Gwendy's Button Box by Stephen King, Richard Chizmar

Gwendy's Button Box (The Button Box, #1)

by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar

There are three ways up to Castle View from the town of Castle Rock: Route 117, Pleasant Road, and the Suicide Stairs. Every day in the summer of 1974, twelve-year-old Gwendy Peterson has taken the stairs, which are held by strong, if time-rusted, iron bolts and zig-zag up the cliffside. Then one day when Gwendy gets to the top of Castle View, after catching her breath and hearing the shouts of kids on the playground below, a stranger calls to her. There on a bench in the shade sits a man in black jeans, a black coat, and a white shirt unbuttoned at the top. On his head is a small, neat black hat. The time will come when Gwendy has nightmares about that hat.

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on

4 of 5 stars

Share
Gwendy’s Button Box is a novella written by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar. I’m curious to see if this one fits into Stephen King’s universe, and if it does what that implies for it. If you’re looking for a quick Stephen King read (which I don’t blame you for, some of his novels can be quite intimidating in size) then this might be a good one for you.



Gwendy’s Button Box is an exploration on the idea of what would happen if a (trustworthy) person was given access to the mythical ‘button.’ You know the one where you press it to end the world, or eliminate a country, or something else along those lines. It’s the sort of question one sees pop up during ethical and moral debates sometimes.
In the case of this book, Gwendy (cute name, I know) receives a magical box from a stranger (don’t worry; they cover the whole thing about taking gifts from strangers). It dispenses chocolates (which sate her appetite for other junk foods) and joins from the levers, but the buttons? They do something different. All she has to do is think of a place (or person), push the button, and well…you know the rest.
I love the debate that is occurring throughout the novella; is Gwendy abusing her powers by not using them, or is she doing the right thing? Is there a limit to this power, and if so, does that mean there are events that nobody is capable of changing? In the end we’re left with the obvious conclusion, but it’s still an interesting debate nonetheless.
Fans of Stephen King will be thrilled to note that Gwendy’s Button Box is set in a very familiar town; Castle Rock, Maine. For those unaware, Castle Rock is the setting for many of Stephen King’s novels and short stories, making this a very comfortable location for himself and his fans.


For more reviews, check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks

Last modified on

Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 27 November, 2017: Finished reading
  • 27 November, 2017: Reviewed