I read this (and several others in the series) as a middle or high schooler, and I remember liking it well enough.

But that's all I remember. (I'm lying. One scene from one of the sequels stuck with me. But my point is that I forgot the plot, entirely, as I do. It's a terrible super power.)

I wanted to re-read this first book, at least, before the upcoming movie. And then I learned that the movie will apparently take place after all of the books, which increased my todo list significantly.

Honestly? It's been a slog. I am out of practice at reading books entirely by, about, and (it seems to me) for men. I used to take it as a matter of course, but now I'm spoiled by books in universes where I could be a protagonist. It took up until the last few pages for me to get really into this book, this time, even with the newfound freedom to imagine the Gunslinger as Idris Elba.

I remember that there's at least one woman whose viewpoint matters to the story in the upcoming books, and the last chapter did hook me; so I'll keep at it, with breaks for books in other genres.