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By Stephen King - Misery (1987-06-23) [Hardcover]
Paul Sheldon jest autorem poczytnych tandetnych romansideł. Jego cykl o Misery Chastain zdobył ogromną popularność. Autor miał jednak już dość swojej bohaterki i w ostatniej powieści ją uśmiercił. Teraz postanowił zająć się pisaniem poważniejszych książek. Pewnego razu podczas zamieci śnieżnej jadąc po pijanemu samochodem uległ poważnemu wypadkowi. Odzyskał przytomność dopiero w stojącym na odludziu domu Annie Wilkes, byłej pielęgniarki uwielbiającej jego książki o Misery. Pobyt w domu Annie zamienia się w prawdziwy koszmar, gdy kobieta wraca z miasta z ostatnią książką Paula...
310 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1987
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November 22, 2016
Honestly, who among us hasn’t gotten frustrated with their favorite writer and felt like holding them prisoner while forcing them to write the exact book that we want?
Well, don’t do that because it would be wrong! What kind of twisted freaks are you people?!?
Paul Sheldon is a best selling author who just ended his popular series of romance/adventure novels by killing off the lead character, Misery Chastain. After finishing a new novel at a Colorado resort Paul has a car accident and awakes to find that his legs have been shattered, but that he’s been saved by his self-proclaimed number one fan, Annie Wilkes.
Unfortunately, Annie turns out to be more than just a little crazy, and when she learns that Paul killed Misery in the latest book she demands that he write a new one that brings back her favorite character. Held captive by a madwoman, Paul is almost helpless to resist the physical and psychological tortures she uses to get her way while insisting that it’s really for his own good.
This book seems eerily prophetic of King’s career in some ways. Uncle Stevie hadn’t yet frustrated readers of his Dark Tower series with long delays between books, and yet he absolutely nailed the self-righteous fury of a fan who feels somehow cheated out of what they deserve. You gotta think that later on King worried that he had some version of Annie out there just waiting to chain him to typewriter to finish DT. He was also years away from suffering his own enormous physical trauma after being hit by a car, but he still makes you feel every agonizing moment that Paul suffers from his accident and at Annie’s hands. Like Paul, King would also have the experience of returning to writing being a matter of overcoming physical pain but also finding it to be a way to escape it.
One of King’s biggest strengths is that he knows the power of a good story, and this plot serves him well by really letting him dig into that. Annie’s obsession with Misery is something that probably almost every reader can relate to, but what’s really interesting is how Paul’s need to tell the story becomes just as compelling as Annie’s threats. The set-up lets Uncle Stevie explore the whole notion of just why we gotta know what happens next as well as the rules that make it a satisfying resolution or a cheat.
I could make a pretty solid argument that this is King’s best book. He was very much at the peak of his powers here, and either the simple two person structure of the story or good editing kept this at a normal novel length. That’d become a rarity in his bloated books after this, and it does feel like King at his most disciplined. In Annie Wilkes he crafted a character worthy of being included in a Villain’s Hall of Fame, and he makes good use of her as a figure who can be terrifying, sometimes tragic, and weirdly humorous at times.
However, I’m not saying it’s my favorite King book. (Probably The Stand or the last Dark Tower hold that honor.) Why wouldn’t his best book be the one I enjoy most? Because he did just too good of job on making us feel Paul’s pain. Sure, this is a book about a man who suffered a terrible accident and then found himself brutalized at the hands of a psychopath so it makes perfect sense that Uncle Stevie would want us to ache along with Paul. Yet, it’s very hard to spend an entire book with a main character who is almost always at some level of agony without feeling worn down by it. It’s necessary for the plot, but it also makes it a slog at times.
So it's definitely among King’s best, but it's also one I haven’t read it nearly as many times as some of his others because it’s simply too damn tough to get through at times. Still it’s a 5 star ride if you grit your teeth and keep reading as Paul keeps on writing.
Well, don’t do that because it would be wrong! What kind of twisted freaks are you people?!?
Paul Sheldon is a best selling author who just ended his popular series of romance/adventure novels by killing off the lead character, Misery Chastain. After finishing a new novel at a Colorado resort Paul has a car accident and awakes to find that his legs have been shattered, but that he’s been saved by his self-proclaimed number one fan, Annie Wilkes.
Unfortunately, Annie turns out to be more than just a little crazy, and when she learns that Paul killed Misery in the latest book she demands that he write a new one that brings back her favorite character. Held captive by a madwoman, Paul is almost helpless to resist the physical and psychological tortures she uses to get her way while insisting that it’s really for his own good.
This book seems eerily prophetic of King’s career in some ways. Uncle Stevie hadn’t yet frustrated readers of his Dark Tower series with long delays between books, and yet he absolutely nailed the self-righteous fury of a fan who feels somehow cheated out of what they deserve. You gotta think that later on King worried that he had some version of Annie out there just waiting to chain him to typewriter to finish DT. He was also years away from suffering his own enormous physical trauma after being hit by a car, but he still makes you feel every agonizing moment that Paul suffers from his accident and at Annie’s hands. Like Paul, King would also have the experience of returning to writing being a matter of overcoming physical pain but also finding it to be a way to escape it.
One of King’s biggest strengths is that he knows the power of a good story, and this plot serves him well by really letting him dig into that. Annie’s obsession with Misery is something that probably almost every reader can relate to, but what’s really interesting is how Paul’s need to tell the story becomes just as compelling as Annie’s threats. The set-up lets Uncle Stevie explore the whole notion of just why we gotta know what happens next as well as the rules that make it a satisfying resolution or a cheat.
