Top ten differences between ‘Doctor Sleep’ book and film.

Doctor Sleep film and novel is a sequel to psychological horror ‘The Shining’ (novel and film). The Shining was one of Stephen King’s most celebrated text, and subsequently one of Stanley Kubrick's most celebrated works.

It’s hardly a secret that King HATED Kubrick’s interpretation of his work. From Shelly Duval’s character being reduced to a “Screaming Dish rag” to Jack’s unsympathetic exterior. He hated it so much he later helped produce an honest text-to-screen adaptation in the 90s.

However, now Doctor Sleep is here. And it seems King has no major complaints, as it is fairly faithful to the source material.

Doctor Sleep features a grown up Doc, or Dan Torrance, in the titular role. Dan/Danny starts off as an alcoholic, like his father. However, instead of a downward spiral that turns him into a killer, Dan works on his addiction.

Throughout the story, Dan constantly tries to be a better person, clearly horrified by the traumas of his past.

Dan meets another ‘shiner’, a teen girl called Abra. The story revolves around Dan and Abra’s face-off with a psychic-vampire cult called ‘True-Knot’ led by Rose the Hat.

These Vampires feast on the ‘steam’ of children with Shine. Truly evil in pure King fashion, they eat fear and drink screams.

While the book and movie are equally great (and chill-inducing), there are some differences between the two.

1. Origin of ‘Doctor Sleep’

After Dan realises his alcoholism has become deadly, he joins an Alcoholics Anonymous group.

Dan becomes the titular ‘Doctor Sleep’ in the book as he accidentally follows the cat Azzie.

While the book has a similar origin story, Dan himself has some psychic ability to predict their deaths.

In both the stories, Doctor Sleep helps the dying elderly to embrace death not with fear, but comfort and satisfaction.

2. The True-Knot

This super interesting vampire-esque cult is slightly different in the text.

Firstly, they are much larger in population in the books (41 when the novel begins). Which makes sense because there are only so many characters you can focus on in a two-hour film.

The members of the book True-knot are not blind followers of Rose the Hat, unlike the film. Once Rose’s focus on Abra becomes somewhat of an obsession, a few members start to abandon their cult in order to self-preserve.

The True-knot also knew something like 9/11 was about to happen, and made way for new Steam there.

3. Dan and Abra’s relationship

The film makes it feels like the connection between Danny and Abra is one of pure coincidence. After all, Dick also shined to young Danny almost immediately. However, Danny and Abra are actually related in the books. Turns out, the alcoholic Jack Torrance was not the best of husbands, and Abra’s mother is actually Danny’s half-sister. This revelation makes the connection between the book Dan and Abra that much more potent and intriguing.

The movie did acknowledge this fact when Abra decides to call him “Uncle Danny” without further explanations.

4. Abra’s Origin story

In the film, Abra’s true power is revealed after a magic show which she tries to duplicate. In the book, however, she is traumatised when she predicts that 9/11 was going to happen.

5. Measles storyline

This subplot is completely absent from the film. The last boy, Trevor, killed and consumed by True-Knot had measles. True-Knot members are not invincible/immortal but only have elongated and mostly powerful life. They can still fall into the trap of modern diseases or be killed as normal humans or ‘rubes’. The centuries old vampires start falling ill due to the measles-laced steam. Rose believes that Abra’s steam will cure them, hence the others also follow her in this hunt.

6. Overlook Hotel

It is not a pure coincidence that Danny and Abra choose the Overlook as the final battle spot. The book True-Knot owns many businesses and campgrounds/rest areas secretly to cover up their meetings, turnings, and feeding. One of these is Bluebell Camp ground outside of Sidewinder, Colorado, where the Overlook Hotel once stood.

The film Shining left the Overlook standing. However, in both Shining and Doctor Sleep novels, King clarifies that the Overlook was burned down to ashes.

The novel’s events take place on the site of the hotel, and not actually inside the hotel (like the film).

7. Cancer steam

As mentioned before, the members are more populous in the book. While everyone except Crow-Daddy and Rose dies in the shootout in the film, the book events are different.

Only a handful of members die during the shootout with Billy and Dan, the others press on towards the Overlook.

Before coming here, Dan makes a quick pit-stop at Abra’s grandmother, who is dying of cancer (mentioned in the film). Concetta is the woman with whom Jack Torrance had an affair, making her daughter Dan’s half-sister, and her granddaughter Dan’s niece.

He traps her steam and uses this steam to feed the remaining members of the True-Knot, thus killing them all.

8. Jack Torrance

Jack Torrance only appears in Dan’s memories in the film.

The book Dan is slightly luckier, as the spirit of his father appears to help in this fight. Jack not only helps Dan and Abra to kill Rose the Hat, he has apparently found peace in the afterlife. The book offers a little more sympathetic look into Jack Torrance unlike both The Shining and Doctor Sleep screen adaptations.

9. Rose’s death.

Film Rose dies a very grimly and slow death as she is devoured by the spirits of the Overlook hotel.

Book Rose’s death is much more mundane. With help of Jack’s spirit, Dan and Abra manage to push her off a viewing deck around the overlook Hotel. She falls and breaks her neck, dying eventually.

It’s less cinematic, but more satisfying. Jack finally helps Danny with something, he’s making amends for the childhood traumas.

10. They’re not dead!

Ending on a happy note, book Billy, Abra’s dad, and Danny survive!

None of the book characters die in so many unfortunate ways as their film counterparts.

Billy helps during the Overlook mayhem, playing an instrumental role in Dan and Abra’s survival.

While the film Abra receives a visit from Ghost Dan at the end, the book Abra celebrates her birthday with Uncle Danny.

Dan is now fifteen years sober and teaching Abra about the cycles of addiction in the family, asking her to be careful.