The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon

Rating:
Summary: Recycled King!
Review: King wrote an earlier book about a woman that was accidently chained to a bed in a log cabin (he's written so many that I forgot the name). In it the woman struggles to survive and escape from her bonds. While doing this she has time to examine her own life and realize a great deal about herself. Well in this book, instead of a woman we have a girl (Trisha) and instead of being chained to a bed, she is lost in the woods. While trying to survive and reach civilization, Trisha also examines her life and starts to realize a lot of things about herself. While doing that she fantasizes about Tom Gordon, a relief pitcher for the Red Sox. Sometimes she imagines seeing him and getting advice from his image. I think because King is such a big Red Sox fan that he needed to put together something with the Red Sox.

The books tends to drag a little past the middle. I might have rated this book a little higher had I not read the first book (which I thought was a lot better).

Rating:
Summary: The Girl Who Lved Tom Gordon
Review: Well, What can I say, I wasn't surprised by how great this book was written. Before I read the book, I thought that it was going to be a traditional Stephen King horror story, but it wasn't. It was a survival story about a 10 year old girl who got lost in the woods and is desperately trying to find a way out. I loved the way King expressed the characters feelings and thoughts. After reading some of his other books like "Salems Lot" and "Dreamcatcher", it's almost refreshing to read this book. I would recommend this book for ages 12 to adult. Great Book!

Rating:
Summary: not among King's best, but definitely worth reading
Review: I'll admit that "The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon" isn't as gripping as Stephen King's other novels, but I found it to be an enjoyable, quick read. Enough has already been said about the plot, so I won't rehash it. Instead I'll comment on why I found this novel to be worthwhile.

For one, King does a commendable job with making the story flow, considering the fact that the vast majority of the novel has no dialogue and centers around Trisha's character, alone by herself in the woods. Instead of the typical dialogue, King must rely on imagery and narrative alone to carry the story. Accomplishing this isn't an easy task.

Anyone who sees this novel as simply "a girl lost in the woods" isn't looking deep enough. This novel has many themes including the feeling of isolation, survival, facing our most primitive fears, and in my view, coming-of-age to a certain point. And maybe the scariest thing about it is that any one of us could be faced with a similar situation.

I give this novel a strong recommendation even if it may not be as "loaded" as King's other novels. Here he strips down the story to the most basic form and the result is one that works. And to other fans of this novel: there's supposedly a movie adaptation in the works that will star the real-life Tom Gordon.

Rating:
Summary: Very Real, Very Possible Story!
Review: As an avid hiker, I found this book terrifying! King demonstrated how easily a person could become lost and disoriented on a simple family outing. You think you're safe because there's a path, but what happens when you lose sight of that path in a massive forest? King did an amazing job of portraying the fears and natural progression of exhaustion of his lead character. This is King at his most subtle and most stunning! I rate this up with his best work. Highly recommended for a quick but satisfying read! My only regret is that I didn't pick it up sooner.

Rating:
Summary: The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon
Review: The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, is a great book. I guess you would enjoy it more if you were familiar with baseball and understood the game and the players as I did, but I still think if you like enjoy reading and Stephen King, that this book will appeal to you. I hate reading and I still enjoyed this book. Stephen King is good writer and I enjoy most his novels. I think that the plot and the creative way he incorporated the whole Tom Gordon theme into it was done real nicely. This book kept my attention the whole time. There were some scary parts and real descriptive parts where you get a real clear vision of what's going on. Overall I liked this book and I think that most readers would enjoy it too.

Rating:
Summary: to long and no point
Review: Who wants to read 200 pages about a girl wandering around in the forest? And what was up with that wasp guy? How wierd did he get?No offence to Stephen King but I think that he is flat out crazy!He needs to write a novel that actually makes sence! Who cares what a descriptive writer he is, if you dont have a decent plot, than the story in ruined.

I give Stephen King credit for at least attempting to write a decent novel.He is an exellent writer wiht great potential.All he needs to work on is a better plot and story.

