Needful Things is a novel by Stephen King, about an unusual man named Leland Gaunt who comes to the town of Castle Rock and sets up a shop called Needful Things. By preying on the residents’ deepest desires, he manipulates them to carry out his destructive and deadly plans.
The book focuses on the relationships Gaunt develops with the townspeople, and how he coerces them in to doing horrible things. When someone would come in to his store alone, he would show them the item they want most in the world, such as a rare baseball card or Elvis’s sunglasses (which were both actual items in the book). These things would normally be worth hundreds or thousands of dollars, but Gaunt gives them away free in exchange for doing a favor or prank on someone, such as cutting their tires.
Through his dealings, Gaunt carries out an elaborate plan to literally destroy the town. The intricacy of the manipulations is incredible, which is why Needful Things is probably my favorite Stephen King novel. I am bewildered that such an amazing plot could ever be developed by a human mind, but it was. I watched the movie of Needful Things and it did not do the book justice, but that’s because there simply was not enough time.
I highly recommend that any human who has ever lived read this book, even if they are already dead or illiterate. Check it out!
