Book Reviews | Pet Sematary, by Stephen King

Some Stories Can Be Tough To Read

Pet Sematary: I already knew the story, and that knowledge made it even harder to read the book for the second time

A book packed with horrors. Perhaps one of the scariest stories I’ve ever read. And indeed the one that stayed with me the longest in terms of making myself look over my shoulder for weeks after I thought I was done with it.

Called the Master of Horror by many, myself included, Stephen King is known for his scary stories that bring forth supernatural forces better off left alone. But no other book goes as far as Pet Sematary.

“When I’m asked (as I frequently am) what I consider to be the most frightening book I’ve ever written, the answer I give comes easily and with no hesitation: Pet Sematary.” — Stephen King, in the Introduction to Pet Sematary.

About the book

Louis Creed moves his family of four to a big old New England colonial house. Enough rooms for the whole family to live spaciously, a large field beyond the house for the children to play in and beautiful old-growth woods behind the fields. The only downside is the road, Route 15, busy all day long, sometimes with large frightening trucks.

Pets sometimes got the wrong end of the stick while trying to cross such a busy and mean road, and that’s the best explanation for the little pet cemetery the local kids built in the woods behind the Creed’s new house. Nothing wrong with that. The “Pet Sematary”, as announced by a faded weather-stained board written by one of the children, was a charming last resting place for all the dogs, cats, fish, rabbits, and other beloved creatures.

When Churchill, the Creed’s cat, dies on the road, Louis takes him first to the pet cemetery. But he’ll soon discover a powerful place deep in the woods, beyond the kid’s graveyard. One where death isn’t the end and dealing with an upset child isn’t the worst prospect to be faced. But even with all the knowledge that comes from his first experience with the real Pet Sematary, Louis’ love, grief, and pain won’t let him forget the place.

If only things had gone differently

Pet Sematary is a scary story, for sure. When I first read it as a young teenager, I thought it was a disturbing tale. What happens is too realistic not to be bothersome, even for a young teen. Of course, I’m not talking about the supernatural parts of it, but the accidents.

It’s so realistic because the book is based on King’s own personal experiences. His daughter’s cat died on a similar road. The poor creature was run over by a truck, and the incident and her reaction are closely related to what happens with the fictitious Churchill and Eillen, Louis’ daughter in the book. Even the Pet Sematary is based on a real one created by real children. What happens after Churchill’s death is based on a near escape. King didn’t go through the same situation, but it was a close call. That what-if is a dreadful one.

I have a two-year-old daughter. Running away is one of her favourite games, not uncommon amongst such young children. Reading Pet Sematary now that I’m a mother and have a toddler around the same age as Gage, Louis’ son, is even more disturbing. When I read the Introduction to the book, when King tells of his near tragedy, it froze my heart. I had read the book, I knew what was yet to come, but the horror was so unthinkable that reading that it almost happened in real life was enough to terrify me. King himself says, “I was horrified by what I had written, and the conclusions I’d drawn.” I get you, King; I truly do.

The book is terrifying for anyone who reads it, but if you’re a parent, it’ll create deeper roots; it’ll unsettle you for longer. And you’ll be thinking of the story for weeks after reading Pet Sematary.

I can still remember reading this story for the first time — it was so scary. As a fan of horror movies and books, I didn’t expect to be as spooked as I was. Are teenagers even afraid of anything? I didn’t think so, not really. But this book got me then, and it got to me now. The final line is still the scariest one I have ever read in my entire life. I had a chip on my shoulders for weeks the first time around. The chip is back there now — I don’t know when I’ll be able to let it go.

Beyond the fiction

Of course, what lies deep in the woods is, as far as I’m aware, only fiction. I have never heard of an ancient burial ground that can bring deceased creatures back to life, reanimated by a mischievous supernatural force. However, the situations that surround the supernatural are realistic enough to make the reader lose their breath for a while. Dealing with death is hard, even for a trained physician like the protagonist. So, it’s no surprise when Louis keeps reminiscing about what happened on his first day of work.

And then, a pet dying on a busy road is, again, so mundane, I’ll bet you know someone who lost a pet that way — perhaps even yourself. When I moved overseas, our family dog stayed behind with my sister, who always acted more like her “mommy” than I ever did. A few years later, the dog escaped and was run over by a car. The only pet I ever lost to such an accident, but not the only time I know of it happening. It’s way too familiar. It’s still very sad and hurts deeply.

“The dead do not return; it is physiologically impossible.” — quote from Pet Sematary.

Pet Sematary is fiction, but the story it tells is steeped in reality. It doesn’t fail to grab hold of the reader. The turmoil that Louis and his family go through is a nightmare if-scenario that we can all relate to without any difficulties. It’s too easy to see ourselves in their shoes — and they are not comfortable ones.

The real hold of the book is to make you think about what you’d do in such a situation. Would you do the same as Louis? Would you really be able not to do the same as Louis? The temptation is too strong. I’m glad there’s no such thing as a Pet Sematary — I don’t think any human would be able to resist its charms.

I’m pleased King wrote this book, though. It may be one of the hardest books to read, especially after having children. But it isn’t because the story is lacking in anything — it’s because it’s too abundant. Too realistic, too close to home.

Pet Sematary is frightening, all-encompassing, and a great story to read on a dark, cold night. But be prepared to have that chip on your shoulder for a while. And, just in case, get one of those night lights ready. You may just need it for a while.

I’m reading all of King’s stories in chronological order! I’m about a quarter of the way through. I made a free checklist of all his books if you want to join me in such an endeavour: