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Summary: A Review of The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Review: Trisha McFarland is a 9-year-old girl who goes on a hike with her brother, Pete, and her mom, who is determined to spend the weekend with her kids. Trisha's parents recently divorced, and her brother is constantly feuding with his mom. In an attempt to avoid the spiteful quarrel between her brother and mother, Trisha steps off the trail to go to the bathroom. She falls behind and then tries to catch up by attempting a shortcut, but becomes lost in a wilderness maze full of peril and terror. Trisha's odyssey succeeds on several levels. She descends into hallucinations of her beloved Red Sox baseball pitcher Tom Gordon. For solace she tunes her Walkman to broadcasts of Boston Red Sox baseball games and follows the gritty performances of her hero. But when her radio's reception begins to fade, Trisha imagines that Tom Gordon is with her and protecting her from an enemy who has left a trail of slaughtered animals and mangled trees in the dense, dark woods. Although I have never been much of a Stephen King fan, I decided to read The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon because it seemed appealing and related to my English theme of survival. I must say that King does a remarkable job of showing how Trisha's anxiety over her situation slowly begins to escalate, and how the time alone in the woods begins to affect her mentally. He also does a wonderful job of making a complex, believable character out of a simple 9-year-old. Another pleasant aspect of the book is that it is very feminist, being that Trisha is the sole character throughout almost the whole story. She is determined and resourceful and easy to root for in her quest to survive. Unfortunately, though, the book leaves much to be desired. My dissatisfaction with the book began with the plot. It started out slow and monotonous, but with hopes it would pick up, I kept reading only to find that it indeed did not. The story simply goes on too long and begins to seem repetitive after awhile. Trisha continually falls down, runs the wrong way, etc. Another negative factor of the book is that King is characterized as the master of terror. Although I was hesitant about reading this book because I feared it would be too scary, when I finally decided it would be appropriate, I was expecting a thrill. Sadly enough, I was disappointed to find that there was almost no terror portrayed in the story. It was very difficult to relate to the story, and, because of its absurdity, I found the novel to become boring and strung-out. I have taken into consideration that I have not always been fond of King's style of writing; therefore, I may not be the best critic of his work. But having read many books in the past, I feel that this novel was not very well written or organized in a suspenseful, interesting manner. I must credit Stephen King for his attempts to create such a novel, but it was disheartening to find that he had to spoil what could have been a good story line.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Typical King But Pretty Good
Review: This book was as I said in the title not typical King but not all that bad. The only thing that really bothered me with this book is the lack of dialogue and writing that would hold the reader throughout the whole book. The book is about young Trisha McFarland that gets lost in the woods fromher mother and brother. Bascially the book is a story of self survival and she does this by imagining that Tom Gordon, the relief pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, is with her. Using this and her radio, she finds the strength inside of her to go on. She finally makes it and has a final showdown with the "thing" that was scaring her. Although not horrible I wouldn't recommend it over any other King book.
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Summary: A Departure
Review: I thought this book represented a departure from standard Stephen King fare. I loved it. I thought that Tricia sorely pressed by her predicament had to make a choice between two visions of God, The Subaudible God of her father, a kind of deist interpretation of God. God as the clockmaker who made the world then left it behind, but maybe watches in a passive or disinterersted fashion. Or the God of Tom Gordon who cares and even intervenes - but only if you earn the "save" through your own courage and efforts. In the end Tricia chooses Tom Gordon's God and earns his support. When her parents visit in the hospital, the one thing she tries to communicate to her family (most importantly dad) is that she earned the "save". I think because she also hopes dad can be saved as well.
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Summary: Disappointing
Review: I don't know if this was exclusive in Germany, but the book was published in a plastic case, as if the book shouldn't touch air or whatever. I don't know what this means, but it was... yes, unecessary. After I've read the book, I thought about it again and thought, well, maybe they wanted to give you something more, to make the money worth. The book doesn't really. The story of a girl lost in the woods could be an interesting premise. When I read the premise before the book was pubished, I didn't jump because excitement and yelled: "What a wonderful idea." It is no revolutionary idea and the book isn't too. It's interesting to read how Trisha survives in the wood and it's exciting too. You really want to know what will happen. But after two thirds I thought, well how should this book end. Since King doesn't give us anything else than the girl in the wood, what will he do to finish his book? Well, what he does in the end ruined the book for me totally. It was surely the most hilarious end from King I've ever read. It has no sense, no meaning, no whatever. It leaves you with nothing, nothing to think about, or laugh or cry. Just nothing. I'm not against King writing serious novels (if you don't call horror serious), I always defended him, when someone said he's a horror-author. But books like this makes it hard for me to defend. King can do it much much much better and has done, but this one is thin, senseless and disappointing in the end. Enjoy it to the last ten pages, put it away and think about and ending yourself. Maybe this is more fun.
