Bestselling novelist Paul Sheldon thinks he’s finally free of Misery Chastain. In a controversial career move, he’s just killed off the popular protagonist of his beloved romance series in favor of expanding his creative horizons. But such change doesn’t come without consequences. After a near-fatal car accident in rural Colorado leaves his body broken, Paul finds himself at the mercy of the terrifying rescuer who’s nursing him back to health—his self-proclaimed number one fan, Annie Wilkes. Annie is very upset over what Paul did to Misery, and demands that he find a way to bring her back by writing a new novel—his best yet, and one that’s all for her. After all, Paul has all the time in the world to do so as a prisoner in her isolated house...and Annie has some very persuasive and violent methods to get exactly what she wants.... --back cover
Bestselling novelist Paul Sheldon thinks he’s finally free of Misery Chastain. In a controversial career move, he’s just killed off the popular protagonist of his beloved romance series in favor of expanding his creative horizons. But such change doesn’t come without consequences. After a near-fatal car accident in rural Colorado leaves his body broken, Paul finds himself at the mercy of the terrifying rescuer who’s nursing him back to health—his self-proclaimed number one fan, Annie Wilkes. Annie is very upset over what Paul did to Misery, and demands that he find a way to bring her back by writing a new novel—his best yet, and one that’s all for her. After all, Paul has all the time in the world to do so as a prisoner in her isolated house...and Annie has some very persuasive and violent methods to get exactly what she wants....
--back cover
Es increíble que se pueda describir tan bien a dos personajes tan complejos. Y, a la vez, mantener tanto el suspense siendo el escenario siempre la misma habitación. Pero lo peor es que ahora quiero leer las novelas de Misey
Es increíble que se pueda describir tan bien a dos personajes tan complejos. Y, a la vez, mantener tanto el suspense siendo el escenario siempre la misma habitación.
Pero lo peor es que ahora quiero leer las novelas de Misey
I have been reading Stephen King for a long time, and I find often times that I either REALLY enjoy them or really do not. This was one I REALLY enjoyed. The development of Annie as a villain and the psychological warfare between the two of them is all encompassing. At one point I got so stressed I had to put the book down to take a breath. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and it moves quickly. 400 pages flew by. J
Todas las señales indicaban que la obra de Stephen King no era para mí, sobre todo tras leer “Mientras escribo” y poder conocer de primera mano sus ideas literarias. Quise probar con una de sus obras más alabadas a pesar de contar con esa información de antemano y, efectivamente, no me equivocaba.
Lo digo con cierta rabia. Me apetecía sumergirme en su mundo de buenas y truculentas ideas, a pesar de que el principal problema que tengo es precisamente ese: que necesito más que una buena idea razonablemente bien contada. Yo en la literatura no busco únicamente acción, acción y acción; quiero reflexiones, quiero frases evocadoras, quiero que las palabras resuenen, quiero que me cuenten de una forma distinta una sensación ya conocida para que así se transforme en otra cosa… No encuentro en este libro ninguna de los deleites que me proporciona un buen libro. Creo además que …
Todas las señales indicaban que la obra de Stephen King no era para mí, sobre todo tras leer “Mientras escribo” y poder conocer de primera mano sus ideas literarias. Quise probar con una de sus obras más alabadas a pesar de contar con esa información de antemano y, efectivamente, no me equivocaba.
Lo digo con cierta rabia. Me apetecía sumergirme en su mundo de buenas y truculentas ideas, a pesar de que el principal problema que tengo es precisamente ese: que necesito más que una buena idea razonablemente bien contada. Yo en la literatura no busco únicamente acción, acción y acción; quiero reflexiones, quiero frases evocadoras, quiero que las palabras resuenen, quiero que me cuenten de una forma distinta una sensación ya conocida para que así se transforme en otra cosa… No encuentro en este libro ninguna de los deleites que me proporciona un buen libro. Creo además que ni siquiera está narrada con especial buen gusto ni oficio. Es tedioso la manera tan pormenorizada de desarrollar la acción. Y si debajo de eso no hay nada, pues poco más tengo que decir.
Lo siento, Stephen. Lo intenté. No te desanimes ante mi crítica y cómprate otro yate.
Wie viel Spannung lässt sich in einer schon klar abgegrenzten Situation aufbauen?
3 stars
Obwohl hier die Geschichte schon interessieren kann, zieht King sie unerhört in die Länge: Auf ca. Seite 40 wird klar, woran alle Beteiligten sind. Bis Seite 100 zeichnet sich das ganze Ausmaß der Misere ab – und danach ist alles nur noch Stilübung. Wie viel Spannung lässt sich auf weiteren 300 Seiten Beschreibung einer schon klar abgegrenzten Situation noch aufbauen? Erstaunlich viel. Wie viel Überraschung? Naja, wesentlich weniger. Es ist kaum darüber hinwegzusehen, dass man der Routine eines Vielschreibers ausgeliefert ist, der seine Figuren und Situationen schon längst nach einem eingefahrenen Schema abarbeitet. Das allerdings kann er ziemlich gut.
