ThinnerThinner
Score Classic
What it's about
Billy Halleck, an overweight, successful lawyer in Connecticut, hits and kills an old Romani woman with his car while distracted. His friends in the police and the courts make sure he's cleared. As Billy leaves the courthouse, the woman's ancient father touches his cheek and whispers one word: 'Thinner.' Billy begins to lose weight, and he can't stop.
Why it's worth reading
It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. Stephen King wrote it as Richard Bachman, and it's one of his nastiest morality tales.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
Its portrayal of Romani people relies on stereotypes. There's violence and a bleak ending.
By the numbers
- Readers9 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller59 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #75 of the 86 horror books we rank
- #695 of the 762 classics we rank
- #2454 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Dark, Gripping
More by Richard Bachman
If you like this, read next
The Stand
It
The Shining
Different Seasons
Misery
The Picture of Dorian GrayExplore the best-of lists
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Quick answers
Is Thinner worth reading?
Yes. It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list. It ranks #2,454 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 59.2 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Thinner about?
Billy Halleck, an overweight, successful lawyer in Connecticut, hits and kills an old Romani woman with his car while distracted. His friends in the police and the courts make sure he's cleared. As Billy leaves the courthouse, the woman's ancient father touches his cheek and whispers one word: 'Thinner.' Billy begins to lose weight, and he can't stop.
How long does it take to read Thinner?
About 9 hours (352 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Thinner?
If you liked it, try Pet Sematary by Stephen King, Cujo by Stephen King or The Dark Half by Stephen King.