I've been a big Stephen King fan since I started reading novels. Yet I'd never read one of his most famous novels. Maybe in part because I didn't want the perfection that is Stanley Kubrick's film ruined in any way. But after reading it, I can see why King complained about Kubrick's film being such a horrible adaptation of his book. It's a beautiful film, but beyond the basic set-up they don't have a lot in common. The book is of course far more in depth. You learn much more about the hotel's history, and there is much more hauntings going on than in the film. You get a much better feeling for what's going on in Danny's head. It's also extremely scary, not often do I get scared by reading, but the scene where Danny finds the dead woman in the bath gave me the creeps, and I kept thinking about it as I was going to bed.

I'm very glad that I read it now. The next time I see the film, I'll appreciate it for what it is, but I'll also be able to enjoy it on a deeper level, having a greater understanding on everything that is going on. - Grade: A