I could make a pretty solid argument that this is King’s best book. He was very much at the peak of his powers here, and either the simple two person structure of the story or good editing kept this at a normal novel length. That’d become a rarity in his bloated books after this, and it does feel like King at his most disciplined. In Annie Wilkes he crafted a character worthy of being included in a Villain’s Hall of Fame, and he makes good use of her as a figure who can be terrifying, sometimes tragic, and weirdly humorous at times.
However, I’m not saying it’s my favorite King book. (Probably The Stand or the last Dark Tower hold that honor.) Why wouldn’t his best book be the one I enjoy most? Because he did just too good of job on making us feel Paul’s pain. Sure, this is a book about a man who suffered a terrible accident and then found himself brutalized at the hands of a psychopath so it makes perfect sense that Uncle Stevie would want us to ache along with Paul. Yet, it’s very hard to spend an entire book with a main character who is almost always at some level of agony without feeling worn down by it. It’s necessary for the plot, but it also makes it a slog at times.
So it's definitely among King’s best, but it's also one I haven’t read it nearly as many times as some of his others because it’s simply too damn tough to get through at times. Still it’s a 5 star ride if you grit your teeth and keep reading as Paul keeps on writing.
October 20, 2020
Reread
Damn, I can never get over that one scene!!! She's bat sh•t crazy!
Happy Reading! 🎃👻
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
October 27, 2025
و لماذا لم نخطف د.تامر ابراهيم ليكمل لنا ثلاثية"الذي لم يمت؟فالاعوام تمر وتمر
و لماذا لم نخطف د.احمد خالدتوفيق لنعيد رفعت اسماعيل للحياة؟فقد كان يؤنسنا حقا
و لماذا لم يخطفوا د.ارثر دويل ليعيد شرلوك هولمز للحياة؟فهو قتله لمزاجه الخاص؟ لاننا عاقلين طبعا
منذ ان افاق بول شيلدون على انفاس تقتحم جهازه التنفسي قسرا برائحة الفانيليا و الشيكولاته ..أدرك ان احلى ايامه قد مضت إلى غير رجعة ..فهل من الممكن ان تعيش بسلام بعد ان قابلت" انى ويلكوكس "؟
فلتتامل جيدا تلك الممرضة الممتلئة البشوشة و ركز في لون السائل الذي تحقنك به..فقد تكون حقنتك الأخيرة 💉
ميزرى هي رعب دفين لدى كل مؤلف شهير تغريه الاجزاء المتعددة..احذر فقد تودي بك إلى حتفك ..ستصبح كلمة: اكتب هي كابوسك المقيم
ستظل اني ويلكوكس اغرب بطلات كينج و تتربع مع مهرج"الشيء"على القمة فهي : المعجبة رقم واحد. .لقب ساحر لولا اصرارها المرعب على أن يعيد كاتبها بطلتها المفضلة للحياة
.و لو بخطفه و احتجازه و تكسير ساقه مرارا🙈 و ما خفي أكثر بكثير..
من السهل ان يتحول هذا النمط من الروايات ثنائية الشخصيات إلى مسرحية مملة و لكن ليس هذه المرة
..جاءت الرواية كمطاردات مرعبة لن تنشر ابدا لتوم و جيري🐱🐀ا
ابي رجل علم رزين لا يهوى السينما و لكن يكفي "فيلم ميزري "فخرا انه الفيلم الوحيد الذي تابعه بحماس تفاعلى لم يتكرر ابدا..و هو بالفعل في جودة الرواية
و لماذا لم نخطف د.احمد خالدتوفيق لنعيد رفعت اسماعيل للحياة؟فقد كان يؤنسنا حقا
و لماذا لم يخطفوا د.ارثر دويل ليعيد شرلوك هولمز للحياة؟فهو قتله لمزاجه الخاص؟ لاننا عاقلين طبعا
منذ ان افاق بول شيلدون على انفاس تقتحم جهازه التنفسي قسرا برائحة الفانيليا و الشيكولاته ..أدرك ان احلى ايامه قد مضت إلى غير رجعة ..فهل من الممكن ان تعيش بسلام بعد ان قابلت" انى ويلكوكس "؟
فلتتامل جيدا تلك الممرضة الممتلئة البشوشة و ركز في لون السائل الذي تحقنك به..فقد تكون حقنتك الأخيرة 💉
ميزرى هي رعب دفين لدى كل مؤلف شهير تغريه الاجزاء المتعددة..احذر فقد تودي بك إلى حتفك ..ستصبح كلمة: اكتب هي كابوسك المقيم
ستظل اني ويلكوكس اغرب بطلات كينج و تتربع مع مهرج"الشيء"على القمة فهي : المعجبة رقم واحد. .لقب ساحر لولا اصرارها المرعب على أن يعيد كاتبها بطلتها المفضلة للحياة
.و لو بخطفه و احتجازه و تكسير ساقه مرارا🙈 و ما خفي أكثر بكثير..