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Summary: A good idea stretched too far...
Review: I have been an avid King fan since the age of 11, so it goes without saying that I picked this book up with much enthusiasm. Unfortunatly, though, "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" leaves much to be desired. But let me start with something positive. This book does succede on more than one level. King does a masterful job of showing how the main character's anxiety over her situation slowly begins to escalate, and how the time alone in the woods begins to affect her mentally. He does a wonderful job of making a complex, believable character out of a 9 year old. However... The story simply goes on to long. It just seems repetitive after awhile. It would probably work better in a short story or novella format. All in all, though, a minor negative blip on an otherwise spectacular career. Pick up his new memoir, "On Writing."
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Summary: not just for Sox fans
Review: Nine year old Trisha McFarland, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, is out for a short hike on the Appalachian Trail with her divorced Mom and her brother, who are arguing so vociferously that they fail to notice when she stops to relieve herself. When Trisha tries to get back on the Trail, she becomes disoriented and is quickly lost in the dense woods. In the ensuing days she will be forced to fend for herself, armed with little more than some junk food, a poncho, a Walkman and a surpassing love for the Red Sox closer. Battling bugs, bogs, hunger, malevolent woodland spirits and bears, she is sustained by listening to Red Sox games, by visitations from a spirit Gordon and by "The Subaudible", as her father once described his impression of the divine in every day life. There are a couple of things I really liked about this book. First, it is one of the most feminist stories you'll ever read. Trisha is the sole character for nearly the entire book. She is determined and resourceful and easy to root for in her quest to survive. Second, I liked the sustaining effect of the radio broadcast of the Sox games. I am a huge fan of radio baseball; except in very rare cases, I would rather listen than watch. As it happens, I listen to Sox games too. Joe Castiglione and Jerry Trupiano are not terribly good broadcasters--especially if, like me, you grew up listening to Bob Murphy and Ralph Kiner do Mets games--but the rhythms of the game, the daily presence and the steady narrative flow over a period of months all combine to make them a welcome presence on Summer nights. Baseball is the one sport that can be fully captured on radio, perhaps because it is so familiar that we can run the films in our minds and don't really need to see in order to "see." Whatever the reason, anyone who has a similar love of radio can easily relate to the comfort that the games provide this little lost girl. There is, however, another aspect of the book which is much less successful, that is the spiritual angle. Taken purely for what he is, Stephen King is one of the great storytellers in all of literature. But that is pretty much all there is, Critics have tried reading more into this book in particular, by taking Trisha's relationship with the Tom Gordon spirit and with the Subaudible to imply that King has found God or something. Well, it is something, but it's not God. We Red Sox fans are familiar with Gordon's religious devotion, which he demonstrates by pointing heavenward after every save. Like her hero, Trisha determines that she will have to cultivate the quality of having "ice water in her veins." But Gordon, of course, derives his sublime confidence and self-assurance from his faith in God. Trisha seemingly derives hers from faith in Gordon and the Subaudible alone. If King's point is that traditional organized religions are all hogwash and faith of any kind suffices, even faith in a temporarily celebrated ballplayer, point taken. But to suggest that the book offers any kind of profound new spiritual side of King seems to be quite a stretch. In a way, this is somewhat disappointing. King had an opportunity here to actually grapple with a weighty theme for once. The book would be much better, and more significant, if Trisha's experience did forge in her some heightened spirituality. Her adoration of Gordon could have been a leaping off point for her to consider why his religiosity provides him with such empowering spiritual sustenance. Her fairly stock confrontation with the creature at the end of the book could have been replaced with a really interesting confrontation with the fact of her own possesion of a soul. But King's not really interested in these ideas, which is of course his right. Over all, I did like the book; it is helped greatly by the fact that it can be read in one sitting. I particularly like the idea that thirty years from now you'll be able to pick up the book and recapture one fairly mediocre iteration of the Red Sox (though I found it enormously frustrating that Jason Varitek's name was repeatedly spelled "Veritek.") and have a whole flood of memories come cascading down. This is an enjoyable enough way to kill a couple hour--an ideal plane book--but if you're looking for any important philosophical messages within its pages, you're bound to be disappointed. GRADE: B (N.B.--except for some brief and relatively mild profanity, the book is appropriate for teens, who should like it very much)
Rating:
Summary: Boring Boring Boring
Review: I bought this book in an airport, depending on Stephen King to get me through a multi-hour plane ride. Imagine my disappointment. Trekking around the woods with a young girl being chased by a not-particularly scary monster. She keeps falling down, running the wrong way, etc. The allusions to the family's experience while she's missing were the strongest parts of this novel, but they are momentary. If you're a diehard Stephen King fan, get the book for your collection, then go back and read The Shining, Salem's Lot, or one of the other classics.
