While Stephen King’s 66 books, the iconic horror writer has told all sorts of stories. At his best, King has produced masterful horror stories like It and The Shining, but also all-time great non-horror classics like the novellas "The Body" and "Rita Hayworth and The Shawshank Redemption," which were adapted as Stand By Me and The Shawshank Redemption.
Some of King’s nastiest stories even creeped out the writer himself and, impressively enough, he is a rare author who remains interesting even in his least acclaimed works. Some of King's lesser books, like Dreamcatcher, are messy and imperfect, but they remain full of intriguing ideas nonetheless. As such, it is high praise when the author singles out a novel as truly original, and that is just what King did when he spotlighted one thriller from 2014.
Stephen King Said He'd "Never Read Anything Like" You By Caroline Kepnes
The Legendary Horror Author Raved About The Novel In An X Post
In a post on Netflix adaptation You spawned five seasons and gained a massive fan base.
King's praise of You was shared by both readers and critics, as Kepnes' novel became a huge hit upon release. Its biggest selling point was the unusual narration style, which addresses the reader directly as they are lured into the mind of the surprisingly witty, self-effacing serial killer Joe Goldberg. Joe’s snarky remarks make him unexpectedly easy to like, despite his terrible crimes, and the second-person narration draws in the reader more than most efforts in the genre.
Why You Stands Out So Much In The Thriller Book Genre
You’s Titular Second-Person Perspective Made The Novel A Huge Hit
King is correct to note that, within the crowded world of genre thrillers, You is a standout success. Kepnes’ book consistently uses its second-person narration to make an otherwise straightforward story much creepier, forcing readers to grapple with how much they relate to and enjoy the company of a remorseless serial killer. Even Netflix’s successful adaptation of You, despite its popularity, has never quite been able to recapture the intensity of the original novel. Like King’s best books, Kepnes’ You traps the reader in the mind of its protagonist.
It is understandable that King was eager to see more from Kepnes after he read the novel.
You seemed like a tough act to follow, and it is understandable that King was eager to see more from Kepnes after he read the novel. Fortunately, the three sequels in the thriller series managed to maintain the same dark appeal as the original novel while expanding Joe’s backstory and his internal world. While Joe may have become a more believable character in his subsequent adventures, he never lost his evil edge as Kepnes’ series continued.
You Went On To Spawn Sequels & An Incredibly Successful Netflix Show
You Became Both A Hit Netflix Show And A Lengthy Book Series
You’s sequels were well regarded, while the TV show adaptation of You went through its ups and downs across its five seasons. You season 1 was broadly acclaimed, although some critics noted it lacked the source novel’s insular intensity. Season 2 was also well-liked, but season 3 was the most rapturously acclaimed outing yet.
"You" Franchise Release Timeline (In Chronological Order) |
|
Entry |
Release Year |
You (Book 1) |
2014 |
Hidden Bodies (Book 2) |
2016 |
You Season 1 |
2018 |
You Season 1 |
2019 |
You Love Me (Book 3) |
2021 |
You Season 3 |
2021 |
You Season 4 |
2023 |
For You And Only You (Book 4) |
2023 |
Season 4’s trip across the pond managed to maintain the show’s popularity despite stretching credulity, which made the news that season 5 would be the franchise’s final outing both bittersweet and somewhat welcome. Fortunately, You season 5, part 1, like the novel that started the entire series, was as good as Stephen King’s praise from 2014 implied.
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