At first I thought it was a young reader's book - but it's not. I was a bit confused but intrigued all the way through and was anxious to get to the end to see what the big secret was. So I got to the end and - nothing!
It starts with, Gwendy, an unhappy, chubby twelve year old girl running up a long set of steep steps (called the Suicide Steps) in Castle Rock - a familiar Stephen King setting.
I was reminded of the steep stone steps in Stillwater, Minnesota that Dave and I conquered a few times. The view from the top was worth it.
Gwendy meets a man in a black hat who gives her a magic box with buttons on the top for her to push at her own discretion. Some are to be used for good - some not. Gwendy is careful with the box throughout the story. She rarely uses even the buttons that bring her good things. Only once or twice does she use the buttons to bring destruction to others. (The second time it was necessary to save her life.)
At the end of the story Gwendy is a college graduate headed for a wonderful life. The man in the black hat returns to retrieve the box and she gives it to him. It's secret is never explained!
WHAT?
So I've been forced to do the work myself. First, I'm glad the protagonist is a young woman because I think the box is a symbol of empowerment. We all have more power than we think - but many of us either misuse it or deny it. How much power do we have to save ourselves or the world - or destroy ourselves and a bit of the world as well?
Where does this power come from? How much of our life choices are our own doing or intervention from an unseen force?
I think, overall, Gwendy made good choices with the button box. I hope, in the time I have left on this earth, I can continue, first, acknowledge that I still have power - and to push (mostly) the right buttons.
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