Will I love 11/22/63?

Stephen King is such an amazing writer, but if, like me, you don't read horror, your selection is limited. This incredibly inventive, incredibly researched, incredibly compelling book was one I couldn't stop talking about. My book club loved it too! And the ending--I couldn't guess how he was going to land that plane, but he did. Amazing.

For all the highly enjoyable shenanigans around using time travel to prevent JFK’s assassination, I came away loving this book for reasons I don’t normally associate with King–I genuinely loved his characters. Jake Epping is a sympathetic lead, and I became far more invested in his love for Sadie than in the assassination-thwarting.

I’d hesitate to say this is King’s finest book, but of those I’ve read, it’s definitely my favourite. I found the climax so emotionally satisfying; it genuinely moved me.

This is my absolute favorite Stephen King novel and the time travel aspect takes it to the next level. I love how he blends historical intrigue with personal stakes in a way that makes every page gripping. The moral dilemmas the protagonist Jake faces as he attempts to change history resonated with me, and I couldn't put it down.

King creates suspense without sacrificing heart. For me, this isn't just a time travel story; it's about the cost of decisions, the intricacies of fate, and how the smallest action can alter everything. It's by far my favorite Stephen King novel… show more.

I’ve read countless stories about the JFK assassination, but this novel completely refreshed and reframed this part of history for me. By blending the omniscient knowledge of time travel with the perspective of an ordinary person thrown into one of the greatest moments in American history, this novel created a deeply personal journey.

This intimate journey made the time period, the politics, and the culture resonate with life. The vivid portrayal of the late 1950s and early 1960s immersed me in this era, and the novel’s intricate plot, combined with the emotional depth of the main character’s journey, kept me… show more.

While the backbone of this time-bending tale is Jake Epping's quest to stop President John F. Kennedy's assassination, it was Jake’s unexpected romance with a woman from the past that truly grabbed me. Call me a hopeless romantic, but I’m drawn to narratives where the character must choose between personal happiness and duty, and on that front, this story delivers.

Additionally, King's depiction of 1960s America is so immersive that I felt as though I’d been transported right back to the era, sharing in the burden of Jake’s critical mission.

Okay, this might seem like a bit of a strange choice to be included in a list of best “ripped from the headlines” crime novels, but it really isn’t. I mean, the assassination of John F. Kennedy in Dallas on November 22, 1963, is probably the most famous big news headline of our times. 

I was totally blown away by King’s brilliant concept of using that legendary date in history to write this fascinating thriller about what “might have been” if someone could somehow go back in time and stop it from ever happening.

Like the other four books on… show more.

I consider myself a big Stephen King fan, and sometimes that means a long read. At over 800 pages, this book makes use of the space to dive into the history of the 1950s and 1960s, and the events leading up to the assassination of John F. Kennedy Jr., as the main character tries to prevent this tragic moment in time by reliving the same couple years over and over.

Full of alternate realities, time resets, and explorations of fate on a global and individual level, I would recommend this book to fans of King and those who have… show more.

First of all, I think Stephen King is a terrific writer and, strangely, I seem to enjoy his non-horror books the most. 

11/22/63 has some key elements that drew my attention: time travel, an ordinary guy, and an alternate reality. The protagonist, Jake Epping, suddenly discovers a portal through time. With this newfound ability, he takes it upon himself to change history in what he believes will be for the best. And to do this, he becomes determined to stop the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

I loved the detail into which King delves, and the time Jake takes to… show more.

Stephen King has written one of the longest—over 800 pages—and best thought out time travel novels.

When Jake Epping discovers a portal back to 1958, he realizes he can travel back and forth from the past to the present and whenever he returns to the past it will always be the same day in 1958. At first, he tries to change events that affect people he knows, but eventually he realizes if he stays in the past long enough, he can prevent the Kennedy assassination.

He believes the future will then be better, including the Vietnam War being prevented. After… show more.

Deftly blending sci-fi with historical fiction, 11/22/63 is arguably one of King’s best works.

The novel tells the story of a diner owner who has become obsessed with President John F. Kennedy and his assassination, and the young teacher who becomes ensnared in his delusional and impossible plan: to go back in time and stop Lee Harvey Oswald from killing him.

At times touching, at times devastating, and often scary, 11/22/63 is a wholly unique novel.