Meta. I can’t think of a better word to describe what Stephen King has done with Fairy Tale. He’s funneled stories from everywhere—the Brothers Grimm, H. P. Lovecraft, and even his own Dark Tower (to name a few)—into this rich and emotionally powerful work. It is a fantastical meta-narrative.

I still don’t know how King made the first two-hundred pages as compelling as they were. I listened to the book—while running, or while walking to work—wrapped up in the relationships, knowing that something epic would break in. It was the emotional weight of the first couple hundred pages that gave ballast to the roller-coaster ride that would develop.

It’s worth recognizing how well Seth Numrich narrated this book. In his voice, Charlie became a real boy. Oh yeah—and Mr. Bowditch’s tape recording? Chills.

I expected Dark Tower tie-ins. What I didn’t expect was the integration of the entire Western mythos rolled into one standalone volume. At this point in his career, Stephen King can write no wrong.

King, Stephen. Fairy Tale. Narrated by Seth Numrich, audiobook ed., unabridged ed., Simon and Schuster Audio, 2022.