You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
sometimes I like his author's notes as much as the book.
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Self harm, Torture, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder
Abandoned ship. This is unprecedented in my Stephen King reading. I enjoy his books, I admire his writing, but this just did not engage me at all. It is a hefty tome, and I gave it the chance of the several hundred pages of a ‘normal’ novel, but nothing tied me in. As I am a grown-up, I decided to move along quietly.
Stephen King's best work by far! Absolutely amazing!
Note - Listened to on Audible.
I read the reviews, and people extolled it as one King's best. Although, I don't necessarily agree, I also feel like it's not a BAD book, it's just not my style. The narrative structure he used was a bit confusing, and as I listened, it seemed to be a number of stories packed into one novel.
Initially, I was having a hard time remaining focused, as Lisa (aka Lisey) Landon's narrative was a bit more stream of consciousness and free-flowing. She made references to phrases, colloquialisms and expressions that were unique to her and Scott Landon (her deceased author husband) - that ultimately are explained - but using them initially without context was a bit discombobulating. I found it hard to engage with the story, because I felt like I was missing key details to understand what Lisey was talking about. Also, the story quickly switches between current events and the past, with merely the change in a chapter - so it being an audiobook, wasn't necessarily clear to me. With that being said, Mare Winningham is a stunning narrator - and did her best with the source material to help take the reader along in the least jarring way possible.
Also, I can't say the description of the book was...very descriptive? So, I went in unsure what to expect. I know King has moved away from horror and moved more towards introspective supernatural and sci-fi, but this book almost seemed like a straight forward novel. Until he started weaving in references to the "bad gunky" and "Booya Moon." They are interesting concept for sure - but almost unexpected after the initial story about Scott being shot and Lisey's mentally ill sister Amanda. It veers into the supernatural rather quickly - so I still am not sure what type of book this is supposed to be.
And although the story is confusing and seems a bit disjointed - it's a well-written book! So, that's where I'm torn. It's classic King and written like a master...but the story just didn't click with me. BUT, the themes of overcoming trauma, grief, and the specter of mental health did resonate with me. So, did Scott's brother and father actually get possessed by an otherworldly creature (aka the aforementioned bad gunky)...or was it all an allegory for a poor child's inability to cope with his brother and father's severe mental illness?! Is Buya Moon symbolic of what we do to escape the bad things in life? I came to these questions given the nebulous and epherial nature of the descriptions of these places. In his note afterward, King even refers to the recharging pool something that readers all across the world dive into for healing, refreshment, and the feeling of newness. So, maybe this is just a tribute to books and writers and reading?
I don't mind symbolism and I don't mind asking these questions, but I'm always more partial to linear, concrete stories.
I read the reviews, and people extolled it as one King's best. Although, I don't necessarily agree, I also feel like it's not a BAD book, it's just not my style. The narrative structure he used was a bit confusing, and as I listened, it seemed to be a number of stories packed into one novel.
Initially, I was having a hard time remaining focused, as Lisa (aka Lisey) Landon's narrative was a bit more stream of consciousness and free-flowing. She made references to phrases, colloquialisms and expressions that were unique to her and Scott Landon (her deceased author husband) - that ultimately are explained - but using them initially without context was a bit discombobulating. I found it hard to engage with the story, because I felt like I was missing key details to understand what Lisey was talking about. Also, the story quickly switches between current events and the past, with merely the change in a chapter - so it being an audiobook, wasn't necessarily clear to me. With that being said, Mare Winningham is a stunning narrator - and did her best with the source material to help take the reader along in the least jarring way possible.
Also, I can't say the description of the book was...very descriptive? So, I went in unsure what to expect. I know King has moved away from horror and moved more towards introspective supernatural and sci-fi, but this book almost seemed like a straight forward novel. Until he started weaving in references to the "bad gunky" and "Booya Moon." They are interesting concept for sure - but almost unexpected after the initial story about Scott being shot and Lisey's mentally ill sister Amanda. It veers into the supernatural rather quickly - so I still am not sure what type of book this is supposed to be.
And although the story is confusing and seems a bit disjointed - it's a well-written book! So, that's where I'm torn. It's classic King and written like a master...but the story just didn't click with me. BUT, the themes of overcoming trauma, grief, and the specter of mental health did resonate with me. So, did Scott's brother and father actually get possessed by an otherworldly creature (aka the aforementioned bad gunky)...or was it all an allegory for a poor child's inability to cope with his brother and father's severe mental illness?! Is Buya Moon symbolic of what we do to escape the bad things in life? I came to these questions given the nebulous and epherial nature of the descriptions of these places. In his note afterward, King even refers to the recharging pool something that readers all across the world dive into for healing, refreshment, and the feeling of newness. So, maybe this is just a tribute to books and writers and reading?
I don't mind symbolism and I don't mind asking these questions, but I'm always more partial to linear, concrete stories.
3.35 i feel like this went on for-shmuckinggggg-EVER!!! i did have to re rent it and wasn’t listening to it for a couple weeks…. the last 4-5 hours things started to pickup… or happen
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence
6/5 stars.
I started this yesterday, finished it today. I liked it that much. Characters my age, by a fellow author my age, so lots of clever references that I could relate to. I love his style in general, and likely emulate it sometimes, but this was a fascinating book. Sometimes I could see what was coming, but how we got there was intriguing. Life is not always about the destination, it is also about the journey.
I started this yesterday, finished it today. I liked it that much. Characters my age, by a fellow author my age, so lots of clever references that I could relate to. I love his style in general, and likely emulate it sometimes, but this was a fascinating book. Sometimes I could see what was coming, but how we got there was intriguing. Life is not always about the destination, it is also about the journey.
I know that Stephen King considers Lisey’s Story to be among his best works. With all due respect to my favorite author, I disagree in the strongest terms. I found little to no enjoyment in reading this one.
The reason is simple enough: I could not get past the baby talk. It’s a personal pet peeve. I have no stomach for it, and it hits me right in the nerves. Here, it completely took me out of what might otherwise have been a romantic, haunting, slow-burn thriller.
This is my penultimate read as I catch up on King’s full bibliography (of all his novels, novellas, and short story collections, only Blaze remains), and… what a disappointment.
Were I to rank the 77 Stephen King books on my Goodreads “read” shelves, this one would – regrettably – be #77.
The reason is simple enough: I could not get past the baby talk. It’s a personal pet peeve. I have no stomach for it, and it hits me right in the nerves. Here, it completely took me out of what might otherwise have been a romantic, haunting, slow-burn thriller.
This is my penultimate read as I catch up on King’s full bibliography (of all his novels, novellas, and short story collections, only Blaze remains), and… what a disappointment.
Were I to rank the 77 Stephen King books on my Goodreads “read” shelves, this one would – regrettably – be #77.