Stephen King Returns To Short Fiction With “You Like It Darker”
A review of Stephen King’s 2024 short story collection
I always look forward to Stephen King’s books. In particular, his short stories got me into the horror genre, so I was excited he’s made a return to short fiction in You Like It Darker. Based on the title, it’s no surprise these twelve new tales explore the darker parts of life.
“Two Talented Bastids”
Mark tries to make sense of how his father (a writer) and best friend (an artist) who came from the same rural Maine town managed to achieve fame and success in their fields. This is classic King tale exploring the origins of talent, writers, and otherworldly events. Although the second half lost me a little by venturing into sci-fi territory, it’s a great start to the collection.
“The Fifth Step”
While a retiree takes his usual walk through a park when stranger pays him to confess his wrongdoings. This was a classic horror short story with an unpredictable plot and a killer snap ending.
“Willie the Weirdo”
Willie is a weird kid obsessed with death and has a close relationship with his grandfather who tells stories about past lives. This was a strange story with…
