Vic Trenton sends his car to Joe Camber's Garage on the outskirts of Castle Rock in Maine. While waiting for Joe to come out from his barn, Vic's family is horrified when they see a large Saint Bernard. Joe's son Brett ensures them that Cujo is a good dog and loves kids. Vic and Donna are not convinced, but their four-year-old son Tad loves to play with Cujo.
One day in June, Cujo chases a rabbit into a hole, a cave inhabited by sick bats. He was bitten by one of the bats but unaware that he is in a pre-rabid stage. Cujo's ill-fated condition turns him into a vicious monster, and a sequence of horrific events is set to happen to the people around him.
This story was written when Stephen King struggled with alcohol addiction. He admitted that he "barely remembers writing at all." This story also inspired by a trip to a mechanic when a Saint Bernard emerged from the garage. In a humorous manner, I wondered whether I'm drunk if I admit that I really loved the story. From a different perspective, if someone has the ability to produce such a masterpiece when he is drunk, I don't know what else to expect when he's sober. Or maybe there is no expectation we can set on him because he always offers more than what we can think of with our limited imaginations.
Despite some negative reviews about the book, I immensely enjoyed reading the story. I liked the background story of every character and the thrill that slowly builds and reaches the climax. The storyline can be jumpy, but it keeps me anticipating that something "big" going to unfold in the story.
ISBN: 9781501141126 (ebook)
Number of Pages: 320
Rating: ★★★★ (4/5)
More reviews can be found on Goodreads: Cujo by Stephen King.