Book Review: Stephen King's Fairy Tale is apparently never-ending

Stephen King has always had a penchant for penning extremely long novels and ‘Fairy Tale’ in particular could do with some extensive and judicious editing.

• Fairy Tale
• Stephen King
• Hodder & Stoughton, £22.00

THIS earnest and eager novel begins brilliantly, but ultimately loses focus, and would have benefited from some authorial restraint and judicious editing.

This was always unlikely as Stephen King has had a penchant for writing extremely long books since the mid seventies.

In this vast 577-page outing, he tries desperately to be all-inclusive. His approach to his fairytale is eclectic, even scattergun.

A dizzying range of allusions to other texts never really lets up. While this can be impressive, diverting and amusing it does eventually become distracting and wearisome.

The novel is steeped in Rumpelstiltskin but in many other tales as well — The Wizard Of Oz, The Little Mermaid, ‘Little Red Riding Hood’, and The Neverending Story.

Admittedly it’s all done with his characteristic flair, that familiar panache. However it’s all too much, and the overkill significantly dilutes the impact.

The novel begins promisingly, and even has the feel and sheen of iconic earlier novels like Christine and The Stand.

King sets the scene expertly in his practised way. He has always handled coming of age stories with sensitivity, insight and intuition and has clearly lost none of this power.

Over almost half a century he has created protagonists who are essentially similar yet subtly individuated. Here the admirable central character Charlie is immediately compelling. He has exceptional qualities but remains entirely believable.

He is the kind of good hearted, capable young everyman King has depicted in the past and his affection for those characters is one of his trademarks. His reliable magic works admirably again here. 

In his gentle way he manipulates our emotions like he has always done. His depiction of Charlie’s tragic childhood is beautifully judged, emotional and powerful.

It is a measured, patient, coherent opening, an impressive piece of writing. However after two hundred pages this gives way to a more bombastic, exuberant, fantastical tale. 

You realise at this point how ambitious this late work is — there is no sense of King treading water, he has clearly put everything into this novel, but with mixed results.

For me, the elongated opening is far superior to what follows. Early on there’s a crucial warmth and depth to the characterisation. The characters are memorable and each of them rings true.

Things shift dramatically when Charlie enters a parallel universe called Empis. Hereafter the characterisation becomes perfunctory. There are way too many appearances, many of them fleeting, and it becomes difficult to remain invested.

The huge centrepiece that forms the bulk of the novel depicts Charlie’s adventures in the terrifying but somewhat familiar Empis. It’s hectic and action-packed but ultimately underwhelming. There’s too much plot, too many fantasy tropes rehashed, too many allusions.

King delights in parallels with Game Of Thrones and The Hunger Games but the relentless references to other texts feel overcooked.

The comparisons can be apt, even occasionally very perceptive, but they don’t help the story to flow with the verve and pace you expect.

Fantasy is an acquired taste of course, and many will delight in every little detail here. It’s exceptional length will thrill those. For me Fairy Tale tries to do too much for too long.