51 pages • 1 hour read
Stephen King, Richard ChizmarA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Gwendy's Button Box by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar follows Gwendy Peterson, an awkward middle schooler, who receives a powerful and mysterious button box from a man named Mr. Farris. The button box can grant favors and cause destruction, profoundly affecting Gwendy’s life and those around her as she grapples with its power and the moral weight of her actions. The novella, set in Castle Rock, Maine, explores themes such as fate versus free will, the complexity of selflessness, and the burden of secrets. This text contains references to suicide, mass suicide, suicidal ideation, child death, alcohol use disorder, sexual assault, and violence.
Gwendy's Button Box by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar captures readers with its intriguing premise and well-developed characters. Critics praised its suspenseful narrative and nostalgic touches, though some found the plot simplistic and its length unsatisfying. Overall, it offers a unique blend of horror and whimsy that resonates well with King’s fans.
A reader with a taste for suspenseful, dark fables, akin to Needful Things by Stephen King, or who appreciates the eerie charm of Twilight Zone-style narratives, would enjoy Gwendy's Button Box by Stephen King and Richard Chizmar. Fans of moral dilemmas and supernatural elements in small-town settings will find it particularly captivating.
Recommended
Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
Fantasy
Mystery / Crime Fiction
Emotions/Behavior: Guilt
Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness
Life/Time: Coming of Age