Rating:
Summary: Can he save her during a horrible crisis?
Review: "The world has teeth Tom and it can bite anytime it wants to." This quote is from Stephen King's The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon and it is typical because the world is cruel and there is no telling what it might do. King's purpose in writing this novel is mainly to keep the reader guessing about what will happen next. King achieves this by using appealing settings, complex characters, suspenseful plots, and different language styles.
This story centers around a nine year old girl named Trisha, who goes on a hiking trip with her mom and brother and gets lost. She stays in the woods for over a week with little food and water. Along the way, she encounters many dangerous and scary obstacles. There is always something watching her in the woods, but what is it? Will she be saved or will the "thing" get her?
The main characters in this story are Trisha and Tom Gordon. King portrays these characters in a very effective way. Trisha is the girl who gets lost in the woods while on a hiking trail. "I'm going to die in these woods." Trisha starts to think she actually will die in the woods after being lost in them for a while. Trisha shows very strong character in this novel and seems more mature than most nine year olds. Tom Gordon is Trisha's favorite major league baseball player and he plays for the Red Sox. "Tom, look!" "Look at the water!" Tom is never really in the woods with Trisha, but his spirit and her faith in him help her get through many struggles.
"These woods scare me." The main setting in this novel is in the woods. These woods are loaded with swamps, marshes, and wild animals. "If this stream goes into another swamp, I'll kill myself," Trisha said. Every time Trisha finds a stream of water, it flows into a swamp. Will she ever find a road or a stream of water that does not lead into a swamp?
The plot of this novel is Trisha being lost in the woods and trying to survive. "Nothing's watching me in these woods." "Oh my God, those are claw-marks," Trisha said. There is always something watching Trisha's every move in the woods, but what is it? Read the book to find out what happens to Trisha.
King uses 3rd person point of view in most of this novel. "I'll never talk about this, never," she said. This novel includes many obscenities and isn't recommended for young readers. King writes this book in an informal writing style.
This novel is very suspenseful and keeps the reader guessing. It receives three stars from me because it is an overall good book. "Sooner or later, you'll have to deal with the "thing" to get it to leave you alone." So go read this book and find out if Trisha makes it out of the woods alive or not. Remember, the woods are real and when visiting them on a vacation, bring a compass, good maps, and try to stay on the path.

Rating:
Summary: Great Read of an Amazing Tale for King and non King fans
Review: Trisha McFarland's parents have divorced and her mum isn't very considerate of the divorce's affect on her daughter and spends most of her time yelling at her and her brother Pete. On a hiking trip Trisha wanders of the trail to escape another session between Pete and her mum then becomes lost.

This is an amazing tale of a little girl's survival in the Maine wilderness. A big fan of baseballer Tom Gordon she tunes into his games on a radio with fading batteries for inspiration and hope. This is not your typical King novel and will appeal to both horror fans and those who do not like that sort of thing.

Rating:
Summary: Undercredited simply due to difference!
Review: It seems to me that The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon is receiving a great deal of undeserved flack simply because it is not one of Mr. King's usual horror novels. I do agree that this is not a horror novel, and I can see where fans of that genre may be disinterested in it. However, I do not see that as a valid reason for such a low review.

Mr. King's ability to write characters with whom we may sympathize, and his narrative skills remain undiminished in this book. Certainly I could identify with Trisha, and envision her struggles in the woods, but the most compelling elements were easily the psychological ones. Ravaged by fever, hardship, and isolation, while she does not completely go insane, Trisha's mind begins to warp, creating what I might describe as the world seen through funhouse mirrors. What suspense there is in The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon comes from this. However, I really do think that those who are focusing on the lack of traditional horror have missed the point, and the opportunity to be touched by the message Mr. King seems to be sending about the power of hope and inspiration.

Have you ever had a hero? I personally have been the beneficiary of inspiration in a difficult situation--inspiration provided, as in Trish's situation, by someone I may never have the privilege of meeting. Although I have never literally been lost in the woods, nor in a life-threatening situation, I have had to make some very difficult internal journeys. As I read, I found myself almost moved to tears by the fact that I was (metaphorically) seeing something akin to my own experiences, set into writing by someone else. Her final encounter with "Tom Gordon" was easily the most powerful--how touching the few words were, that he spoke--but I'll save this treat for the reader so it has its full impact.

Given my very personal experience, I have to say Mr. King has done an outstanding job of depicting such inspiration, and also explaining what it is and is not. Unfortunately in the English language, we are rather limited when it comes to words for describing attachment to someone. The word "love" has been corrupted to where in most people's minds, it comes with physical connotations that make us very reluctant to use it. Mr. King, however, does not shy away from it, and for that I am glad. Trish's father, in the narrative, makes the distinction clear--yes, Tom Gordon is Trish's "heartthrob", and yes, she can see his attractiveness, but what truly makes her feel so deeply for him goes beyond the mere surface appeal and to the person that she perceives underneath. It is a much higher attachment than a mere crush.

Only something greater could have possibly helped sustain Trish through the long, dark, and lonely nights.

Rating:
Summary: unappealing
Review: i took up this book because i expected something much more than the book actually has.I has very little to give the readers.Its just BORING.This was the the first Stephen king that i read and i was really dissapointed.But the desciption of the woods is very well written in the book.That is the only plus point.