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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
This was a great book from Stephen King, filled with the story of a loving marriage, sisterhood, and of course, madness. I loved the idea of this alternate world so close to ours a theme that King has touched on many many times, but I always enjoy his take on this idea. I was impressed with King's ability to tell this tale from the female perspective, he's getting better at that, I think this is his third or fourth book from the female voice. Another book that tells the story of what it is like to be an incredibly popular novelist (a main character that recurringly shows up in his books) with obsessive fans and how it affects the writer's family, which I guess I find interesting, since Iread so much. But I'm not an obsessive fan, really.
I finished it! This is the first 500 page book I have read in a long time! Also, the first Stephen King book I have read in a long time. I am glad that I did. It took me a little while to get into it, with all the jumping around. But once I did, I was glad to be there. It is the closest thing to a love story that he has written, that I know of. I enjoy the thought of having that connection with the one you love...He did it the only way Stephen King knows how.
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Lisey's story, both the book and the story in the book with the same title, are not about Lisey but about her husband who apparently wants a mother and makes Lisey be that mother. She seems to be fine with it because she has no life or personality of her own.
I really wanted to like this one, as I know it's one of King's own favorites. But instead of the picture of a marriage that I thought it was going to be throughout, it turned into a red-eyes-and-fangs horror novel, which is not my thing. I found the marital shorthand and vocabulary ("smucking" ugh) cringe-inducing, and I didn't get a sense of who Lisey was before her widowhood. Did she only become three-dimensional after Scott's death? And I know it's right there on page 1, but I couldn't master the pronunciation of her name when I read it!
Lisey’s Story is paint-by-numbers King—a convoluted glut of tropes he’s used a million times that end up equaling less than the sum of their parts. For his supposed “favorite novel”, it’s odd that scant few moments feel natural or inspired, like Scott’s relationship with his father, a novel twist on the typical nasty King parent. In these moments the book at least offers some intriguing complications amidst the trite.
Mostly though, it’s King at his most insufferably precious. If you don’t want to throw this through the wall after the twentieth SOWISA, then you’re made of sterner stuff than I, babyluv.
2 out of 5
Bright-red Pennywise Clown Noses
Mostly though, it’s King at his most insufferably precious. If you don’t want to throw this through the wall after the twentieth SOWISA, then you’re made of sterner stuff than I, babyluv.
2 out of 5
Bright-red Pennywise Clown Noses
I loved the story and the writing but this dragggged for me.
The story and writing felt more akin to three stars, but it had enough heart to warrant an extra bump. In a lot of ways this felt precursory to King's 11/22/63.
I'm surprised that Stephen King says this is one of his favourites. I found it pretty slow, the world-building lacking, and the repeated inside jokes between Scott and Lisey grating. I do love this about King's books though - different ones click with different people, and there aren't any clear "best" books for everyone.