Review: Gwendy’s Button Box by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar

It's the summer of 1974.  Tired of the ridicule and name-calling due to her weight, each morning Gwendy Peterson takes the Suicide Stairs up the cliff-side.   At the top, she meets a man dressed in a black suit jacket, black jeans, white button-up shirt and black hat.

She's presented with a box of buttons, each button, if pushed, has a different consequence.  It is up to Gwendy to determine just what price she will pay in order to get the results she desires.

I listened to the audiobook production of this short story.  It was absolutely perfect; I needed a bit of Stephen King in my life get me out of a reading slump.  If only it were a little longer!

Gwendy’s character is a genuine one; she’s long-suffered from bullying due to her weight.  The reader reads/listens along as she ages and endures the challenges of growing up.  Only, unlike those around her, she has the ability to change or alter the fate dealt to her. When presented with this gift, of sorts, the potential for her life to transform is real.  Yet the consequences she must endure aren’t easy.

I don’t want to give away too much, as this is a rather short read/listen. If you are looking for “classic” Stephen King (not necessarily horror, but horrific at times), this is the read for you.   Don’t be concerned with the collaboration and just how much King wrote himself. I was quite surprised at how fluid the writing is, leaving me unable to discern who wrote what.  I especially appreciated the conversation at the end between King and his co-author, Richard Chizmar. It was incredibly insightful and a valuable addition!