2025 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss Stephen King‘s book, Cell.


***Please remember to mark spoilers.***

Participants: Veronica, Susy, Lisa, Eirelyn, Daph, Rbecca Burke, Jenny

Suggested break down of reading so that you can check in and let us know how you're doing. The following breakdown is purely a suggestion and is therefore not set in stone.

Rather than putting dates for each section I've done it so that it takes into account that not everybody will necessarily have the book at the same time.

Week 1: 112
Week 2: 112
Week 3: 112
Week 4: 112

The following post is from Susy. I accidentally created two threads for Cell so I have moved her comment to the correct thread!

Susy wrote: "Since I'll still be reading Under the dome in August I don't know if I'll be able to read Cell just yet."

Thanks, Mary Pat! :D

I have put a hold on this, so I should hopefully have it no later than mid-month. :D

I started and could not put it down. Creepily relevant to today. Will follow thread closely though to see what others think.

I put a hold on this one too. I'll join when I get my copy...

My e-hold just came through! :D I'm trying to finish up another e-loan that is due back in 3 days, and then I should be able to get started on this one.

Rebecca Burke wrote: "I started and could not put it down. Creepily relevant to today. Will follow thread closely though to see what others think."

Hi, Rebecca! I have added you to the list of participants! Participate as you wish! :)

Jenny wrote: "I put a hold on this one too. I'll join when I get my copy..."

I have added you to the list of participants! Enjoy!

So how is everybody doing?

I just picked this up again after only reading the 1st chapter a few days ago. I just finished chapter 4, and it's pretty intense so far, if a bit wordy.

I found it a little unbelievable, though, that (view spoiler)[Clay immediately picked up on the chaos being caused by cell phones. How was that his very first theory? Not a virus, not terrorists, not bioterrorism... Cell phones. I admit, I shook my head at that immediate, spot-on realization. XD (hide spoiler)]

I just finished this book and I loved it! I thought I had read it before but I hadn't which is always nice for me when it comes to Stephen King.

One of the reasons I like his books in general is he takes a topic (like telepathy) and pushes it as far as it can go. He also takes the average person and puts them in situations and then we see where they will go or what they will do to survive.

I also really liked the ending because it opens itself up for a sequel...

Eirelyn wrote: "I found it a little unbelievable, though, ..."

Yes Eirelyn, I had the same thought! I've noticed however that apparently I'd rather "distort" my own thoughts (I just have to be less smart than him) so as to keep the story enjoyable, than think of it as something not thought through very well..... But now that you mention it too....
I am very curious as where this will lead to, I just hope it will not just be one of those "apocalyptic zombie stories", but I have faith in SK!

Jenny wrote: "I also really liked the ending because it opens itself up for a sequel.."

O no, not another open ending.... ;)

This is my first SK, so I really have no idea what to expect! lol. I've seen movies/shows based on his work but have never read his actual work!

Overall I liked the book, I liked the characters and although it touched on the apocalyptic zombie theme, it wasn't in a way that bothered me cause there were enough differentiating details. But the open ending....I just do not like open endings (unless I know for sure there's going to be a sequel within the foreseeable future, which isn't the case here, right?)

I'm through chapter 13 of Gaiten Academy.

The language of this (in dialogue anyway) is a little odd at times. I mean, come on, what 15-year-old in the 21st century says, "It was cookies" instead of "It was easy" or "It was a piece of cake" (which I assume is what they were going for)? Is this a New Englander thing? Or just a Stephen King thing? lol

Or "push on a dight farther"? I don't mind the uncommon vocab in the narration (in fact, I rather enjoy it). It adds flavor and keeps it from seeming stale. But in the dialogue, it just seems so odd. It's rare that one comes across so many people in a short span of time who speak this way. So unrealistic.

And what got me even more was when our group (view spoiler)[ran into the people on the street with the kid that tipped out of the cart, and the old man referred to the kid's scraped knee as a "boo-boo"... (hide spoiler)] and Clay thought *that* was weird. That is the only one of those terms that I've actually heard on a regular basis!

There have been so many of these odd little terms in the dialogue that I wish I had started taking notes on them sooner. XD

On the plus side, I do enjoy the language of the narration. It is still a bit wordy (I find myself skimming through long, unnecessary descriptions), but I enjoy the intelligent prose.

I am also enjoying the "slow burn" feel of the action. It really gives a sense of being there in the moment with the characters but without seeming slow or boring.

