Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption

This is one of those rare cases when the movie was better than the book. This novella caught my eye at the library and since I had wanted to dip my toe into the Stephen King pool for a long time, I grabbed the copy as one of my final reads of 2022.

I knew the 1994 film Shawshank Redemption (featuring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman) was based on this novella. I loved the film and I'll admit that as I read, I couldn't help but hear Morgan Freeman's dulcet voice reading the book to me. But this wee 110-page book felt more like a 300-page read. I found the story dull, to be honest and the book lacked the emotion that was brought out in the film. 

For me, this novella was overhyped and I'm happy that Hollywood turned it into a blockbuster and Academy Award winning film. This was my first Stephen King book and I plan to read more (I think), but I was a bit disappointed that this novella didn't knock my socks off.

My Rating: 3 stars

Author: Stephen King

Genre: Historical Fiction (?)

Type and Source: Paperback from public library

Publisher: Scribner

First Published: 1982

Book Description from GoodReads: #1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King’s beloved novella, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption—the basis for the Best Picture Academy Award–nominee The Shawshank Redemption—about an unjustly imprisoned convict who seeks a strangely satisfying revenge, is now available for the first time as a standalone book.

A mesmerizing tale of unjust imprisonment and offbeat escape, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption is one of Stephen King’s most beloved and iconic stories, and it helped make Castle Rock a place readers would return to over and over again. Suspenseful, mysterious, and heart-wrenching, this iconic King novella, populated by a cast of unforgettable characters, is about a fiercely compelling convict named Andy Dufresne who is seeking his ultimate revenge. Originally published in 1982 in the collection Different Seasons (alongside “The Body,” “Art Pupil,” and “The Breathing Method”), it was made into the film The Shawshank Redemption in 1994. Starring Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, this modern classic was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and is among the most beloved films of all time.