The title is the first letter of a man’s name; a psychiatric patient who suffers from an extreme case of OCD. He fixates on counting, touching and ordering things; mundane objects like shoes and plates; in an effort to avoid odd numbers, which are a terrible thing, thus maintaining the order of the world. His mind didn’t always work that way, of course, and it’s how he got that way that gives the story its eerie undertone.
I like that it’s written not as a traditional narrative but a series of case notes, news articles, personal letters and emails from the perspective of four characters who ultimately have a lot in common. What I don’t like is that most of those manuscripts ramble on with meticulous detail in signature Stephen King fashion. In the end, it’s a novella that, though interesting, could’ve been much better if it were more concise.
my rating : 3 of 5
2008
