Summary:

Although Scott Carey doesn’t look any different, he’s been steadily losing weight. There are a couple of other odd things, too. He weighs the same in his clothes and out of them, no matter how heavy they are. Scott doesn’t want to be poked and prodded. He mostly just wants someone else to know, and he trusts Doctor Bob Ellis.

In the small town of Castle Rock, the setting of many of King’s most iconic stories, Scott is engaged in a low grade—but escalating—battle with the lesbians next door whose dog regularly drops his business on Scott’s lawn. One of the women is friendly; the other, cold as ice. Both are trying to launch a new restaurant, but the people of Castle Rock want no part of a gay married couple, and the place is in trouble. When Scott finally understands the prejudices they face–including his own—he tries to help. Unlikely alliances, the annual foot race, and the mystery of Scott’s affliction bring out the best in people who have indulged the worst in themselves and others.

My take: 3 looks

 Originally reviewed April 1, 2019

Scott Carey and his friend, retired doctor Bob Ellis, are trying to figure out how and why Scott is losing about 2 pounds per day, but looking no different physically. At this rate, Scott determines that he will be weightless by the end of March.

Throw in a gourmet vegan restaurant owned by a married lesbian couple, borderline hate speech and total lack of support from a very conservative Castle Rock, and an upcoming (and very competitive) 12K, and you’ve got yourself an interesting novella.

This seems to be geared to a YA audience since it lacks the normal King profanity, sex, and out-and-out terror. More along the lines of “The Green Mile”, as opposed to “Gerald’s Game”. At a light 147 pages, I read this in a few hours at a local coffee house. The book has some very good elements for a teen book discussion: alternative lifestyles, tolerance, hate speech, community, sacrifice, and death. That’s a lot to pack into a novella, and only an accomplished author like Stephen King could pull it off.  

Recommended