#1 New York Times bestselling author Stephen King’s beloved novella, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption—the basis for the Best Picture Academy Award–nominee The Shawshank Redemption—about an unjustly imprisoned convict who seeks a strangely satisfying revenge, is now available for the first time as a standalone book.

A mesmerizing tale of unjust imprisonment and offbeat escape, Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption is one of Stephen King’s most beloved and iconic stories, and it helped make Castle Rock a place readers would return to over and over again. Suspenseful, mysterious, and heart-wrenching, this iconic King novella, populated by a cast of unforgettable characters, is about a fiercely compelling convict named Andy Dufresne who is seeking his ultimate revenge. Originally published in 1982 in the collection Different Seasons (alongside “The Body,” “Art Pupil,” and “The Breathing Method”), it was made into the film The Shawshank Redemption in 1994. Starring Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, this modern classic was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and is among the most beloved films of all time.

My Review

“Remember that hope is a good thing, Red, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.”

I broke my own rules with this book. I’ve seen the movie before I read the book. Okay, here’s the deal. The movie came out in 1994 and I wasn’t even ten years old yet. But why my parents let me see this film? I’ll never know.

Shawshank Redemption is one of my favorite movies and when they re-released this short story in paperback, I knew that I needed this edition for my collection. We all know how the story goes but I was interested in reading this for two reasons: Stephen King is a master storyteller making him one of my favorite authors and I wanted to see how much the book differs from the movie. And I am proud to announce that not much was different. A few things were off but I believe that was to beef up the movie a bit and make it more exciting.

Stephen King knows how to capture an audience with his captivating way of bringing a story to light. His mesmerizing words are crafted flawlessly as the story progresses. You can’t help but be dazzled by his stories filled with dread and sometimes redemption. This one was just as fantastic as his other novels and paired with a great film, it makes this pair unstoppable. I can’t recommend this book enough!