Gerald's Game
Published: May 1992
Author: Stephen King
Genre: American, Classic, Fiction, Ghost, Horror, Literary, Literature, Media Tie-In, Political, Psychological, Suspense, Thriller
Check the summary of this book here:
The Review
Stephen King's novel Gerald's Game is a suspense mystery. The plot follows a lady whose husband dies of a heart attack while she is shackled to a bed, and she begins to allow the voices within her brain to take control after realizing she is stuck with little possibility of rescue.
The novel is dedicated to Stephen King's wife Tabitha and her five sisters. The book was originally supposed to be a companion piece to Stephen King's novel Dolores Claiborne, with the linking subject of two women in crisis stuck in the path of an eclipse, however by the time the novels were published, this component had been substantially diminished.
I was reluctant to start books with a synopsis like this one because I assumed I already knew the tale and it would have no pleasure or value for me, but after reading it, I discovered I was mistaken, and it basically demonstrates the author's strength and authority when they openly tell you what the story is about.
Readers may assume from the synopsis that Jessie is shackled to the bed and finally escapes, thus the same thing is happening in this case. As a result, even if I tell you this, it doesn't imply I'm giving anything away to the readers.
She is alone and trapped in what appears to be an impossible situation at times and has you shouting at the pages as to why she does some of the things she does. I liked her inner monologues. She has twenty-eight hours on her own with no support.
I liked the information that happened in the present. While tied to the bed, she reflects on her history. Some of those memories were monotonous and dragged the tale down, even if the book isn't that long, but keep in mind that the memories have a purpose and help her escape.
The passages that immediately follow her escape from handcuffs are mind-boggling. Brandon's story was one of my favorite portions of the book. This is when she starts Brandon's story. It clarified a lot of what was previously unknown.
Overall, I thought the book flowed at a sluggish pace. When I was enjoying the content, it progressed quickly, but then there would be a segment that made me want Jessie to return to the present or get out of her brain.
So there was a high-paced bit, then a dragging section, and then it got up again to what I thought was more engaging information.
But as a whole, the novel was great, and even the so-called uninteresting portions served a purpose and contributed to the overall ambiance.
Now, let's talk about the audio version. The narrator was fantastic, and she did an excellent job of portraying Jessie and the other characters.
There was never any doubt about who of the characters was speaking. Lindsay Crouse is an actress who has been in a number of television series, and she performed well in Gerald's Game.
The only thing I didn't like was certain music or noises that played in the background or while something was occurring; I know it can be fantastic in many circumstances if done well, but I didn't like it in this case since the voice acting was already excellent and I didn't think it needed the sound effects. If you purchase the Lindsay Crouse version, it's still a wonderful audio version.
There's a twisted element of horror and suspense intermingled here that will make you put everything else aside and continue until you reach the final page while curled in the corner of a brightly lit room.
For two days, I couldn't stop flipping over the pages of this book. Almost all of Stephen King works absolutely engross the reader and keep them up at all hours of the night, simply wanting to read one more page.
I'd suggest this book to everyone who likes 11/22/63 and The Dark Half, even if they are unrelated.
In 2017, Mike Flanagan directed a film based on the novel. I was unable to locate an official link to this film; but, as soon as I locate one, I will post it here.
Final Thoughts
I'd like to say something to the readers who actually read all of my reviews: you may have noticed that almost all of the books I review are above average, and I rarely give points below 70, at least until the day of writing this review (22, March 2022,) except for Giles Goat-Boy, which is a very technical case, so I don't consider it below 70 from my point of view, just read the review for that book and you'll see what I mean.
The reason for such high marks is very simple: whenever I bought books, I was guided by shopkeepers who knew me since I was a kid and they kind of knew if the book is good or not, so they just recommended good books to me, plus I have read so many books that I could write for hundreds of years before getting to the books that were bad or below average, yes, I have read books that I almost stopped reading and they can actually be thrown into the garbage but I'm not including those books because I don't want to waste anyone's time, so I believe this resolves the issue because I know I wouldn't be ready to read those books, so why review them here when no one is going to read them?
Okay, now everyone understands why I'm not giving out low points because none of the books I'm reviewing are lousy reads.
Another fantastic novel by a skilled writer!! Suspense, terror, thrills, and, as always, unexpected twists.
Many times I found myself talking out loud to the book and thinking about what I said about it before I started reading it, that it couldn't be this good because I already know what was going on with the girl.
After all, she's tied to a bed and trapped in a room, but I'm glad I was wrong, and this book is much more than that.
I am confident that many female readers will benefit from it, and it may even alter a few lives.
The reading was excellent and simple to understand; however, I would have liked a slightly different finish. It still comes highly recommended.
Synopsis
“Now a Netflix movie directed by Mike Flanagan (Oculus, Hush) and starring Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood.
Master storyteller Stephen King presents this classic, terrifying #1 New York Times bestseller. When a game of seduction between a husband and wife ends in death, the nightmare has only begun…
“And now the voice which spoke belonged to no one but herself. Oh my God, it said. Oh my God, I am all alone out here. I am all alone.”
Once again, Jessie Burlingame has been talked into submitting to her husband Gerald’s kinky sex games—something that she’s frankly had enough of, and they never held much charm for her to begin with. So much for a “romantic getaway” at their secluded summer home. After Jessie is handcuffed to the bedposts—and Gerald crosses a line with his wife—the day ends with deadly consequences. Now Jessie is utterly trapped in an isolated lakeside house that has become her prison—and comes face-to-face with her deepest, darkest fears and memories. Her only company is that of the various voices filling her mind…as well as the shadows of nightfall that may conceal an imagined or very real threat right there with her…”
Useful Search Related Words & Keywords
Chained To The Bed, Glass Of Water, Handcuffed To The Bed, Heart Attack, Jessie Burlingame, Main Character, Short Story, Space Cowboy, Voices In Her Head
Rating: 85/100
Recommended: 95/100 Yes.
Buy the Kindle Version Here
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