Wiki Summary
'Salem's Lot is a 1975 horror fiction novel written by the American author Stephen King. It was his second novel to be published. The story involves a writer named Ben Mears who returns to the town he was born in (Jerusalem's Lot, or 'Salem's Lot for short) in Maine, New England, to discover that the residents are all becoming vampires.
First Impressions
I first read 'Salem's Lot when I was twelve years old. It was the second Stephen King novel I had ever read, checked out from the library the day after I finished Pet Sematary. It would be a understatement to say that the novel had an impact on my life; it not only fueled my own writerly ambitions, it also served as a stepping stone to gothic literature, music and a lifestyle that I have yet to shake off.
Nearly twelve years later I decided to re-read the book in order to refresh my memory and to provide a more critical review, less influenced by my nostalgia.
'Salems' Lot opens with Ben Mears, a semi-successful novelist who has returned to his small, childhood town of Jersaulem's Lot in preparation of his newest book. Driving Ben's return is his desire to overcome his fear of the Marsten House--a sinister and abandoned piece of architecture that sits atop a hill overlooking the town. Its owner, Hubert Marsten, was a man of ill-repute in the early 20th century, involved in numerous forms of criminal activity. His reputation was forever solidified to the town's residents when he carried out a murder suicide, killing his wife and taking his own life by hanging, towards the end of the 1930's.
As a child Ben Mears had entered the Marsten house on a dare and nervously made his way to the upstairs bedroom where he had a vision of Hubert Marsten hanging from a rope before opening his eyes and looking directly at Ben. It was a nightmare that would stay with him for the rest of his life. Coupled with news that the Marsten house had once again found a pair of residents, rumors begin to fly about just what sort of character would take up residence in a place with such a sordid history...
I hate to derail my own review, but as a sliver of trivia, Ben's dream was actually taken from one of Stephen King's recurring childhood nightmares. In King's dream, he had seen a corpse hanging atop a hill, decaying and picked apart by animals. When little Stevie got a good look at the corpse he saw that it was himself, and he woke up screaming. A decade and a half later he drew on this for the novel.
(back to the review...)
'Salem's Lot builds slowly and methodically, with King establishing numerous threads within the novel that threatens to unravel or even entangle its characters. Many readers will quickly note that this book is unlike the majority of vampires novels today, due to its drawn out anticipation. This is not a drawback, as the slow build is still incredibly engaging and gives way to a satisfying reveal, rewarding the reader with unrelenting horror as the remaining two thirds of the novel document the town's quick spiral into a vampire frenzy.
This was King's second novel to be published and in many ways sets up a familiar theme found in many of his greatest works.While the creatures that go bump in the night are especially frightening, King has always been a master at exposing the secret brutality and monstrous nature that humankind is capable of; and unlike the vampire which must feed in order to sustain itself, humans possess an almost innate need to bring about misery to themselves and to each other for no apparent reason. This interpersonal "evil" is not isolated to the large urban sprawls of New York and L.A., it can be found in even the smallest of New England towns, lying dormant in the heart of each of its residents.
Final Thoughts
'Salem's Lot is necessary reading for any connoisseur of vampire fiction and serves as a modern example of powerful storytelling and compelling characters. If you willfully choose to neglect this book I am liable to judge you with disapproving brown eyes.
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