من السهل ان يتحول هذا النمط من الروايات ثنائية الشخصيات إلى مسرحية مملة و لكن ليس هذه المرة
..جاءت الرواية كمطاردات مرعبة لن تنشر ابدا لتوم و جيري🐱🐀ا
ابي رجل علم رزين لا يهوى السينما و لكن يكفي "فيلم ميزري "فخرا انه الفيلم الوحيد الذي تابعه بحماس تفاعلى لم يتكرر ابدا..و هو بالفعل في جودة الرواية
May 28, 2022
Full Video Review Here: https://youtu.be/0ga-N-iMnXI
When I read Stephen King's "Misery" for the first time, it was a couple of years before the movie was released. Most people that have both seen the movie and read the book tend to recall the movie first when the subject of this now-classic story comes up. I was guilty of this, too, since Kathy Bates took a terrifying role and gave an Oscar-winning performance in doing so. While embarking on this long Stephen King re-read I started last year, it has been completely gratifying as I read most of his classics while a very young teenager who hadn't really experienced much of the world yet. Reading his stories in my late 30's gives them a new meaning now and Misery is no exception. Every bit as terrifying now as it was then, I found myself this time wondering what I would do if in Paul's situation with Annie. Truth is, I didn't have an answer, but this was okay. The gripping sense of desperation and will to live are what makes this story so powerful. To overcome when any sane human being would beg for death is the real crux of the story here. Annie, while not the supernatural monster King has been famous for, is every bit as evil as Pennywise, The Man in Black, or Kurt Barlow. An absolutely gripping thrill ride that will have you on the edge of your seat the entire book. This is, simply, Stephen King at his best.
When I read Stephen King's "Misery" for the first time, it was a couple of years before the movie was released. Most people that have both seen the movie and read the book tend to recall the movie first when the subject of this now-classic story comes up. I was guilty of this, too, since Kathy Bates took a terrifying role and gave an Oscar-winning performance in doing so. While embarking on this long Stephen King re-read I started last year, it has been completely gratifying as I read most of his classics while a very young teenager who hadn't really experienced much of the world yet. Reading his stories in my late 30's gives them a new meaning now and Misery is no exception. Every bit as terrifying now as it was then, I found myself this time wondering what I would do if in Paul's situation with Annie. Truth is, I didn't have an answer, but this was okay. The gripping sense of desperation and will to live are what makes this story so powerful. To overcome when any sane human being would beg for death is the real crux of the story here. Annie, while not the supernatural monster King has been famous for, is every bit as evil as Pennywise, The Man in Black, or Kurt Barlow. An absolutely gripping thrill ride that will have you on the edge of your seat the entire book. This is, simply, Stephen King at his best.
February 12, 2023
3.5 rounded down
It took me a while to get through this, particularly the first half. Which suggests I wasn’t enjoying as much as I could have been. It gained momentum during the second half for sure.
Although the book is called Misery, I didn’t enjoy the experts of the Misery novel being written. I found them dull and could have done without them.
However I did love the references to The collector by John Fowler, as I read that book fairly recently. Some parts were definitely a bit graphic and hard to read but added to the overall sinister atmosphere of the novel.
It took me a while to get through this, particularly the first half. Which suggests I wasn’t enjoying as much as I could have been. It gained momentum during the second half for sure.
Although the book is called Misery, I didn’t enjoy the experts of the Misery novel being written. I found them dull and could have done without them.
However I did love the references to The collector by John Fowler, as I read that book fairly recently. Some parts were definitely a bit graphic and hard to read but added to the overall sinister atmosphere of the novel.
April 24, 2020
As dispensers of TLC, nurses can shine. As with any other particular group of people, there are going to be some rotten apples in the barrel. Meet Annie Wilkes. Sly, cunning, and quite mad. In her care, author Paul Sheldon, who has been grievously injured in a car accident. The thing is, no one knows he is there in her house. This is what true horror is made of, and it is accomplished without a smidge of the supernatural. Insanity and its machinations are in full bloom. Speaking in singsong baby voice (dirty birdie, cockadoodie, kaka), Annie cleans up oogy messes and refers to Paul as Mister Man, sometimes Mister Smart Guy. Oh, and she's his Number One Fan. Her attentive ministrations notwithstanding, it won't do to make her mad. Terrifying.
October 12, 2021
Reading Vlog/Review: https://youtu.be/OfkfnkeksdI
4.5⭐
Pro tip: Skip every chapter about the book-within-the-book. It doesn't serve the plot. It's boring, sometimes handwritten and impossible to read. Save yourself the extra time.
I equally recommend the audio and physical book experience. Both give their unique spin.
While I did not give a single shit about Misery or her dumbass love interest, I adored Paul Sheldon and Annie Wilkes. What deeply developed characters.
If you had told me before starting this that Paul Sheldon would become one of my favorite MC's I'd ever read, I would have shown you a picture of Kathy Bates and laughed in your face. But, alas, here we are.
Paul Sheldon vs. Annie Wilkes is a beautiful and gut-punching depiction of Stephen King vs. Addiction. It is so vividly told. It is relentless, never-tiring, sadistic, illogical, sad and somehow sweet.
Though I have never given a Stephen King book a full 5 stars, I adore the man/author. This look into his brain was such a delight. The warped way his mind creates a story was so entertaining to read. There are not many minds like King.
I did dock it half a star for the following reasons:
1. The N-word. King, just stop.
2. "Raped him full of her breath" excuse me, what?
3. The story-within-the-story.
There are two paragraphs in this book that had me reeling. I read them multiple times back to back and later came back to the pages to do it all again. I want to document them here for later reference...
"Can you, Paul?
