In the sequel to The Shining, little Danny Torrance is all grown up and trying to stay off the bottle. He still has the shining, as does twelve-year-old Abra, who’s being targeted by vampiric immortals who want to suck out her magical essence and stash her body in a culvert somewhere. There’s some genuine spookiness here, and a page-turning run-up to the climax, but the story as a whole lacks a sense of discovery. It’s workmanlike escapism—just not in the same class as King’s best novels. Reviewed on Jan. 21, 2021