The Institute
A slow burn with Stranger Things vibes, The Institute had its moments but keeping focused through it was a real challenge for me.
I finally finished The Institute by Stephen King and oh my god, it was a bit of a struggle. I picked it up in February, thinking I’d breeze through it but man, this one really tested my patience. I nearly put it down three times because the story moved so slowly! It dragged in places where I expected tension and there were moments where I couldn’t help but wonder if the plot really needed to be stretched out this much.
What kept me hanging on was the setting. There’s something about a creepy secret facility full of gifted kids that just pulled me in. It had definite Stranger Things energy and I’d seen people mention that in other reviews, so I was curious to see how it all played out. The idea of kids with psychic abilities being experimented on was intriguing and King’s world-building still had that eerie charm he’s so good at. That was enough to keep me flipping pages, even when my attention was slipping.
There were a few solid moments like some of the friendships between the kids were sweet and there were scenes where the tension finally kicked in. I liked seeing how Luke, the main kid, tried to outsmart the system and the backstory of the facility did keep me interested at times. But honestly, for most of the book, I had a hard time staying fully engaged. I’d read a few pages and find myself zoning out or checking how far I still had to go.
Smash Hit Score: 3/5
It wasn’t a total miss but it definitely wasn’t one of my favourites either. If you’re into slow-burn thrillers with a bit of sci-fi flair, it might be worth checking out. Just don’t expect it to be a quick or gripping read. For me, it was a mix of cool ideas weighed down by a story that took way too long to get going.