Under the Dome by Stephen King

Oh my gosh, a daunting 1072 pages, but I could hardly put it down. Chester's Mill, Maine is suddenly isolated when a glass-like dome covers their community. All of the characters in this story make the whole, the good and the bad, the kind and the mean. Dale Barbara, known as Barbie, a short order fry cook, used to be in the army, becomes hated (threatened) by "big fish in the pond" Jim Rennie, a member (and leader) of the selectmen of the town. Jim Junior and his three callous, conniving buddies ( Jr does have a little heart, though, you'll see.. ) savage young mother Sammy Bushy. Eric "Rusty" Everett, married, two kids, a physician's assistant finds his medical talent in great demand after the doctor succumbs to a heart attack after completing a complicated surgery. Newspaperwoman Julia Shumway wants to print the truth and risks her life to do so. There are many more important characters, too numerous to try to name, but all are central to the vice, corruption, kindheartedness, religiousness (?), the struggle to do right or wrong in a small town that is captured, with no way out. I can't begin to explain it. If you like complicated, mysterious, shocking, caring stories, Dome is for you. Sandy Penton