Yeah. That's how I survive. Because I can, and it's not something to apologize for, goddammit. There are lots of guys out there who write a better prose line than I do and who have a better understanding of what people are really like and what humanity is supposed to mean - hell, I know that. But when counsellor asks 'Did he?' about those guys, sometimes only a few people raise their hands. But they raise their hands for me...or for Misery...and in the end I guess they're both the same. Can I? Yeah. You bet I can. There's a million things in this world I can't do. Couldn't hit a curve ball, even back in high school. Can't fix a leaky faucet. Can't roller-skate or make an F-chord on the guitar that sounds like anything but shit. I have tried twice to be married and couldn't do it either time. But if you want me to take you away, to scare you or involve you or make you cry or grin, yeah. I can. I can bring it to you and keep bringing it until you holler uncle. I am able. I CAN."
"So he promised to be good because he didn't want to be forced to eat any of the special candle but also because mostly because surely because Annie was great Annie was good let us thank her for our food including that we don't have to eat girls just wanna have fun but something wicked this way comes please don't make me eat my thumb Annie the mom Annie the goddess when Annie's around you better stay honest she knows when you've been sleeping she knows when you're awake she knows if you've been bad or good so be good for goddess' sake you better not cry you better not pout but most of all you better not scream don't scream don't scream don't..."
4.5⭐
Pro tip: Skip every chapter about the book-within-the-book. It doesn't serve the plot. It's boring, sometimes handwritten and impossible to read. Save yourself the extra time.
I equally recommend the audio and physical book experience. Both give their unique spin.
While I did not give a single shit about Misery or her dumbass love interest, I adored Paul Sheldon and Annie Wilkes. What deeply developed characters.
If you had told me before starting this that Paul Sheldon would become one of my favorite MC's I'd ever read, I would have shown you a picture of Kathy Bates and laughed in your face. But, alas, here we are.
Paul Sheldon vs. Annie Wilkes is a beautiful and gut-punching depiction of Stephen King vs. Addiction. It is so vividly told. It is relentless, never-tiring, sadistic, illogical, sad and somehow sweet.
Though I have never given a Stephen King book a full 5 stars, I adore the man/author. This look into his brain was such a delight. The warped way his mind creates a story was so entertaining to read. There are not many minds like King.
I did dock it half a star for the following reasons:
1. The N-word. King, just stop.
2. "Raped him full of her breath" excuse me, what?
3. The story-within-the-story.
There are two paragraphs in this book that had me reeling. I read them multiple times back to back and later came back to the pages to do it all again. I want to document them here for later reference...
"Can you, Paul?
Yeah. That's how I survive. Because I can, and it's not something to apologize for, goddammit. There are lots of guys out there who write a better prose line than I do and who have a better understanding of what people are really like and what humanity is supposed to mean - hell, I know that. But when counsellor asks 'Did he?' about those guys, sometimes only a few people raise their hands. But they raise their hands for me...or for Misery...and in the end I guess they're both the same. Can I? Yeah. You bet I can. There's a million things in this world I can't do. Couldn't hit a curve ball, even back in high school. Can't fix a leaky faucet. Can't roller-skate or make an F-chord on the guitar that sounds like anything but shit. I have tried twice to be married and couldn't do it either time. But if you want me to take you away, to scare you or involve you or make you cry or grin, yeah. I can. I can bring it to you and keep bringing it until you holler uncle. I am able. I CAN."
"So he promised to be good because he didn't want to be forced to eat any of the special candle but also because mostly because surely because Annie was great Annie was good let us thank her for our food including that we don't have to eat girls just wanna have fun but something wicked this way comes please don't make me eat my thumb Annie the mom Annie the goddess when Annie's around you better stay honest she knows when you've been sleeping she knows when you're awake she knows if you've been bad or good so be good for goddess' sake you better not cry you better not pout but most of all you better not scream don't scream don't scream don't..."
January 8, 2017
Update 1/8/17:
There’s crazy, and then there’s the Mommy, I’m scared crazy. Annie is that second one. She’s the one you don’t want to cross - in any way. Ticking time bombs are called ticking for a reason. At some point, they’re going to go off. But Annie’s like a wasp compared to the honeybee because she’s the bomb that can explode, and explode, and explode. Poor Paul Sheldon. He didn’t even get the chance to avoid the crazy that is Annie. ”I’m your number one fan!” My ass.
Movie confession. Yes, I‘ve seen it. Great flick, but at some point since then I’ve learned to read the book first. For Misery the order was reversed. Not a horrible thing to do, especially when the movie is a good one. But while reading, James Caan continued to flicker in and out of my mind as Paul Sheldon. Same thing for Kathy Bates/Annie Wilkes. Again, not a bad way to picture characters. I simply prefer a clean slate. Although the faces from the movie were clear, the details I remembered were not. Excepting a few scenes. I mean, some things cannot be forgotten. Sledgehammer anyone? So imagine my surprise when that oh-so-horrific moment arrived in the book. Slightly, yet completely different! I literally wanted to scream, “NO Annie please!” along with Paul. Oh, the pain. It was palpable.
Misery is among King’s best. It’s also shorter than most. Condensed is the feeling. He still meanders with some tangents, but doesn’t dilly-dally for long before coming back for another blow to the senses. I will not be able to look at this book in the future without feeling a visceral response traveling directly to my legs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/7/17
You're the dirty bird Annie Wilkes, and this is for you:
"I want to look her straight in the eye and tell her what a cheap, lying, no good, rotten, far flushing, snake licking, dirt eating, inbreed, overstuffed, ignorant, blood sucking, dog kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat assed, bug eyed, stiff legged, spotty lipped, worm headed, sack of monkey shit she is!!! Halleluah!! Holy shit!! Where's the Tylenol??"
