Stephen King’s new book recalls one of his short stories from 40 years ago

Warning: This article contains SPOILERS for “Willie the Weirdo” and “Gramma” by Stephen King.

You like it darker contains a combination of recently published and brand new stories from Stephen KingAnd The collection even recalls one of the author’s stories from 40 years ago. King’s short story collections always contain impressive new additions, so it is no wonder that You like it darker is one of the greatest horror books of 2024. It marks a return to the author’s roots and presents the dark horror stories that launched his prolific writing career.

Some of the best stories from You like it darker are completely original, but The collection contains some allusions to King’s earlier works. rattlesnakes, the scariest story in You like it darkeris a loose sequel to 1981 Cujo. It offers a certain closure for CujoThe Trenton family and the readers who are rooting for their fate. King’s new book also recalls one of the author’s well-known stories from 40 years ago, offering an eerily similar narrative and twist.

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You Like It Darker has a surprising connection to Stephen King’s story “Gramma”

This horror story first appeared in 1984

“Willie the Weirdo” is one of the most disturbing additions to You like it darker, And The ending will remind longtime King fans of an earlier short story: “Gramma.” This horror story first appeared in Strange book in 1984, and it later appeared in King’s 1985 collection, Skeleton crew. Gramma is about a young boy named George who is forced to watch his ailing grandmother while his mother and brother are hospitalized. While waiting for her to return, George remembers disturbing things he has seen and heard about Gramma. When these memories resurface, he realizes that she is not moving.

When George discovers that his grandmother is dead, he tries to contact his family – but he is surprised when he hears Grandma Bruckner calling him. She manages to hug him, and the end of the story suggests that she takes possession of George or even takes over his body completely. It is an eerie turn of events, and it is one that is repeated in You like it darkers “Willie the Spinner”.

How “Willie the Weirdo” recalls Stephen King’s 40-year-old short story

The structure and twist are eerily similar to those of “Gramma”

You like it darker recalls “Gramma” 40 years laterbecause “Willie the Weirdo” has the same setup and twist as King’s previous horror story. Like “Gramma,” the newer story begins with a young boy spending time with a grandparent – this time a grandfather who likes to tell brutal war stories. Willie believes his grandfather is making it all up, since he wasn’t present at the conflicts in question. The end of the story, however, implies that Willie’s grandfather is actually alive for a long time. Just like the grandmother in “Gramma,” he seems to accomplish this by jumping into other people’s bodies.

King’s narrative in “Willie the Weirdo” is incredibly similar to that of “Gramma.” to the disturbing descriptions of the grandparents. Like George, Willie believes his grandfather is dead – although he is more fascinated by the body than King’s previous protagonist. Willie’s fascination causes his grandfather to grab his wrist, and the end of the story suggests that he now lives in Willie’s body. It is obvious that this story is from You like it darker is inspired by Stephen King‘s earlier story. It might even feature the same kind of monster.