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Content snapshot
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Violence
Very heavy
Extreme post-nuclear violence; graphic deaths throughout the massive narrative
Language
A lot
Strong language throughout
Sexual Content
Some
Some adult sexual content
Substance Use
Barely any
Some substance use in character backstories
Emotional Intensity
A lot
The cumulative psychological weight of a world destroyed; real hope earned against real horror
What this book is about
Nuclear war has destroyed America. In the ruins, three groups of survivors converge: Swan, a nine-year-old girl with the ability to make things grow; Josh Hutchins, a pro wrestler who becomes her protector; and Sister Creep, a bag lady carrying a mysterious glass ring. Against them moves a shape-shifting entity of pure malevolence. McCammon's 1987 epic is often compared to The Stand—same vast scope, same battle of good and evil across a ruined America—but with its own distinctive merciless violence and genuine tenderness.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Extreme violence in the post-nuclear setting
Graphic deaths throughout the long narrative
Evil depicted in genuinely horrifying form
Reader Verification
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