Smoke Signals

11/22/63 is a highly praised novel written by bestselling author Stephen King. The 850 page book, which was released in November of 2011, is an edge-of-your-seat historical fiction that should be a must read for all.

When people think about Stephen King they usually imagine horror and gore, but in the novel 11/22/63 a new science-fiction meets historical-fiction perspective takes place. King mixes multiple genres in this book, which makes it a perfect blend of joy and sadness.

This book follows main character Jake Epping who lives in Lisbon Falls, Maine, and teaches English at the nearby high school. When Jake is grading final papers on the last day of the school year, he gets a mysterious call from a local friend, and when he picks up the phone the voice on the other end of the line holds deep secrets only to be confided in person.

Jake finds himself sitting in the familiar booth of his old buddy Al’s diner discussing more than just the special soup of the day. When Al shows Jake a secret time portal in the seemingly normal pantry of the trailer and divulges his idea to try and prevent president J.F.K. from getting assassinated, Jake must make the tough decision to invest in his friend’s plan or run the other way.

Through trips back in time and a certain woman entering Jake’s life, he must find a way to save John F. Kennedy before the past kills him.

All in all, 11/22/63 is a trip to the past in itself, and it deserves 5 stars! Every page is a new adventure that leaves the reader wanting more, yet makes them scared to go on. This is an extremely tastefully written novel, and it is a memorable experience. This book can be found in the ECHS school library as well as many of Stephen King’s other novels.