I didn't even realize I was near the end because that last part was so intense! I couldn't stop listening and the whole book and day just went by without my noticing! Okay, so how cool is it that Dan and Abra's mom turned out to be half-siblings?! I'd normally think it's not really necessary to the story, but I think it's part of the magical realism of the story and speaks to why/how Abra connected to Dan in the first place. It also made that whole rubbing the lips thing as a family trait a lot more interesting, plus the potential alcoholism and violent tendencies in the family. I love that SK didn't just end the story after they settled the True Knot issue, but that there were scenes later as Abra grew up where Dan and Abra spoke about her trying alcohol, and telling her the story of his father/her grandfather and their violent streaks. I love that he advised her and showed that she can choose what to do with all that family history.
No one can help you if you don't want to help yourself, and I think that's the whole story with Jack in the Shining. He resented having to quit, he resented having to take the job at the Overlook, he resented his friends helping him, he resented having to take care of his family. Dan, on the other hand, learned/was taught that it's okay to ask for help and accept help. The earlier chapters in this book remind us of that again because as soon as he was struggling with his demons, he turned to both his mom and Hallorann for help. And although Dan is like his dad with the alcoholism tendencies, he is fundamentally a better/stronger/more open-hearted person with a better upbringing.
Speaking of, I also love the sobriety scene before that with Dan hitting 15 years, because that's the whole point. He was able to choose what to do with his family history. I love that he was 15 years sober! So proud, so happy for him! That whole ending got me choked up. All the excitement before with dealing with the True Knot was thrilling and all, but it was after that, that choked me up. I also love that at the end, Dan's father's ghost at the Overlook helped Dan with Rose the Hat. Full circle. What goes around comes around. Which now reminds me of Fred Carling at the end. I'm sorry I'm jumping all over the place, but it's just all the circles linking up in the end and it is brilliant!! I'm constantly blown away by SK's genius, with not enough brain cells to process and talk about it coherently!
