whose illness has finally driven him mad. Here begins the gut-wrenching stakeout (for days trapped in the cars growing oven)......It's utterly horrifying, and I do not remember ever forgetting to breath as I read a book, but here I did forget---over and over....I couldn't take it (felt like ripping my own hair out at times!). This book took everything I physically had in me to not die of desperation myself......
***I need to add here: Edward Lorn's review adds some pretty cool tie-ins, that make that seemingly unimportant closet door much more interesting!!!!
April 29, 2021
Previously read between high school and University of Minnesota. Mr. King is the Shakespeare of writers in our day, less the humor of course. 10 of 10 stars
February 3, 2019
Oh Cujo.
I hated every moment of this book--wrestling with picking it up and putting it down over and over again. It took me a whole month to read despite it's slim size. At just over 300 pages, this is one of King's most trimmed down and edited books in terms of the storyline.
I was a freshman in high school when I first picked it up. My mom said to me, "Oh, Cujo? I don't think you'll like that one."
Meh. I probably shrugged and carried it off to my messy room anyways. That cover!
I honestly think it's the ugliest book cover I have ever laid eyes on.
We had the hardback edition with Cujo's drooling, teeth baring muzzle in a sea of water-color, khaki brown. Barf.
And that's how I'd summarize the rest of this book too, barf.
As a teenage girl, the drama between all the married adults in this book wasn't engaging for me and the parts of the book from the dog's perspective just made me sad.
Who wants to read about an innocent dog's decent into madness and confusion as he suffers from rabies?
Not this animal lover.
Nope, nope and lots of nope.
Not to mention I skimmed through the scene with the woman trapped in her car for days on end who has to eventually face down the starving, diseased pooch with a baseball bat.
Barf.
I've never even tried a re-read.
It's just not for me.
I hated every moment of this book--wrestling with picking it up and putting it down over and over again. It took me a whole month to read despite it's slim size. At just over 300 pages, this is one of King's most trimmed down and edited books in terms of the storyline.
I was a freshman in high school when I first picked it up. My mom said to me, "Oh, Cujo? I don't think you'll like that one."
Meh. I probably shrugged and carried it off to my messy room anyways. That cover!
I honestly think it's the ugliest book cover I have ever laid eyes on.
We had the hardback edition with Cujo's drooling, teeth baring muzzle in a sea of water-color, khaki brown. Barf.
And that's how I'd summarize the rest of this book too, barf.
As a teenage girl, the drama between all the married adults in this book wasn't engaging for me and the parts of the book from the dog's perspective just made me sad.
Who wants to read about an innocent dog's decent into madness and confusion as he suffers from rabies?
Not this animal lover.
Nope, nope and lots of nope.
Not to mention I skimmed through the scene with the woman trapped in her car for days on end who has to eventually face down the starving, diseased pooch with a baseball bat.
Barf.
I've never even tried a re-read.
It's just not for me.
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