Ok, so those were Clark Griswold’s famous words from Christmas Vacation. I thought they fit Annie to a tee.
There’s crazy, and then there’s the Mommy, I’m scared crazy. Annie is that second one. She’s the one you don’t want to cross - in any way. Ticking time bombs are called ticking for a reason. At some point, they’re going to go off. But Annie’s like a wasp compared to the honeybee because she’s the bomb that can explode, and explode, and explode. Poor Paul Sheldon. He didn’t even get the chance to avoid the crazy that is Annie. ”I’m your number one fan!” My ass.
Movie confession. Yes, I‘ve seen it. Great flick, but at some point since then I’ve learned to read the book first. For Misery the order was reversed. Not a horrible thing to do, especially when the movie is a good one. But while reading, James Caan continued to flicker in and out of my mind as Paul Sheldon. Same thing for Kathy Bates/Annie Wilkes. Again, not a bad way to picture characters. I simply prefer a clean slate. Although the faces from the movie were clear, the details I remembered were not. Excepting a few scenes. I mean, some things cannot be forgotten. Sledgehammer anyone? So imagine my surprise when that oh-so-horrific moment arrived in the book. Slightly, yet completely different! I literally wanted to scream, “NO Annie please!” along with Paul. Oh, the pain. It was palpable.
Misery is among King’s best. It’s also shorter than most. Condensed is the feeling. He still meanders with some tangents, but doesn’t dilly-dally for long before coming back for another blow to the senses. I will not be able to look at this book in the future without feeling a visceral response traveling directly to my legs.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1/7/17
You're the dirty bird Annie Wilkes, and this is for you:
"I want to look her straight in the eye and tell her what a cheap, lying, no good, rotten, far flushing, snake licking, dirt eating, inbreed, overstuffed, ignorant, blood sucking, dog kissing, brainless, dickless, hopeless, heartless, fat assed, bug eyed, stiff legged, spotty lipped, worm headed, sack of monkey shit she is!!! Halleluah!! Holy shit!! Where's the Tylenol??"
Ok, so those were Clark Griswold’s famous words from Christmas Vacation. I thought they fit Annie to a tee.
June 27, 2023
The story takes place in one room. The description of Paul’s experience thoroughly fleshed out his character and made him relatable… another flawed human I might not normally care about until I read his story about being held captive to write a book against his will. Can you, Steve Paul? Well, Can you? Even Annie was realistic with her “glands secreting the wrong chemicals in her brain.”
King’s original idea for the ending was much more macabre than the final product, and I would have preferred he followed through with it, but that is just a matter of my personal taste. The ending he went with could haunt the reader more because it’s a “careful what you wish for (?)” scenario.
The whole time I read this I kept imagining Stephen King in his study teasing this story out from his own experiences. I bet he got a kick out of himself, jacked up on caffeine and nicotine, adding song lyrics as he really sang them to himself, “Burn, baby, burn, burn this mother down…” I can visualize King getting excited when he made connections between his writing process to Paul’s predicament… and then linked his own substance abuse struggles to the insane Annie Wilkes and the Norvil she always had on hand. Write what you know about, right? I’m sure he chuckled quite a few times to himself. And guess what, it worked. He laughed all the way to the bank with this story.
I believe this book is about Stephen King, it’s about a master, leveraging one of the toughest battles of his life into a damn near perfect book, not to mention into a blockbuster movie that won an Oscar for best actress. Well played.
King’s original idea for the ending was much more macabre than the final product, and I would have preferred he followed through with it, but that is just a matter of my personal taste. The ending he went with could haunt the reader more because it’s a “careful what you wish for (?)” scenario.
The whole time I read this I kept imagining Stephen King in his study teasing this story out from his own experiences. I bet he got a kick out of himself, jacked up on caffeine and nicotine, adding song lyrics as he really sang them to himself, “Burn, baby, burn, burn this mother down…” I can visualize King getting excited when he made connections between his writing process to Paul’s predicament… and then linked his own substance abuse struggles to the insane Annie Wilkes and the Norvil she always had on hand. Write what you know about, right? I’m sure he chuckled quite a few times to himself. And guess what, it worked. He laughed all the way to the bank with this story.
I believe this book is about Stephen King, it’s about a master, leveraging one of the toughest battles of his life into a damn near perfect book, not to mention into a blockbuster movie that won an Oscar for best actress. Well played.
September 17, 2024
This was quite the ride! I read this when I was a teenager after watching the movie. A lot of this I couldn’t remember, and I have to say I’m glad I didn’t because it was very good and wasn’t spoiled at all. When I usually think of villains from King I think of Pennywise or Jack Torrence. I even think of Gage from Pet Sematary… I now believe that Annie Wilkes ranks really close to the top. What an angel.
January 13, 2018
AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!
I had forgotten how terrifying Stephen King was earlier in his career.
Yes, I was scared. Yes, this was a bad book to read for a rainy, sick day.
No, I do not regret reading it.
I had forgotten how terrifying Stephen King was earlier in his career.
Yes, I was scared. Yes, this was a bad book to read for a rainy, sick day.
No, I do not regret reading it.
November 15, 2021
Second Read - October 2021, 4 stars
The reasons why I loved this book when I first read this last year still hold up for the second time. I think it was tautly written, except for those long chapters from Paul's novel. I still don't know why they are in there. But overall, it was a great book. Very brutal and mental.