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Summary: Best King to Date
Review: I'm not a big fan (ok, but still a fan) of King's, but this book was excellent! Ya, not so scary as some (just finished Desperation a few weeks ago - more scary!), but a well crafted novel about a small girl lost in the New England north woods. No drooling, dissolving monsters in this book...just the kinds of "things" that any of us - adults included - could imagine if we were lost in the woods at night (or many nights in the case of this book). Highly recommended and a fast read as it is fairly short for a King novel. Good work Stephen!
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Summary: An outsider wouldn't understand . . .
Review: I believe this book would be interesting for baseball fans . Unless you're familiar with the game it wouldnlt work for you as it didn't for me. It's an ordinary King's,containing some of his recurring motives ,and doesn't really innovate much. The main title is the inclusion of the game in the story ,as a main character . I didn't find it appealing, but as I adressed earlier, others can . I did not find the overall concept gripping, I actually browsed the book at some parts - for the first time in a King's novel. Maybe that says it all.This work isn't one of his finest, and it seems to me that he wrote it for self entertainment reasons ,since his love of the game is definite. One more point I would like to bring up is the distinct feeling of a minor reading . The entire story deals with the little kid and her thoughts, most of which don't seem to capture my attention. King hasn't done it for me this time. For instance, in "Insomnia" he touched my feelings ,when he ,so delicately, described the lives of old folks ,their problems and emotions, but this time it wasn't that successful. I was dissapionted. You might or might not ,but consider carefully before spending your money.
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Summary: right up my forest
Review: As a parent, I spend considerable time trying to educate my children how to protect themselves from strangers, be aware of their surroundings when they are at the mall, be alert to the potential of dangerous situations, and, ad nauseum, what to do should this or that occur and you find yourself lost and on your own. As a parent, no amount of information is enough to keep them safe in our minds. We stand at the edge of paranoia, always geared to protecting our young. As a family, ourselves, we take our time off and go camping, hiking and exploring in the Sierras. Ever attempting to pass on knowledge, my wild life biologist husband delivers education and passes on nuggets of survival tricks. I was impressed with the story line Stephen King delivers in this book. One child actually payed attention to the nuggets of wildlife facts her mother served up on their outings in the Maine woods. Interpreted as boring by the older brother, he oftentimes uses the occassion to protest verbally to his mother everything he hates about his life and what the divorce has done to destroy it. How fortunate that this chirpy 9 year old girl, Trisha, always eager to please and make peace anyway she can, listened to these seemingly useless tips. In the end, these morsels of information added up and saved her life when she became lost while on a hike with her brother and Mother. Trish was only trying to find a secret spot where no one could see her to pee. Trying to pee like her mom showed her, she gets turned around and as Mr. King puts it, began making some very unfortunate decisions. Having left the main trail, it turns into a guessing game as to where and how to get back to it. Trish loses and gets lost. Her tale is one of shear guts and determination, helplessness and physical and mental stress beyond the coping mechanisms of a 9 year old. She does however, recover the nuggets of information imparted to her by her mom, and struggles day after day to help herself. One of her saviours is the love for baseball and one player in particular, Tom Gordon. Carefully, she tries to allot herself only so much time to listen to her walkman before the batteries die and she is left without her human link and bond in a box. As she tries to conserve the batteries, her imagination and stress induced hallucinations bring Tom Gordon to her. As she challenges herself with the struggle of just getting enough water and a few berries to eat a day, she senses an ominous presence that has been following her day after day, night after night. A griping novel, one that makes you love and cry for this young, lost girl, it is full of drama, intensity and mystery.
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