This was my first Stephen King novel, so I didn't know what to expect. Would I be scared, would I like his writing style? How would the book compare to the movie? 
 The Shining did genuinely creep me out, but I was never truly frightened. I think this is because certain elements took me too much out of the story: the topiary animals in particular, but also the many unnecessary details that bogged down the book. I also knew the basic plot from having seen the movie, so there weren't too many surprises, though the ending was different (I actually can't remember all of the movie ending, so I'll need to rewatch it). 
 I was happy to see that the characters and plot were much more fleshed out than in the movie (Kubrick did seem to fail at plot and characters, even if his movies are masterpieces of cinema). I liked how Jack Torrance's alcoholism and yearning for redemption were portrayed, and I liked how his madness progressed in a slow but realistic way. I also enjoyed getting to know Wendy and Danny as characters in the book more than I did in the movie. Wendy in the book is much stronger, while Danny is more relatable and more clearly drawn, though a little too smart for a five-year-old. 
 King doesn't appear to be the most skilled writer, but he can certainly tell a good story, as evidenced by how many of his books have become movies/tv shows/miniseries. However, I have read before that he doesn't know how to properly end his books, and that was true for this book. The ending and climax of the book, which could have been great, were ultimately disappointing for some of the reasons listed above: topiary animals, too many details, not scary enough. 
 One random thing: I am still not sure how I feel about the roque mallet vs. ax. 
 Hmmm...yeah, axes are probably scarier. 
 All of the problems mentioned brought the book down to three stars, though I'm willing to try some of King's other books like It and Pet Sematary, which I am hoping will be scarier. And, of course, I am interested in reading Doctor Sleep, the sequel to The Shining.