First Read - August 2020, 4.5 stars
The reasons why I loved this book when I first read this last year still hold up for the second time. I think it was tautly written, except for those long chapters from Paul's novel. I still don't know why they are in there. But overall, it was a great book. Very brutal and mental.
First Read - August 2020, 4.5 stars
October 10, 2022
Holy bucket of bolts, what an oogy ride this novel was!
Misery had me hooked from the start. I couldn't put this book down for long. It infiltrated my mind in that way that only Stephen King books can. I couldn't stop wondering how much more he was going to make Annie Wilkes capable of and how much more he was going to put Paul Sheldon through. It was an adrenaline rush of a novel from start to finish.
This book is different from others of the horror variety by SK I've read in the past. Nothing supernatural about "Misery" just good old fashion terror and tension. This book felt realistic and creepy and just flat out insane. It was a nightmare; it was a fun ride.
The one thing I could've done without was the long sections of excerpts from the manuscript Paul was working on. I understood the parallels and why adding them in builds on how central being a writer is to Paul's existence. But some stretches were a bit dragged on. However, nothing enough to deter this book from getting five stars.
I love digging into the 70s and 80s works of Stephen King. This is far from my last read by him!
Misery had me hooked from the start. I couldn't put this book down for long. It infiltrated my mind in that way that only Stephen King books can. I couldn't stop wondering how much more he was going to make Annie Wilkes capable of and how much more he was going to put Paul Sheldon through. It was an adrenaline rush of a novel from start to finish.
This book is different from others of the horror variety by SK I've read in the past. Nothing supernatural about "Misery" just good old fashion terror and tension. This book felt realistic and creepy and just flat out insane. It was a nightmare; it was a fun ride.
The one thing I could've done without was the long sections of excerpts from the manuscript Paul was working on. I understood the parallels and why adding them in builds on how central being a writer is to Paul's existence. But some stretches were a bit dragged on. However, nothing enough to deter this book from getting five stars.
I love digging into the 70s and 80s works of Stephen King. This is far from my last read by him!
January 1, 2022
2021 Update:
What a way to end 2021, with a reread of one of my favorite Stephen King novels! It only gets better with time, and is now probably in my top 10. King really was on a different level in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, huh? I even enjoyed the Misery’s Return bits this time.
2016 Review:
What could I possibly add to what has already been said about this astounding novel in the last thirty years? It is a bonafide King classic, an excellent entry in the man's oeuvre by virtually any standard of judgement. Kick-ass villain? Check. Tightly-wound plotting? Check. Believable situation? Check. Avoidance of cliché? Check. Likable protagonist? Check. Appropriate ending? Check. In Misery, King does what is so rare for authors to do (especially authors who are fifteen or so years into their career, as King was in 1987) — he gets everything right.
I have a very special relationship with this book. It was the very first thing I ever read by Stephen King, years ago. At the time, I had a friend who was a big fan of the guy and raved about his works whenever he got a chance. I loved to read when I was growing up, but I lost interest around the age of 13 or so. I had begun to outgrow the stories I loved as a (younger) kid and hadn't yet found anything I liked as a young teen. Finally, at the insistence of said King-loving friend, I checked the 'K' section at my local library. Lo and behold, I found a mess of his novels and didn't know where to start. Under the Dome was King's latest release then, and while it seemed interesting, I suspected I would never make it through its 1,000+ pages. Maybe one day, I told myself. After sweaty, anxious scanning of all the King titles on my town library's shelves, I texted my friend and asked for suggestions. He immediately responded with something I'll never forget: "They're all good. Just don't get Dreamcatcher. It sucks ass."
Alright! Feeling moderately liberated, I felt relief in the knowledge that I could check out any of the titles before me without worry of it being a time-waste (besides Dreamcatcher, mind you). Finally, I noticed a slimmer volume, its one-worded title in a font that looked like blood: MISERY, it said. The hardcover's art immediately gripped me, as did the goofy-ass author photo on the back — that photo still cracks me up, by the way. Say sorry, Sai King!
To the checkout counter I went, with Misery (and The Stand, if memory serves — though I did not even attempt that one before its due date) in hand. A few days later I went on vacation with my family to Gulf Shores, Alabama. We camped out.... in tents.... in an RV park. Oi. It rained almost everyday, and when it wasn't raining it was almost a hundred degrees. But that trip wasn't so bad — after all, I had Misery. I remember sitting in the tent I shared with my sister, holding the book in my clutches, eagerly drinking in the story by flashlight as the rain pelted down. Ah, good times. Funnily enough, it was not until a few months after that trip that I read another novel by SK. That one — Christine — was what turned me into the fanboy I am today. But Misery laid the groundwork, and pushed me to expand my literary interests in the first place.
So what was it? What was it that I loved (and love) so much about Misery? Why, it's King's commentary on the writing process, of course. I'm a pre-published (he said optimistically) writer, which made this story more appealing now than it ever was before. While I don't write in the same genre as King — horror and suspense are not comfortable to me — his words of advice on the craft are endlessly fascinating, and so helpful. The stories and novels in which King deals with the arts and the impact it has on everyday life are my favorites, just because those are the titles I relate to most.
And let us not forget the vividly drawn characters — Paul Sheldon and Annie Wilkes. I love to write, therefore I dig Paul and can feel for him. Of course. However, I also have more than a little bit of Annie in me. I'm obsessive, lonely, paranoid, depressive, manic. Just being honest. I feel for her. I feel her pain, her turmoil, her ideology — even when she's wielding an ax or chopping up coppers with a lawnmower. What kind of person does that make me?
