Gwendy's Magic Feather Hardcover – November 19, 2019

This is the second book in the Gwendy series. The first was co-written by Richard Chizmar and Stephen King, one of Mr. King's stories that he started and abandoned. I can't even imagine being allowed to read a throw away story, much less be allowed to finish it. But, as far as I know, Mr. Chizmar is the first person outside of the Kings to write a story all on his own set in Castle Rock. This is a great story, a short read but a good one. Now, that is the basic review, below you will read spoilers, and if you don't want to read them...don't go forward, thanks.What I liked : this tells the story of how Gwendy grew up, how she is doing now, and what directions her life has taken her. I won't say too much but it shows an interesting path and enough to keep me interested in the story. I liked that the name of the book doesn't really let the reader in on a secret, often times if you simply look at the cover you can judge the book...regardless of the adage that you shouldn't. My wife is very sick, and bed ridden, and although it seems odd, I liked that something like this was shown, how terminal illness effects us. We get to see her benefactor again, and it feels a lot like the breakers from the tower series, hearts in atlantis, and a bit like Carrie, Firestarter, and the new Institute. Also, I liked that to some degree it showed how a parent may act differently to stressful situations. I like Gwendy, I like her family, and I like her current story.What I stumbled over: and she mentions it a few times. Her life is too storied. I know I personally have had a very bad life, a very unstoried life, one that I wish on no one. But, I believe we all have to some degree. The human condition is never perfect, or seemingly not through my unrose colored lenses. Hers seems too perfect and I can't help but think, life can be good, but just can't imagine it being this good. Maybe it's a bit nitpicky, and something no one else would have issue with. Her ability never showed it's self until the point that it was needed. I wonder if this will be explained in the third edition of her tale. But, it sure seemed a little too on the nose. I am not a writer, I am an engineer and would be horrible at it, but as a reader I felt some things missing.All in all, I would recommend this book, and this series. Every time someone asks me for a recommendation of a Stephen King book to read that will catch their interest I suggest Gwendy's Button Box. Now I have a second tale to suggest. This story isn't overly scary, overly resentful towards politics, or overly long or short...much like goldilocks it's just right. If you would like a nice story to read that doesn't take too long, isn't totally grounded in the supernatural, and has a strong female lead, this is it. Also, there are heavy rumors of a third book, we might finally see interaction of Castlerock and the tower, the shop, or even the institute. At least we can hope so.

Great price and my wife loved the book.

The year is 1999 & here we find grown up Gwendy getting ready to return home for the holidays with her family Life has been good to Gwendy. She's an accomplished award winning author, a congresswoman, happily married, why, even her limp from that awful Frankie Stone incident is all but disappeared. Right before heading back home, the mysterious button box makes its way back into her life. This time there is no Mr Farris around to explain the why, only Gwendy and her ability to make safe & sound choices. Of course our Gwendy has some issues to deal with; her mothers health, the POTUS who's actions she's not very fond of, her husband & his dangerous line of work, and now girls are going missing in her beloved home town. For me, if you consider all of the things Gwendy COULD have done with the button box but didn't showed great resolve. She had options but knew for every action there would be a reaction. She chose carefully how the button box would best be put to use (feeding her mother the chocolates was brilliant) and you could surmise that that is why Mr. Farris chose to call upon her again to be the keeper of the box. I love the way Richard Chizmar spun this tale. He made me feel right at home & reminded me why I fell in love with Gwendy in the first place. Having her visit Olives grave was a sweet nod to their long ago friendship. King fans will appreciate all of the Easter Eggs here....mentions of The Royal River, Dark Score Lake, Shawshank. But again, you have to wonder how much of what happens in your life is truly your own doing or through divine intervention? Or is it a delicate combination of the two?

What a great sequel to Gwendy's Button Box! We meet up with Gwendy roughly 20 years after the box dissapeared working as a congresswoman, married with her life in complete order, or is it? When the button box mysteriously pops in Gwendy's life once again she can't help but to wonder why and what it's return was intended for. Richard Chizmar takes us back to Castle Rock, to the wonderful people who inhabit it as well as the curses that seem to have grasped the small town over time. Will Gwendy figure out what her purpose is with the box? Will it be looked as an answer or a downfall? Are you ready to go back to Castle Rock?

Arrived in timely manner

“For a moment, Gwendy forgets where she is, forgets how old she is, forgets that a kind and gentle man named Ryan Brown was ever born. She’s twelve years old again, crouching in the front of her bedroom closet back in the small town of Castle Rock, Maine.”It’s 1999 and Gwendy is now a US Representative for the State of Maine. And then the button box reappears right before the House heads out for holiday recess. At home in Castle Rock, two young women have disappeared and Gwendy sets out to assist local law enforcement try and find them..and hopefully stop a madman.Gwendy’s Magic Feather was an excellent read. In this second installment of the Gwendy series you get a closer look at the relationship between Gwendy and her parents and find out what’s happened to Gwendy after we left her all those years ago. I loved reading about Castle Rock from Chizmar’s standpoint. The writing was fresh, engaging and this book is going to stay in my (very large) collection of books!One portion of the novel that I really loved (and perhaps my favorite scene in the entire book) was Gwendy’s visit to her friend Olive’s gravesite. Her thoughts on Olive’s tombstone inscription evoke a sense of loss and sorrow. It was the goodbye we didn’t get in book one.