The Institute discussion

The Outsider
What did you think of King's most recent release The Institute? I think it compares best with his previous novel The Outsider in that much of the first half of the book felt unnecessary. There were cultural and political references in both that add some depth, but I felt neither book explored the characters as fully as his really great books do.

I just finished this one, literally today, and have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I liked that he developed the climax gradually instead of all at once, like some of his other novels. However, I agree, S.K. is phenomenal at building characters and I wish he had done so more thoroughly in this novel. That being said, I did enjoy Luke and Tim, but I was somewhat hoping he would have made some of the Institute doctors/caretakers more conflicting to hate. I didn't even like Maureen. I think it would have been interesting for him to explore Stockholm Syndrome a little more deeply here, especially if the kids could tap into the minds of their captors. Overall, it was a good read, but not my favorite S.K. book by a long shot.

Jeff wrote: I felt neither book explored the characters as fully as his really great books do.
I think this was especially true of The Institute, there were more characters than in The Outsider and most of them weren't really fleshed out. At one point I started confusing two kids with each other because there really wasn't much setting them apart. It's not like this is a regular problem with King, the kids in It all have distinct voices and personalities.

Good book. Much better than the outsider IMO

I thought it was a mediocre novel that should be labeled as YA,

Boring.
Escape from the institute felt more like an inventory of objects than dangerous event.
It seems to me that at least two people wrote this book and the one who wrote about Institute forgot the question.
Waste of time

Allen wrote: "I thought it was a mediocre novel that should be labeled as YA," I agree on the YA classification, as I was reading I couldn't help to compare this book to so many others I´ve read on the YA genre. Maybe Mr. King was trying to write something that suited his grandchildren. I did like though

I just wander how this book became the good read?

I have been a King fan for a long time, but I also try to be objective about his work. I can say I liked this but not with the passion his really good books have inspired. I think the poster who suggested this be classified as YA hit the nail on the head - with a good deal of editing of course, its too long for the YA crowd

I enjoyed this book and felt like it was a modern day return to The Shop, one of my favorite story elements he used in the 70-80s. I agree that this could be classified as YA, and also that he probably wrote this with his grandsons in mind as the audience. I know he is very close to them and we all know he wrote books aimed at his children, so why not the grandchildren.

I definitely didn't feel it was a waste of time, or badly written, just different. He is a very eclectic writer, so with the exception of his "drunk fiction" I don't think that should be surprising to a Constant Reader.

I liked it about as much as The Outsider. It felt similar in structure and pacing, and the cover art gives off a similar atmosphere for both novels. I actually like the "side" story about Tim moving into the town of DuPray and getting to know the quirky inhabitants more than the main plot with Luke.
My main complaint is that there are about 6,000 unnecessary pop culture references in the book and the ending sucks. But overall I liked the story and it was a fun read, sort of as a thriller with macabre elements.

Kandice wrote: "I enjoyed this book and felt like it was a modern day return to The Shop, one of my favorite story elements he used in the 70-80s. I agree that this could be classified as YA, and also that he prob..."
I agree, and I'm starting to feel like he's recycling material. This read very similarly to Firestarter.

I definitely think that a constant sense of unease is maintained throughout the majority of the book. It succeeds on that regard. The intersecting plot is good. I agree that the characters were veering into 2 dimensions... A book that achieves its aims.

I thoroughly enjoyed SK's "The Institute." King never fails to impress me with his character development: Luke started off as a young boy whose only worry was getting into Ivy League schools and wishing he had more to talk about with the older high school girl he took his SAT with. Then one random night, he began the fight for his life in a covert government organization who is performing experiments on kids in attempt to "serve their nation." I do agree though, that we did not get the full extent of King's abilities that we see in his other novels like "The Outsiders" or "Salem's Lot" - still a great novel in my opinion.

I was also a huge fan of the easter egg politics that King left with references to anti-vaxxers and the 2016/2020 U.S. presidential election.

The first one I read from SK, and I trully loved it (reted 5 stars!!!), I was fundamental on my reader journey. Extremelly recomend it.

I LOVE Stephen King. I read Elevation last year, around November, and it was a huge disappointment. I hoped to find my way back to him with this book, but not really. I rated 4 stars, but I miss the old/young Stephen King, whose books I used to read till the morning, under my blanket, with a torch on my head, not to bother my Family.

it twas goo

The institute was good I thought. Different from his usual style. I thought it was more along the lines of the 5th wave if you’ve ever read that