There is an old saying: “A good book teaches a lesson, but a great book asks a question.” Stephen King’s 11/22/63 raised a question that haunted me throughout the book: should the past be changed?

The novel takes place in 2011. The main character, Jake Epping, a high school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine is given a task by his friend, Al Templeton, who is dying of terminal lung cancer. What is that task? Quite simply, travel back in time to save John F. Kennedy from being assassinated on November 22nd, 1963. The seemingly impossible task is made possible by a portal that Al, the owner of a local diner, has discovered in his pantry. Passing through it, the time traveler always returns to September 9th, 1958. No matter how long the time traveler stays in the past, the portal always moves between 2011 and 1958. Each trip takes exactly two minutes in 2011. Additionally, every time it is used, the previous actions conducted in the past are erased. The portal always returns to the travel to the same day in 1958. 

Throughout Jake’s journey from 1958 to 1963, he experiences romance, tension, and suspense. He falls in love in 1959 with a librarian at a local high school, Sadie Dunnings. Without being noticed, he aims to carry out the will of his dying friend. However, when reading, the question always surfaced in the back of my mind: if we can change the past, would it be right and worth it? This question raises further ones. Does killing for the “greater good” make someone a good person? Should a person have the power to change the past and play God? What makes anyone qualified to determine what’s right or wrong in this world? Does killing someone in the past in the hope of making the world a better place in the future make you better than a serial killer? Even though these questions are never directly answered, the novel enables the reader to think about these controversial topics. Each reader is required to answer these questions for themselves, which is exactly why this book is so fantastic. The novel doesn’t just hand the lesson to the reader. 

The descriptive language, motifs, and symbolism that King uses contributes to the utterly breathtaking and captivating plot of the novel. Stephen King’s writing is immaculate. He always keeps the reader wanting more. From the first time Jake steps foot in the 1950s to his first dance with Sadie, the historical detail and imagery are simply fantastic. Also spectacular is the way King effortlessly plants motifs and symbols throughout. My favorites are the yellow-card man and the ever-repeating motif of “Jimla”. These symbols and motifs add depth to the characters and plot. They deepen the meaning of the book by offering different perspectives on characters and events.  

11/22/63 is a novel with depth, action, and history. It is filled with beautiful language and historical detail. It has a wonderful plot with tears, joy, horror, and suspense that keeps the reader on their toes. This book is a must-read for anyone even remotely interested in romance, action, and thriller novels. Filled with a multitude of emotions and a need for thinking, this 849-page novel is undoubtedly a masterpiece written by King.