The reader can sympathize with all of King's characters, even the most despicable ones. That's the mark of a truly great writer, and it's a lesson I've tried to apply to my own stories. In fact, Annie is so well-realized that I'm always heartbroken over her death. I know she deserved it. I know that. But . . . still. It's a hard one, at least for me. I love Annie Wilkes.
So, yeah. This has been a shit review. Apologies! Didn't know what to say that hasn't already been said, so I decided to go with whatever came out. Hope you stuck around, and thanks for reading!
King connections:
Pg. 103 - Paul imagines the voice of his typewriter as being that of a 'teenage gun-slinger'.
Pg. 192 - The phrase 'off the beam' is thought of by Paul. Is that a Dark Tower reference? Almost certainly. The Drawing of the Three was released in 1987 too, so it was definitely on King's mind.
Pg. 194 - Events from The Shining, namely the Overlook Hotel burning down, are mentioned by Annie. And there's the fact that this novel takes place in Colorado, which puts this one firmly in the same universe as that which is occupied by the Torrances.
Favorite quote:
“As always, the blessed relief of starting, a feeling that was like falling into a hole filled with bright light.
As always, the glum knowledge that he would not write as well as he wanted to write.
As always the terror of not being able to finish, of accelerating into a brick wall.
As always, the marvelous joyful nervy feeling of journey begun.”
Up next:
I cheated and skipped The Eyes of the Dragon, simply because I wanted to get here. I might skip EOTD until further notice and instead push on with The Tommyknockers. We'll see.
What a way to end 2021, with a reread of one of my favorite Stephen King novels! It only gets better with time, and is now probably in my top 10. King really was on a different level in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, huh? I even enjoyed the Misery’s Return bits this time.
2016 Review:
What could I possibly add to what has already been said about this astounding novel in the last thirty years? It is a bonafide King classic, an excellent entry in the man's oeuvre by virtually any standard of judgement. Kick-ass villain? Check. Tightly-wound plotting? Check. Believable situation? Check. Avoidance of cliché? Check. Likable protagonist? Check. Appropriate ending? Check. In Misery, King does what is so rare for authors to do (especially authors who are fifteen or so years into their career, as King was in 1987) — he gets everything right.
I have a very special relationship with this book. It was the very first thing I ever read by Stephen King, years ago. At the time, I had a friend who was a big fan of the guy and raved about his works whenever he got a chance. I loved to read when I was growing up, but I lost interest around the age of 13 or so. I had begun to outgrow the stories I loved as a (younger) kid and hadn't yet found anything I liked as a young teen. Finally, at the insistence of said King-loving friend, I checked the 'K' section at my local library. Lo and behold, I found a mess of his novels and didn't know where to start. Under the Dome was King's latest release then, and while it seemed interesting, I suspected I would never make it through its 1,000+ pages. Maybe one day, I told myself. After sweaty, anxious scanning of all the King titles on my town library's shelves, I texted my friend and asked for suggestions. He immediately responded with something I'll never forget: "They're all good. Just don't get Dreamcatcher. It sucks ass."
Alright! Feeling moderately liberated, I felt relief in the knowledge that I could check out any of the titles before me without worry of it being a time-waste (besides Dreamcatcher, mind you). Finally, I noticed a slimmer volume, its one-worded title in a font that looked like blood: MISERY, it said. The hardcover's art immediately gripped me, as did the goofy-ass author photo on the back — that photo still cracks me up, by the way. Say sorry, Sai King!
To the checkout counter I went, with Misery (and The Stand, if memory serves — though I did not even attempt that one before its due date) in hand. A few days later I went on vacation with my family to Gulf Shores, Alabama. We camped out.... in tents.... in an RV park. Oi. It rained almost everyday, and when it wasn't raining it was almost a hundred degrees. But that trip wasn't so bad — after all, I had Misery. I remember sitting in the tent I shared with my sister, holding the book in my clutches, eagerly drinking in the story by flashlight as the rain pelted down. Ah, good times. Funnily enough, it was not until a few months after that trip that I read another novel by SK. That one — Christine — was what turned me into the fanboy I am today. But Misery laid the groundwork, and pushed me to expand my literary interests in the first place.
So what was it? What was it that I loved (and love) so much about Misery? Why, it's King's commentary on the writing process, of course. I'm a pre-published (he said optimistically) writer, which made this story more appealing now than it ever was before. While I don't write in the same genre as King — horror and suspense are not comfortable to me — his words of advice on the craft are endlessly fascinating, and so helpful. The stories and novels in which King deals with the arts and the impact it has on everyday life are my favorites, just because those are the titles I relate to most.
And let us not forget the vividly drawn characters — Paul Sheldon and Annie Wilkes. I love to write, therefore I dig Paul and can feel for him. Of course. However, I also have more than a little bit of Annie in me. I'm obsessive, lonely, paranoid, depressive, manic. Just being honest. I feel for her. I feel her pain, her turmoil, her ideology — even when she's wielding an ax or chopping up coppers with a lawnmower. What kind of person does that make me?
The reader can sympathize with all of King's characters, even the most despicable ones. That's the mark of a truly great writer, and it's a lesson I've tried to apply to my own stories. In fact, Annie is so well-realized that I'm always heartbroken over her death. I know she deserved it. I know that. But . . . still. It's a hard one, at least for me. I love Annie Wilkes.
So, yeah. This has been a shit review. Apologies! Didn't know what to say that hasn't already been said, so I decided to go with whatever came out. Hope you stuck around, and thanks for reading!
