Book Review: Hearts in Atlantis

The trailer to the movie is merely an insight to the first story of this book. While it's merely a taste of what the book has to offer, I recommend the book.

Introduction

Rating: 3 stars out of five

Book Title: Hearts in Atlantis

Author: Stephen King

Publication Year: 1999

Genre: Historical, Horror, Novella

Summary: The five interconnected stories focus on three friends, Carol, Bobby and Sully. Three boys are in love with the same girl. Circumstances shape their relationships with her and influence their developing personalities. The book concludes with Carol and Bobby beginning to form the romantic relationship anticipated in the first story.

The title "Hearts in Atlantis" hints at a love story, even though it might not appear that way at first glance. While Atlantis itself isn't directly involved, the story carries a sense of mysticism.

Overall Impression: The book began excellently for me, capturing all the brilliance one would anticipate from Stephen King's imagination. It featured outstanding character development and just enough mystery to keep me curious about what fantasy might unfold next. The foundation was laid with great potential, suggesting a continuation in another book but expecting some of it in this one. While it kept me engaged, hoping to delve into this anticipated fantasy, it never materialized. In fact, over time, the book declined until it concluded in the anticipated wonder I was seeking. Nonetheless, I did appreciate the detailed depiction of what life would have been like on campus during the hippie era when the Vietnam War began.

Hearts in Atlantis Breakdown in Five Stories

1. 1. Low Men in Yellow Coats 

   A young Bobby Garfield forms a friendship with Ted Brautigan, an enigmatic man possessing psychic powers who is pursued by the "low men." We are introduced to Bobby's life with his single mother, who is more preoccupied with appearances than with building relationships. Ted Brautigan's character creates a backdrop for an intellectual yet fantastical world, existing primarily in the reader's imagination.

2. Hearts in Atlantis 

   Set in a college dorm during the peak of the Vietnam War, a group of students becomes engrossed in the card game Hearts as they grapple with apathy, activism, and the impending draft. Initially, we see students enrolling in further education mainly to evade being drafted into the Vietnam War. The card game plays a significant role in the story, not by adding substantial value, but by emphasizing the students' disinterest in genuine education, focusing more on avoiding the war. It captures the setting in which Carol's destructive and rebellious behavior emerges.

3. Blind Willie 

   The story follows Willie Shearman, a Vietnam veteran and former bully, who lives a strange, guilt-driven daily routine in an effort to atone for his past. This marks the point where the book begins to shift toward a more loosely connected narrative that contributes little to the overarching plot. It's unclear what exactly led to Willie's mental decline — whether it was guilt over hurting Carol years ago, trauma from the war, or the lingering pain of an unfulfilled childhood love. While the story reflects on Willie’s real or imagined relationship with Carol, it primarily serves to provide background for the following section.

4. Why We’re in Vietnam 

   John “Sully” Sullivan, another veteran, reflects on a harrowing wartime experience and its lingering effects. We learn that Sully married Carol, though the marriage ended in divorce as their lives drifted apart. This story primarily explores the mental unraveling of a soldier rather than advancing the broader narrative. Sully was the only one who truly shared a romantic relationship with Carol, despite others pursuing her before and after. While the piece attempts to address the psychological toll of the Vietnam War, it feels more like an obligatory inclusion — an effort to represent the war's impact, but without much narrative weight. It seems to circle around the war’s emotional consequences without delivering anything particularly new or substantial.

5. Heavenly Shades of Night Are Falling 

   After many years, Bobby Garfield goes back to his hometown to face his memories and learn what happened to Carol, his friend from childhood. What once appeared lost and unattainable is revived by the magical presence of Ted's character, illustrating how fate can take a lifetime to unfold.

Hearts in Atlantis Analysis and Evaluation

• Plot Structure

If you're not familiar with the King's work, you'll soon discover that much of it is grounded in reality. He often incorporates elements of fantasy into real events to see how they unfold. He clearly conducted extensive research, combining it with his own experiences to make the story believable. The narrative is presented from various perspectives, not just the protagonist's. It feels as though Bobby and Carol are destined for each other, but circumstances beyond their control drive them apart, seemingly leading separate lives with little chance of reuniting. The only link between them is their shared tendency to flirt with the wrong side of the law. Their childhood innocence is long gone. The following three stories add depth to the circumstances of the time, depicting real heartache, suffering, and loss, accompanied by guilt, which takes a toll on mental health, as the characters couldn't be more different from one another. In the final story, with the introduction of fantasy through Ted's character, expected relationships are salvaged.

• Character Development

Once again, the King delivers. All three friends begin as innocent children navigating imperfect lives. Bobby's single mother prioritizes appearances and money over meaningful relationships, setting the stage for his future struggles with authority and tendency to defy the law.

Carol's parents had an abusive relationship, likely contributing to her rebellious behavior later on. Although she was beaten by a bully, it's possible this wasn't the only instance of her being physically abused. However, she seems to have chosen to abandon rebellion and lead an honest life, even if it meant living in hiding under a different name.

