Las Cuatros Estaciones

by Stephen King

[Whitney @ First Impressions Reviews]

The Shawshank Redemption is a film I have watched countless times. It is a fantastical story of innocence and escape and is well presented on the screen. I finally decided to read the short story it is based on, not only due to my love for the novel's film counterpart but also because I have been to Zihuatanejo Mexico several times. While it does not play as prominent a role as Rita Hayworth is still an important aspect to Andy Dufresne's story.

I should note before I begin this review, that it is partially a comparison between the book Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption and the film it was based on.

Sadly, the movie was too perfect, it captured everything perfectly and because I already knew how Andy escaped, the warden pulling back the pin-up poster held no surprise for me. The other thing I did not like about the book was that I didn't feel like there was any justice where the warden was concerned. In the movie, he kills himself but in the short story he quietly retires. Considering what an ass he was, I really wanted to see him get his comeuppance. The last thing I liked more about the film is that they showed how Andy escaped whereas in the book, as Red is telling the story it is only speculation.

What I did like about the book was the immense detail that Stephen King is so well known for and the little touches, such as an inmate noting Andy's cell was drafty.

I am by no means trying to say it is a bad story, far from it, the story is engrossing and escaped into another world while reading. I think the problem was that I have seen the movie so many times and know the story so well that the surprise for the final plot twist was taken away from me and despite the unique story left a ho-hum ending.