Reviews - Dolores Claiborne

2.02k reviews for:

What I loved:

1. Dolores - one tough mother who I absolutely adored
2. The connection to [b:Gerald's Game|32692|Gerald's Game|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1297737756l/32692._SY75_.jpg|4847031] specifically Jessie Mahout
3. The connection to [b:Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption|39664|Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption|Stephen King|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1315100686l/39664._SY75_.jpg|24951203], iykyk but this is why I love reading King in chronological order
4. Did I mentioned Dolores? She is absolutely fantastic. One of the best King characters I have ever read, hands down.

What I didn't love:

1. No chapter breaks

If you are looking for a place to enter King's world this may be one of the absolute best choices. Regardless of the lack of chapters, you will find yourself wanting more and to just finish one last page...only to realize it has come to a close. In the world of King, this is pretty damn close to perfection and is an instant new favorite of mine.

michellec13's review against another edition

4.0

dark reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

angeline_bonn's review against another edition

4.0

dark fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Content Warnings

crazylady_usmc's review against another edition

4.25

dark emotional tense medium-paced

jgal1974's review against another edition

4.5

dark hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

madeleinecocina's review against another edition

4.0

Me gustó la forma de narración... buena historia!

boards_books_and_brews's review against another edition

4.25

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Dolores Claiborne
Written by Stephen King
Read by Frances Sternhagen
Book 143/250
Genre: Thriller
Format: Audio
Pages/Time: 384/9hr 15min
Published: 1992

Rating: 8.5/10
Narration: 9/10

“A person can always find something to be grateful for no matter how dark it gets.”

The rambling confession of a murder has no business being this good. But that is just the writing ability of King! I have been putting this one off because the concept just didn’t sound super interesting to me. However, I wish I would have read it much sooner! Dolores Claiborne is a character study of a woman who has had enough. Enough to the point where she’s ready to murder her husband.

This book also ties in with Gerald’s Game and Rose Madder, making something of a trilogy of women who strive to take agency back from the abusive men in their lives. Where this one differentiates from the others, is Dolores Claiborne doesn’t have (much) of the fantastical element of the other two. This makes this book a more grounded work in King’s oeuvre. And though this is a pretty big difference (especially for the time) and not what I was expecting, this was an exciting and riveting thriller.