At first, the story of Luke and his friends is disconnected from Tim’s story, but their stories intertwine later in the novel. He starts the narrative by telling the story of Tim, a man who becomes a police officer in a small town. The pacing of the book is a bit slower than usual for King.

Avery starts as an underrated 10-year-old, but as the story progresses, he becomes the main voice in the group because he has the greatest level of power.

He fights the staff as part of his daily routine. Nick is the bad boy every girl has a crush on. Kalisha is one of the main leaders and every decision passes through her. Luke is friendly with everybody and because of his intellect, he is an important force in the group. The social dynamics between the kids are interesting.

From the physical abuse, the kids suffer to Luke having to cut his earlobe off in a very descriptive passage, the elements of physical and emotional trauma remind the reader that this is not a typical childhood story like we are used to. The surprising level of violence changes the mood of the narrative. There are moments that make you feel claustrophobic, with the rooms offering no windows and a playground surrounded by a large fence. It is only enhanced by the description of the setting. It is almost as painful for the reader as it is for the characters. Not only are they taken away from home, but they also can’t ask or do anything about their current situation. The procedures are explicitly described and that helps the reader feel how much the kids are being violated. If they complain or argue, they are physically abused by the staff. They suffer through painful and humiliating procedures, including taking endless shots. They don’t have access to the world outside of the Institute’s walls. Those who end up at the Institute are branded as TP (telepathy) or TK (telekinesis). However, all that changes when he is taken to the Institute. Luke is a prodigy and has been accepted into two colleges. It is a page-turning narrative that tells the tale of becoming an adult even when you are only a child. Stephen King’s new book, “The Institute,” tells the story of Luke, a 12-year-old boy who is kidnapped and brought to a facility, the Institute, because of his psychic abilities.

The institute stephen king book review