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 clq on

3 of 5 stars

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Gwendy’s Button Box is a short story that for me almost epitomizes the expression “perfectly OK”. It’s perfectly fine. Just perfectly fine.

We get to meet Gwendy who in turn meets a man who gives her a box with buttons. The box seems to have unknown, yet tangible, powers. The box also has an effect on Gwendy’s life which is hard to pin down, but undoubtedly positive. Up to this point I’m all aboard. I like the mystery, I like the vagueness, and I like the character of Gwen. The quick introduction to the character, her surroundings, and the premise are great, and I’m excited to see what this build-up will lead to.

Unfortunately it doesn’t really lead anywhere.

The story just takes place. Events happen – some more mysterious than others – but nothing ever really gripped me. And then the story just ended, giving me a feeling of wasted potential.

I might be expecting a little too much of a story that’s only just over a hundred pages long, but I’ve seen, as King has shown, the ability short stories can have to grip a reader, and Gwendy’s Button Box just doesn’t quite live up to what I feel it could, and maybe should, be. I know that there is a longer sequel of sorts that might pick up the elements I liked about this book and do more with them. As for this story, it’s short enough that I’m fine with it, and entertaining enough to justify its length, but one could say that it didn’t quite push my buttons.

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Reading updates

  • Started reading
  • 6 May, 2020: Finished reading
  • 6 May, 2020: Reviewed