Sully doesn't appear to have had a difficult childhood. Athletic and popular, his life was probably easier, but lacking Bobby's intellectual edge, he ends up drafted into the war. There, he endures experiences that seem inhumane, testing his mental resilience far more than what Carol and Bobby faced. He never fully recovers, offering insight into the King's vision of how we might experience death when our bodies fail us.

Lastly, Willie is shaped as a school bully attending a Catholic school. Although he later fantasizes about suicide, he likely has the most reason to be broken in this way. Rumors from Catholic school experiences might have contributed to his troubled childhood behavior, or it could have resulted from choosing the wrong friends. He seems stable in the war environment, but it still leaves a lasting impact on him. However, it is the beating of Carol, whom he secretly loved as a child, that triggers the breaking point in his sanity.

Writing style

Reading Stephen King's books becomes easier once you grasp his writing style. Like me, he prefers not to adhere strictly to industry norms, letting his creativity guide him instead. This approach gives his stories a more natural flow. He once compared it to lighting a fire in the middle of the woods. Initially, the fire is small, and you only become aware of your immediate surroundings. Nothing beyond your sphere of perception affects the story. As the fire grows, you begin to see everything that was previously hidden. From there, the story naturally finds its own path through the dark woods. I enjoy writing in the same way King does, because the only way for me to discover what happens next in an idea is to actually write the story.

Nonetheless, this approach may have its drawbacks. You won't realize you're on a dead-end path until you reach it. I think this is what occurred in the third and fourth stories. Blind Willie presents a compelling concept to examine the effects of the War alongside regret on one's mental health, but there wasn't much narrative beyond that. In Why We're in Vietnam, Sully faces the harsh realities of life, which also took a toll on his mental health. This story connects with characters who played cards in the second story and clarifies the relationship between Carol's bully, who loves her, and Carol's former husband, whose marriage fell apart.

Explaining these relationships was never going to be an easy task. Setting them within a war scene makes the challenge even greater. Initially, the third and fourth stories don't seem to have much development, but they provide insight into a significant aspect of the character's growth. They also introduce elements of reality into the story, which are unfamiliar to those of us who weren't there. It's unfortunate that this essential part of the book seemed to disrupt the plot's rhythm. Not much occurred, and I feel it could have been more concise.

Themes, symbolism, or emotional impact

Unless someone grew up in the sixties, they wouldn't fully understand the characters' environment during the Vietnam War. Similarly, not being American would lead to a similarly unclear perception of their reality. Stephen King references the music and entertainment of that era, providing us with a perspective on what was normal for them, which makes it somewhat easier to put ourselves in their position and imagine what we might have done.

Each era presents its own challenges, often influencing the way children are brought up. Practices considered normal thirty years ago may now be seen as entirely unacceptable. I am referring to both positive and negative aspects, as they shape our identities. These are things we can connect with, even if it was just corporal punishment.

The stories illustrate how children could live carefree lives, as they should, but were compelled to experience rapid emotional growth when circumstances suddenly required them to adapt to adulthood.

Conclusion

I suggest "Hearts of Atlantis" by Stephen King to two specific groups. For dedicated Stephen King enthusiasts, this novel is a must-read. The character development is outstanding, immersing you in a historical tale that illustrates the experience of an average student during the Vietnam War. I particularly valued the theme of life shaping us, much like it does in reality. The reunion of Bobby and Carol at the book's conclusion will appeal to romantics. Just stay with it until the end. It picks up after about a third of the book, which may seem like unnecessary filler, much like our lives when we lose focus, but we get there in the end.

For newcomers to King's work, don't anticipate a fast-paced narrative. This book comprises five novellas, which are interconnected into a single story, serving as chapters from different perspectives. You'll appreciate how you're drawn into a world where everything appears normal, as if you're being introduced to a piece of history by someone who lived it. You might find yourself looking up the people and music mentioned in the book on YouTube. This is just another layer Stephen King uses to immerse you in his fantasy world. The story progresses at its own pace, but you might feel discouraged with the third and fourth stories, which seem directionless. It's as if the author went on a creative spree, writing just to keep occupied. Unfortunately, you can't skip them, as they provide background to the kind of upbringing Bobby and Carol had, illustrating how life's unexpected turns shape who we are. We might endure it, bearing emotional and mental scars, but none of us emerge from this journey called life unscathed.

This was somewhat disappointing from King. It seems it was written during the time he experienced a terrible car accident, so we can understand if he wasn't entirely focused. Personally, I appreciate how situations beyond our control shape who we are, making life quite unpredictable. It also challenges the notion that we are solely products of our upbringing, discarding it entirely. While this might be true when we live with our parents, once we start living independently, we evolve. Mentally, we can easily break if we're not cautious. I believe it also teaches us not to judge each other's behavior too harshly. We are shaped by our life experiences, and our different paths make us unique.

Considering that, I think the book deserves a higher rating, but I read psychology textbooks for enjoyment, which is uncommon. As a writer, Stephen revisited this topic multiple times and gave it considerable thought. However, I feel that the execution of a brilliant story and its plot didn't turn out well in this case, but it still scored points for being a brilliant experience.