This book addressed authorship in an interesting way: what is a writer willing to do to finish a book? I think there was more than a little self-irony in it, and I liked it. The plot was gruesome and the setting something that I haven't quite come across before. I liked that too. The ending was a bit anti-climactic but I can forgive that because it was constructed in an interesting way.
This book addressed authorship in an interesting way: what is a writer willing to do to finish a book? I think there was more than a little self-irony in it, and I liked it. The plot was gruesome and the setting something that I haven't quite come across before. I liked that too. The ending was a bit anti-climactic but I can forgive that because it was constructed in an interesting way.
Note - I read the Dutch version so this review is in Dutch.
Wat een bijzonder boek. Ik ben nooit een fan geweest van Stephen King, maar dit boek, net als 'De ogen van de draak' zijn toch wel briljante producties. Als je van onverwachte wendingen houdt zit je met dit boek goed. Aan het eind is er de nodige moord en doodslag en zelfs daar weet je niet eens precies wat er wel en niet gebeurt.
Aanrader als je van dit soort boeken houdt.
Note - I read the Dutch version so this review is in Dutch.
Wat een bijzonder boek. Ik ben nooit een fan geweest van Stephen King, maar dit boek, net als 'De ogen van de draak' zijn toch wel briljante producties. Als je van onverwachte wendingen houdt zit je met dit boek goed. Aan het eind is er de nodige moord en doodslag en zelfs daar weet je niet eens precies wat er wel en niet gebeurt.
I've long put of starting this book - two people, one of which is immobile on only one location didn't seem like something that could engage me. It's a well told story. One of King's better ones even.
(NTS: 'read' the audiobook)
I've long put of starting this book - two people, one of which is immobile on only one location didn't seem like something that could engage me. It's a well told story. One of King's better ones even.
Du Stephen King classique, lu quand j'étais adolescent. Ce n'est plus forcément le genre de romans que je lis désormais, mais j'ai eu ma période Stephan King quand j'étais plus jeune.
Du Stephen King classique, lu quand j'étais adolescent. Ce n'est plus forcément le genre de romans que je lis désormais, mais j'ai eu ma période Stephan King quand j'étais plus jeune.
Obwohl hier die Geschichte schon interessieren kann, zieht King sie unerhört in die Länge: Auf ca. Seite 40 wird klar, woran alle Beteiligten sind. Bis Seite 100 zeichnet sich das ganze Ausmaß der Misere ab – und danach ist alles nur noch Stilübung. Wie viel Spannung lässt sich auf weiteren 300 Seiten Beschreibung einer schon klar abgegrenzten Situation noch aufbauen? Erstaunlich viel. Wie viel Überraschung? Naja, wesentlich weniger. Es ist kaum darüber hinwegzusehen, dass man der Routine eines Vielschreibers ausgeliefert ist, der seine Figuren und Situationen schon längst nach einem eingefahrenen Schema abarbeitet. Das allerdings kann er ziemlich gut.
I have always loved this book and it definitely holds up to multiple rereads. There are always nuances that creep me out even when I know the plot so well.
I have always loved this book and it definitely holds up to multiple rereads. There are always nuances that creep me out even when I know the plot so well.
Everybody knows this story, mainly because of the movie, it is about a crazy lady who allows a writer to move in with her whilst he recuperates from a fender bender, things soon escalate out of control once the writer realises he is not in a 5 star hotel and the end result is one hell of a tantrum on a scale never seen before. Are all writers like this? I suggest kidnapping one and seeing for yourself.
The book is not one of King's usual horrors, this is suspense all the way, when reading this you'll be on the edge of your seat the whole time. Anne Wilkes is one of my favourite King characters, it makes me wonder if he met somebody like this in real life, King is known for putting events from his life into his books, so it makes you wonder.
Great book, probably due …
Everybody knows this story, mainly because of the movie, it is about a crazy lady who allows a writer to move in with her whilst he recuperates from a fender bender, things soon escalate out of control once the writer realises he is not in a 5 star hotel and the end result is one hell of a tantrum on a scale never seen before. Are all writers like this? I suggest kidnapping one and seeing for yourself.
The book is not one of King's usual horrors, this is suspense all the way, when reading this you'll be on the edge of your seat the whole time. Anne Wilkes is one of my favourite King characters, it makes me wonder if he met somebody like this in real life, King is known for putting events from his life into his books, so it makes you wonder.