The "apocalyptic/zombie" feel was actually the reason I chose to participate in this buddy read, so I'm enjoying that a lot. I'm interested to see where this leads. :D

Also, is it a bit scary that I'm reading this novel as an e-book... on my phone?!

I'll try not to turn into a phone-crazy before I finish! XD

Okay, the next 2 chapters got weird. I have no idea what's happening! lol

(view spoiler)[All the phone-crazies splayed out on the field. Transmitting radio signals through their mouths? What even...? And the Head guy thinks they're rebooting. This just took such a strange turn, lol. (hide spoiler)]

Eirelyn wrote: "
The "apocalyptic/zombie" feel was actually the reason I chose to participate in this buddy read, so I'm enjoying that a lot. I'm interested to see where this leads. :D

Okay, the next 2 chapters got weird. I have no idea what's happening! lol

[spoilers removed]"

lol, that's what I meant when I said it wasn't the typical zombie story :)

Susy wrote: "Overall I liked the book, I liked the characters and although it touched on the apocalyptic zombie theme, it wasn't in a way that bothered me cause there were enough differentiating details. But th..."


Who knows with Stephen King. He did Doctor Sleep many many years after The Shining and that one didn't even have an open ending.

Susy wrote: "lol, that's what I meant when I said it wasn't the typical zombie story :)"

Haha, you weren't kidding! XD

You've got a point there Jenny!

I just finished this. I'm...not sure how I feel about it, lol. I'm going to gather my thoughts & return with a proper comment later. XD

Okay, so I got my thoughts together in the form of a review, lol. I'm just going to post the whole thing here. Lots of spoilers.

(view spoiler)[I'm not always against ambiguous endings. However, when the novel is 450 pages of mostly highly detailed prose about the trek from Point A to Point B to reach the ever-important (and ever-discussed) Goal of Clay finding his son, I expect to have some satisfaction with the way that very specific plot line plays out.

I didn't.

He found his son, sure. But was the "conversion" successful? If so, are they meeting up with the others? If not successful, what then? Will Clay continue to live life with his nearly-catatonic kid? Or will he put him out of his misery? Will he put himself out of his misery?

These were all questions that were at the forefront through the entire novel because Clay was never quite sure what he was going to find when he finally got to where he was going. And when he did get to where he was going and found his kid, none of those questions were answered. Not a single one. I was left with every single question I had throughout the entire novel. 450 pages of "journey" with no destination. That is only part of the plot. There needs to be some sort of conclusion -- good, bad, or ugly -- and wondering what happens when Clay put the phone to his kid's ear is not a conclusion, any way you slice it.

I enjoyed the book in pieces. Although unnecessarily wordy on descriptions, I liked the first half where the group was figuring out what was happening and how to survive it. I enjoyed the "zombie-esque" survival feel of this section of the story.

Then they arrived at Gaiten Academy and things halted, almost jarringly so. Things took a turn for the tech-y/sci-fi in this section, revealing that these zombie-like beings were actually "brainwashed by technology." Okay, I can get on board with that. Then, there was the revelation of their telepathy and having the Head kill himself in a brutal way. Creepy, indeed, but interesting.

Now I think it's really going to rev up and get intense. Wrong. The action died down again as they set out on another trek up through New England. Lots of walking. Lots of talking. Lots of worrying about Clay's kid. Lots of wondering what was changing with the Phoners. Lots of, unfortunately, uninteresting plot points, if they could even be called that. The only interesting thing that happened on this particular trek was Alice getting killed. And that, while heartbreaking, was actually a very intense & interesting section.

More walking. More worrying. And then finally, Ray gives Clay the phone & number & cryptic message, and things begin to get interesting again. This section revved up as they entered Kashwakamak, had Jordan set the bomb in place, and then blew the Phoners to smithereens.

Other than the first half and the bus-bomb climax, I felt a bit as though I were trudging through knee-deep mud. And then to finish it off with a "conclusion" that wraps up nothing and gives no answers really put me off. It was as though those 450 pages of writing wore SK out and he just couldn't take it anymore and simply had to stop writing, conclusion be damned.

His writing itself, however, is pleasing to read, and his character development is spot on. Those two factors (especially the second) kept this book enjoyable enough for me to give it 3.5 stars. However, with GR's rating system, I'm only giving it 3 because I can't justify bumping it up to 4.

Relevant or not, this is my 1st Stephen King book. (hide spoiler)]

I get more worked up in reviews of books in the 2.5-3.5 range, it seems, because I feel as though they have much more potential than what was ultimately shown, and it frustrates me to no end. I tend to need a venting session after such books. XD