FlumeAward – Under the Dome Discussion page for Under the Dome by Stephen King
We placed this on our summer reading list last year which includes the NH Teen Read books for the year and teacher recommendations. Here is the verbiage from our list:
On a beautiful fall day in Chester’s Mill, Maine life goes on as usual. A woodchuck waddles up the roadside, Claudette Sanders (the first selectman’s wife) is taking a flying lesson, and Dale Barbara is walking out of town until the moment an invisible barrier cuts The Mill off from the rest of the world. After that all is a study on a microcosm of America where politics and greed get out of hand, the greenhouse effect rears its ugly head, and people let their best and worse traits out for all to see. Recommended by a teacher who commented that Stephen King was really on his game when he wrote this one. Sharon Flesher-Duffy, Nashua High South
It’s a great read and I have been mad at King’s last few books (paltry writing) so my compliments are true praise. However, it is over 1,000 pages and TOO LONG for teens.
Kelly Budd
Keene High School
I agree that this would not have much appeal to the majority of teens. I am also bored with King’s formula but this was better than other recent offerings. I do not recommend it for the list.
Sally Nelson
Leach Library
While I’m thoroughly enjoying this book, there are so many adult themes and circumstances (money laundering, murder, necrophilia, rape, etc. -all involving adults or young adults), that I would be very hesitant to recommend it to any teen, regardless of maturity. Interesting for adult readers, but teens aren’t going to see themselves here, so I don’t recommend it for the Flume list.
Kirsten Rundquist Corbett, Lane Memorial Library