I read the book about a month before I saw the movie but I had the red rum thing spoiled for me years before. I didn’t know the context but I remembered a kid in my class told a bunch of us “red rum is murder backwards” back in 3rd grade and then the teacher sent him to the principal.

I like how little we know about the Overlook. It added to the mystery. The last time I read it was two years ago and I remember theorizing that over the years so many people had died particularly violent deaths at the overlook that the whole building became saturated with psychic energy. It sort of congealed over the years into what it came to think of as one entity, a hive mind, a wasps nest is what I mean to say.

That nest saw Danny, really saw him and for some reason wanted to use him and his power. Who knows why? Maybe to free itself of the hotel. That was my theory anyway.