Lisey's Story
Published: 24, October 2006
Author: Stephen King
Genre: Classic, Fiction, Ghost, Horror, Media Tie-In, Occult, Psychological, Supernatural, Suspense, Thriller
Check the summary of this book here:
The Review
Stephen King's novel Lisey's Story blends aspects of psychological horror with romance. In 2007, it was nominated for a World Fantasy Award, and in 2006, it won the Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel. An early sample from the work, "Lisey and the Madman," was published in McSweeney's Enchanted Chamber of Astonishing Stories (2004) and was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for Best Long Fiction in 2004. King has declared that this is his favorite of all of his works.
The book cover I used here is from a paperback edition, and it may differ between the hard copy and soft copy, so please double-check what you're ordering.
The inspiration for Lisey's Story arose from an occurrence in 2003 when King was hospitalized with double pneumonia; while he was there, his wife Tabitha decided to remodel his studio.
When King returned home from the hospital and found his books and things in boxes, he saw a glimpse of what his studio would look like after his death, which is depicted in this narrative.
According to Stephen King, he adores this story and wanted it to be a TV show so that it might be watched and adopted in its entirety.
I never saw the program, but there is an eight-part miniseries with the same name on Apple TV+ that you may search for and watch because I don't want to risk offering any links for that brand here. However, I will include links as soon as the program is accessible on other platforms such as Amazon.
I'd had this book for a long time, but I don't usually read books with people's names, so I was waiting for the proper mood to start it, moreover, this book was just too long for the name and I didn't had the mindset to start it, so I just waited and waited.
Not necessarily in terms of page count; to name a few of my favorites, "The Stand," the whole Dark Tower Series, and "It" were all significantly longer in terms of page count. I am a fan of large books, and after reading this, I would never abandon novels with titles that include a person's name, such as I liked Carrie, Dolores Claiborne, and many others.
For me, the beginning of this book was a little sluggish. I was also curious about the style and what King was up to with this novel because it didn't feel like his writing.
The plot then picked up and I mean truly picked up. How can one get entry into a different reality? How can one get to the land immediately next door that is both beautiful and deadly when the sun sets?
It's a world full of hilarious horrors and an unimaginable lengthy creature, but it's a realm Lisey visit in order to free herself from the actual monsters who reside in our world.
This is a terrifying story on so many levels. It has suspense elements that keep you twitching and reading, but it's actually a love drama and a narrative about the horror and ever-changing face of bereavement.
Lisey's narrative exemplifies the darkness that lurks just under the surface, luring individuals over the brink into insanity.
Many of my friends and fellow readers make fun of the author, for Lisey's, quirks in language, and the local dialect.
These guys, in my opinion, completely missed the point. I don't enjoy this type of writing unless it serves a purpose, and I adored the Mainer dialect and the idioms Lisey employed in this novel.
Also, I believe some of the language exchanged by Lisey and Scott demonstrates not just their comfort level with one other, but also a priceless intimacy that comes with time and connection.
One of Stephen King's talents, in my opinion, is his ability to connect his characters with their surroundings and communities.
I like how he hears language and incorporates it into the tale. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Stephen King is underappreciated.
He is being rejected arbitrarily despite the fact that he is not only one of the finest storytellers we have but also an artist with language who can create masterpieces with words instead of colors.
It's also a narrative about surviving and overcoming adversity. It's a narrative about how books, imagination, and language may save your life.
In the end, it's a love drama about how familial relationships offer us strength, purpose, and support.
Lisey had her sisters, her wacky family, and their down-home lifestyle. Lisey was in Scott's existence. Stephen King demonstrated how the simplest of presents, whether handcrafted or store-bought, may have a profound charm that "anchors" us to our homes.
I realized something crazy: when you realize Lisey is the Stephen King's wife and her husband Scott is the king, you begin to love and care for her even more.
This is one of my favorite books! I'm not sure if I should call the speed steady or rapid; I'd say it's steady at the correct pace.
The tale jumps back and forth between the present, various points in Lisey and her late history, husband and his childhood memories.
I backed up a bit here and there to make sure I remembered where I was, but that was more likely due to my curiosity to see what was next, rather than a criticism of the writing.
I was soon taken in and nearly disliked having to put it down owing to sleep or hunger. It's the classic narrative where you want to know what occurred but can't bear the notion of finally completing it!
The characters were fantastic! They were intriguing, complicated, and relatable. Lisey wasn't the poor me, my spouse died kind, yet my heart felt for her.
Her sister's bond with her was realistic. Her husband's childhood was terrifying, but aside from the supernatural elements, it was also realistic, and regrettably, all too accurate.
Stephen King crafts stories in a truly engrossing manner, and I've occasionally thought that the stories are so spectacular that it's hard to conclude them in a way that does the remainder of the story credit or is ultimately gratifying.
Final Thoughts
I like Mare Winningham's strong voice and the way she read the book for the audio version, and I highly recommend it to anyone who prefers to listen to audiobooks rather than read them.
In an essence, Lisey's Story captivated and held my curiosity, and unless you have a low tolerance for violence, you can skip those parts.
Of course, it's worth reading for the innovative and fresh ideas and good writing liberally sprinkled throughout, as well as the very insightful looks at marriage, the death of a spouse, and sisterly relations, among other things.
This book has stuck with me long after I finished reading it. There is so much to think about, and one of them is love and the extremes some people would go to for it.
This is said to be Stephen King's favorite novel. I believe it is my favorite as well, and I definitely suggest this book!
Synopsis
“*Now an Apple TV+ limited series starring Julianne Moore and Clive Owen*
The “haunting…tender, intimate book that makes an epic interior journey” (The New York Times), Lisey’s Story is a literary masterpiece—an extraordinarily moving and haunting portrait of a marriage and its aftermath.
Lisey lost her husband Scott two years ago, after a twenty-five year marriage of profound and sometimes frightening intimacy. Scott was an award-winning, bestselling novelist and a very complicated man. Early in their relationship, before they married, Lisey knew there was a place Scott went—a place that both terrified and healed him, could eat him alive or give him the ideas he needed in order to live. Now it’s Lisey’s turn to face Scott’s demons, to go to that terrifying place known as Boo’ya Moon. What begins as a widow’s effort to sort through the papers of her celebrated husband becomes a nearly fatal journey into the darkness he inhabited.
“Intricate...exhilarating” (The New Yorker), perhaps Stephen King’s most personal and powerful novel ever, Lisey’s Story is about the wellsprings of creativity, the temptations of madness, and the secret language of love. It is a beautiful, “rich portrait of a marriage, and the complicated affection that outlives death” (The Washington Post).”
Useful Search Related Words & Keywords
Bad Gunky, Bag Of Bones, Booya Moon, Clive Owen, Dark Tower, Highly Recommend, Julianne Moore, King Novel, Lisey And Scott, Liseys Story, Mare Winningham, Rose Madder, Scott Landon, Sister Amanda, Tower Series
Rating: 85/100
Recommended: 90/100 Yes.
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