Reviews with content warning for Drug abuse - Misery

I don’t even know where to start with reviewing this. I had to leave a day to collect my thoughts together. Although I’ve watched a lot of his movies, this was my first Stephen King novel and it’s kind of exactly what I expected based off his movies.. I felt like I was the one high on drugs reading this (probably not helped by the fact I kept reading this before sleeping after night shifts!)

I found the first third slower in pace and it took me a while to get into the story, but the tension and suspense soon ramped up, and I flew through the rest of the pages on the edge of my seat.

This was a fascinating and unique plot, in that the entirety was based in one location with only two characters, which added to the feeling of captivity Paul felt. Annie was a truly chilling character; written brilliantly, she was unpredictable, unhinged and depraved, switching within seconds so that the anxiety and fear Paul felt around her was palpable.

Overall, a dark and chilling story, with a lot of violent + gory scenes (some of which I had to take a second away from), which I did enjoy but which left me with one question.. after all that suspense and build-up, WHAT was that ending!? Is this a King thing? I never understand the endings of any of his stories🤯

𝑬𝒇𝒇𝒚 @ 𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍 🥀

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storyorc's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

When Steven King wants you to be uncomfortable, you will be uncomfortable. Biggest (pleasant) surprise is that this is a more compelling insight into Steven King's thoughts on writing than his actual memoir, On Writing.

Annie and Paul are forever showing us new layers, making Misery a page-turning character study despite the slim cast. Both are at times repulsive, sometimes even while being relatable, and at times impressive. Annie's fickle moods are a curiosity and a terror in themselves; she deserves to be on all the villain toplists for depth and depravity both.

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elisabethkatee's review against another edition

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dark tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

4.5

i have never felt so purely TERRIFIED TO THE CORE as i did when reading this book. i mean maybe when i read IT a few years ago but other than that this book really got to me. I WAS GENUINLY SO SCARED HOLY SHIT !! Annie Wilkes‘ character was just so expertly crafted alongside the awfully claustrophobic setting and it just made for the most horrific but memorable story. wow! omdef one of my new fav king novels! bahhhhh okay yeah wow!

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