The Institute

Critically acclaimed, The Institute (2019) is the 60th entry in Stephen King’s body of more than 100 works. While best known as a horror writer (and one of the most popular writers since the 1970s in general), King dabbles in many genres, including fantasy, mystery, and science fiction—often blurring the boundaries between them. The Institute is more sci-fi thriller than horror, sharing story beats and themes with King’s earlier novels Firestarter and It: It follows 12-year-old Luke Ellis, a psychically gifted boy, as he is abducted by the titular Institute and tries to escape with other imprisoned children.

Stephen King won over 30 awards for his fiction, including the Locus Award for The Institute in 2020. His novels and short stories were adapted into 39 films (with another 16 planned as of 2022) and 13 television series (with another seven planned as of 2022). As of May 2022, a limited television series for The Institute is in the works.

Content Warning: The Institute contains child abuse and references to concentration camps.

This guide is based on the 2019 Scribner Kindle edition.

Plot Summary

Ex-police officer Tim Jamieson is on his way to New York from Sarasota, Florida, when he cashes in his plane ticket and hitchhikes north on a whim.