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Apt Pupil

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'Apt Pupil' by Stephen King is a psychological thriller that delves into the dark depths of human nature. The story follows Todd Bowden, a young boy who discovers that his elderly neighbor, Arthur Denker, is actually a former Nazi SS officer named Mr. Dussander. Todd becomes obsessed with learning about the unspeakable crimes committed during World War II and blackmails Dussander into sharing his horrifying war stories. As their twisted relationship unfolds, both characters spiral into madness, revealing the sinister side of humanity. The plot is intense, gripping, and explores themes of evil, manipulation, and the potential for darkness within individuals. The writing style is described as engaging, thought-provoking, and haunting, with a slow but steady pace that showcases the gradual disintegration of Todd's morals and sanity.

Characters:

The characters are deeply flawed, showcasing a troubling moral decay as they influence one another.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characteristic of Stephen King, marked by engaging prose and psychological depth.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative revolves around a child's manipulation of a former Nazi, highlighting their descent into madness and immorality.

Setting:

The setting combines a contemporary suburban environment with intense historical references.

Pacing:

Pacing is primarily slow but builds tension effectively, with criticisms of unevenness in later sections.
He looked like the total all-American kid as he pedaled his twenty-six-inch Schwinn with the apehanger handlebars up the residential suburban street, and that’s just what he was: Todd Bowden, thirteen...

Notes:

'Apt Pupil' features a boy named Todd Bowden who blackmails an old Nazi officer named Kurt Dussander into sharing his horrific stories about World War II.
The story explores themes of evil and morality, as Todd transforms from a high-achieving student to a remorseless killer under Dussander's influence.
The novella is part of Stephen King's collection 'Different Seasons', published in 1982.
A disturbing scene in the book involves Dussander torturing a cat by throwing it into an oven, which has unsettled many readers.
Todd develops a sadistic enjoyment in the evil he learns from Dussander, leading to their mutual descent into madness.
The book raises questions about the nature of evil, suggesting that Todd may have had dark tendencies before meeting Dussander.
Readers have noted the book's graphic representations of violence and animal cruelty, indicating it is not for the faint of heart.
The dynamic between Todd and Dussander is marked by a parasitic relationship, with each character exploiting the other for personal gain.
Many reviewers have described 'Apt Pupil' as one of King’s most psychologically intense works, lacking supernatural elements but still deeply unsettling.
The story has been adapted into a film, but fans of the book often find the movie does not do justice to the depth of the source material.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include graphic depictions of violence, murder, animal cruelty, psychological manipulation, and discussions related to the Holocaust.

From The Publisher:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King's timeless coming-of-age novella, Apt Pupil-published in his 1982 story collection Different Seasons and made into a 1998 Tristar movie starring Ian McKellan and Brad Renfro-now available for the first time as a standalone publication. If you don't believe in the existence of evil, you have a lot to learn. Todd Bowden is an apt pupil. Good grades, good family, a paper route. But he is about to meet a different kind of teacher, Mr. Dussander, and to learn all about Dussander's dark and deadly past...a decades-old manhunt Dussander has escaped to this day. Yet Todd doesn't want to turn his teacher in. Todd wants to know more. Much more. He is about to face his fears and learn the real meaning of power-and the seductive lure of evil. A classic story from Stephen King, Apt Pupil reveals layers upon layers of deception-and horror-as finally there is only one left standing.

Ratings (40)

Incredible (4)
Loved It (16)
Liked It (14)
It Was OK (5)
Did Not Like (1)

Reader Stats (70):

Read It (42)
Want To Read (18)
Did Not Finish (2)
Not Interested (8)

1 comment(s)

Incredible
2 months

Easily the most horrifying King piece I have ever read. All jammed into only 179ish pages. Not a wasted word. Wow.

 

About the Author:

Stephen King is the author of more than sixty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent work includes Billy Summers, If It Bleeds, The Institute, Elevation, The Outsider, Sleeping Beauties (cowritten with his son Owen King), and the Bill Hodges trilogy: End of Watch, Finders Keepers, and Mr. Mercedes (an Edgar Award winner for Best Novel and a television series streaming on Peacock). His novel 11/22/63 was named a top ten book of 2011 by The New York Times Book Review and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller. His epic works The Dark Tower, It, Pet Sematary, and Doctor Sleep are the basis for major motion pictures, with It now the highest-grossing horror film of all time. He is the recipient of the 2020 Audio Publishers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2018 PEN America Literary Service Award, the 2014 National Medal of Arts, and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King.

 
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