Misery
Published: 8, June 1987
Author: Stephen King
Genre: American, Classic, Drama, Fiction, Horror, Literary, Literature, Media Tie-In, Psychological, Serial Killer, Suspense, Thriller
Check the summary of this book here:
The Review
Stephen King's novel Misery is a psychological horror thriller. The title of the novel has two meanings: it is the name of the major heroine in Paul's book series, and Stephen King described such an emotional condition when writing the novel. The plot of the story revolves around the relationship of its two major characters, romance author Paul Sheldon and his insane admirer Annie Wilkes. When Paul is gravely injured in a vehicle accident, Annie transports him to her house, where he receives care and pain medicine. Paul understands he is a prisoner and is obliged to cater to his captor's desires.
Misery received the first Bram Stoker Award for Novel in 1987 and was nominated for the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel in 1988.
The story parallels Stephen King's own life as well as the study of celebrity and fan relationships.
The novel, which debuted at number four on the New York Times bestseller list in 1987, was turned into a film directed by Rob Reiner in 1990 and a theatrical play starring Laurie Metcalf and Bruce Willis in 2015.
In his memoirs, Stephen King described the origin of Misery, claiming that the vision of Annie Wilkes came to him in a dream.
The novel was supposed to be published under the alias Richard Bachman, but Stephen King's identity was uncovered before the book was published.
I've noticed Stephen King has a habit of creating a lot of his fictionalized works based on personal experience, and Misery appears to follow the trend.
On TV, I was watching a biography about his life and career as an author. It was said that frenzied followers of his had a habit of bursting into his house, even while his wife Tabitha was alone.
This prompted him to construct a fence around his Maine property so that admirers would not overstep their bounds. This, I believe, is where he got the concept for this novel.
If you've watched the film starring James Caan and Kathy Bates, you'll be familiar with some of the horrors that Paul Sheldon suffers while being kept hostage at a remote site in Colorado following an almost deadly automobile accident.
However, the novel and which is true more often than not provides far more than the film. In the film, Annie Wilkes conducts a procedure on Paul known as "hobbling." She takes a small piece of wood, a sledgehammer, and... Well, if you know what happens, don't say anything, and I won't ruin the surprise either. However, those who have seen the film will tell you that it is far worse than what is depicted on screen if you can imagine that.
Stephen King is unrivaled when it comes to characterization and steadily building tension. As cruel as Annie Wilkes is, the author has a strange ability to make the reader sympathize with Paul's tormentor, albeit only slightly. Annie appears to be a real person, not just a cardboard cutout thrown on the page for our entertainment, so I suppose that's true.
While reading the book, I could picture Kathy Bates' face and hear her voice, which added to my enjoyment. Kathy Bates also won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her outstanding performance in 1990.
One of the things I like about Stephen King's writings is how complex and interconnected his fictional universe of inhabitants is, and you never know what reference will be thrown in at random that will make you smile, and in many cases laugh out loud, and in this book, I smiled at something that was said about an old hotel called the Overlook, which, if you are a Stephen King fan and have read all of his books, you will recognize as the Overlook from The Shining.
The author is at his finest in this work. Here's a horror and torture story that may be occurring right next door. Instead of clowns, vampires, and superheroes wreaking havoc on a tiny town, a crazed lady wreaks havoc on a man's body and psyche.
It's violent, disturbing, and unsettling since there are no supernatural components that allow the reader to console oneself by repeating, "It's just a ghost story! Or it is supernatural!
Annie Wilkes may be following your every move, waiting for you to slide on a sheet of ice in your driveway so she can scoop you up and nurse you back to health.
I don't dislike Stephen King's more creature-feature novels; I enjoy them. But, in the end, humans disturb me more than ghosts and goblins, and Annie Wilkes is one monster of a person.
In terms of film vs. novel debates, I try to avoid them and embrace both pieces for what they are. In this situation, if you've watched the film a dozen times and believe there won't be any shocks in the novel, you'd be wrong.
There are just enough variances to make the novel feel as fresh as seeing the film for the first time. You also get the added benefit of Katy Bates' insane face gazing up at you from the pages below.
To summarize my straightforward response to this discussion, I believe that novels are nearly always superior to film adaptations.
This film was not as faithful to the text as one may assume. There are a lot of things taken out of the film that were in the book, and the crazy woman is a lot meaner and a pure sadist in the novel, but it was still a fantastic film.
Pick up this gem and give it a go if you want my recommendation. And I am confident that after reading this book, you will never drive under the influence of alcohol in a blizzard.
Final Thoughts
This is a Stephen King classic in every sense of the word. Hopefully, you haven't seen the movie, so Kathy Bates isn't playing in your head as you read this book...it unfolds in Stephen King's typical style, with his fully realized narrative structure that drives the reader to an awakening that shifts your point of view on, well, everything that you've known up to this point, before jumping straight to the climax that only he could create.
If you haven't read it yet and haven't seen the movie, it's far preferable to start with the book and then see the movie, as it will truly blow your mind.
I was going to give 95 points because of some stuff written by Paul Sheldon in the book (in the book) on Annie Wilkes' "request" and how ridiculous it felt, but then I realized the genius of Stephen King behind those lines because those aren't lines from Stephen King or Paul Sheldon, they're actually a request from a crazed fan with a crazed mind, so I changed the points to 100%, and the same goes for recommendations.
Synopsis
“The #1 New York Times bestseller about a famous novelist held hostage in a remote location by his “number one fan.” One of “Stephen King’s best…genuinely scary” (USA TODAY).
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 a 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...
“King at his best…a winner!” —The New York Times
“Unadulteratedly terrifying…frightening.” —Publishers Weekly
“Classic King…full of twists and turns and mounting suspense.” —The Boston Globe”
Useful Search Related Words & Keywords
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Rating: 100/100
Recommended: 100/100 Yes.
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