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The Shining

Jack Torrance takes a caretaker job at the isolated Overlook Hotel, hoping to reconnect with his family and write. As strange forces gather during winter, only gifted five-year-old Danny notices.

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#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In this tour de force from the undisputed King of Horror, a young family confronts an unspeakable evil in the harsh isolation of winter in the Rocky Mountains.

“An undisputed master of suspense and terror.” — The Washington Post

Jack Torrance’s new job at the Overlook Hotel is the perfect chance for a fresh start. As the off-season caretaker at the atmospheric old hotel, he’ll have plenty of time to spend reconnecting with his family and working on his writing. But when the oppressive winter weather sets in, the idyllic location feels ever more remote . . . and more sinister. As strange and terrible forces gather around the Overlook, the only one to notice is the uniquely gifted five-year-old Danny Torrance—yet the true horror lurking within its walls is beyond human comprehension.

First published: 1977
Publisher: Vintage
Pages: 688
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Horror profile

Scary: 4 out of 5
Creepy: 4 out of 5
Gore: 3 out of 5
Disturbing: 4 out of 5
Weird: 3 out of 5

How we calculate this

These are editorial estimates of intensity, informed by reading and review evidence, then checked before publication. They aren't star ratings, reader-vote averages or a measure of quality.

Each dimension runs from 1 (low) to 5 (exceptionally intense). A 5 is reserved for strongly consistent evidence. People experience horror differently.

Scary: Fear, tension and immediate threat.
Creepy: Unease, dread and an uncanny atmosphere.
Gore: Graphic injury, blood and bodily detail.
Disturbing: Upsetting ideas and lingering psychological impact.
Weird: Surreal, strange and reality-bending elements.

We draw a filled profile only when all five scores have been reviewed. Unrated does not mean mild. Missing scores are not estimated from genre tags or your saved taste. This profile isn't a complete content-warning guide.