King connections:
Pg. 103 - Paul imagines the voice of his typewriter as being that of a 'teenage gun-slinger'.
Pg. 192 - The phrase 'off the beam' is thought of by Paul. Is that a Dark Tower reference? Almost certainly. The Drawing of the Three was released in 1987 too, so it was definitely on King's mind.
Pg. 194 - Events from The Shining, namely the Overlook Hotel burning down, are mentioned by Annie. And there's the fact that this novel takes place in Colorado, which puts this one firmly in the same universe as that which is occupied by the Torrances.
Favorite quote:
“As always, the blessed relief of starting, a feeling that was like falling into a hole filled with bright light.
As always, the glum knowledge that he would not write as well as he wanted to write.
As always the terror of not being able to finish, of accelerating into a brick wall.
As always, the marvelous joyful nervy feeling of journey begun.”
Up next:
I cheated and skipped The Eyes of the Dragon, simply because I wanted to get here. I might skip EOTD until further notice and instead push on with The Tommyknockers. We'll see.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 30, 2018
One of my favourite King books, I like to think of it as King writing his own nightmare. And what can be scarier than what scares Stephen King?
September 8, 2020
Es toda una experiencia leer Misery.
Estuve tentada a poner una calificación de 4 o 4.5 estrellas por lo grotesco de varias de sus escenas, pero haciendo una reflexión de todo lo que conlleva creo que se merece sus 5 estrellas sin dudarlo.
Y es que va mucho más allá que la historia de una loca con su escritor "mascota". Todo tiene un por qué, Annie es una mujer compleja y profundamente interesante, con unos cambios de humor, propios de un trastorno muy fuerte. Cuando se perdía en su mundo interno de la nada, era tan real. Sus ataques de ira, el miedo reflejado en su rostro, porque al final de todo era una mujer y no una "Diosa". Pero una mujer que tenía un motivo y razón de vivir... Misery.
Por otro lado se crea una dependencia entre Annie y Paul. Paul necesita a Annie y gracias a ella logra crear el mejor libro de toda su vida a costa de su sufrimiento... Ahh porque ¡pobre hombre! Sufre horrores (Nada que ver con la película que aunque creo que es bastante buena, no se compara con todo lo que tiene que vivir en el libro).
Y gracias a ese trauma nota la importancia que tienen sus seguidores, sus creaciones, y la manera de escribir, en pocas palabras, se supera así mismo.
Me ha gustado muchísimo, me tuvo tensa y emocionada leyendo, cosa que no me pasa tan seguido, me hizó reflexionar y creo que Annie es uno de los mejores personajes que ha hecho SK, a reserva de que me faltan un montón de libros por leer de él.
Estuve tentada a poner una calificación de 4 o 4.5 estrellas por lo grotesco de varias de sus escenas, pero haciendo una reflexión de todo lo que conlleva creo que se merece sus 5 estrellas sin dudarlo.
Y es que va mucho más allá que la historia de una loca con su escritor "mascota". Todo tiene un por qué, Annie es una mujer compleja y profundamente interesante, con unos cambios de humor, propios de un trastorno muy fuerte. Cuando se perdía en su mundo interno de la nada, era tan real. Sus ataques de ira, el miedo reflejado en su rostro, porque al final de todo era una mujer y no una "Diosa". Pero una mujer que tenía un motivo y razón de vivir... Misery.
Por otro lado se crea una dependencia entre Annie y Paul. Paul necesita a Annie y gracias a ella logra crear el mejor libro de toda su vida a costa de su sufrimiento... Ahh porque ¡pobre hombre! Sufre horrores (Nada que ver con la película que aunque creo que es bastante buena, no se compara con todo lo que tiene que vivir en el libro).
Y gracias a ese trauma nota la importancia que tienen sus seguidores, sus creaciones, y la manera de escribir, en pocas palabras, se supera así mismo.
Me ha gustado muchísimo, me tuvo tensa y emocionada leyendo, cosa que no me pasa tan seguido, me hizó reflexionar y creo que Annie es uno de los mejores personajes que ha hecho SK, a reserva de que me faltan un montón de libros por leer de él.
November 29, 2021
Porg Reads Books Because of Songs
Episode 1: The Exorcist
Episode 2: Carrie
Episode 3: Pet Sematary
Episode 4: Misery
I really just hand out 5 star ratings like I hand out sarcastic comments, don’t I.
Okay but this one deserves the five stars, I swear.
I don’t want to say anything about this.
It was creepy.
Implied things at the end allowed my imagination to create nice images so that was fun.
It reminded me of my deep rooted hatred for Maeve in Empire of Storms and Kingdom of Ash. Because you know that feeling you have when a character is so evil, it’s just infuriating and you want to reach into the pages andviciously murder them punch them in the face?
Yeah
Well I like when that happens
Because I love to suffer
So that was great.
I seriously don’t have anything to say because I hate overanalyzing books. I liked the writing, I liked how stuff was always happening, I liked how it preyed on my insecurities. It was great.
5/5 my mom should read this, she’d enjoy the rats
Episode 1: The Exorcist
Episode 2: Carrie
Episode 3: Pet Sematary
Episode 4: Misery
I really just hand out 5 star ratings like I hand out sarcastic comments, don’t I.
Okay but this one deserves the five stars, I swear.
I don’t want to say anything about this.
It was creepy.
Implied things at the end allowed my imagination to create nice images so that was fun.
It reminded me of my deep rooted hatred for Maeve in Empire of Storms and Kingdom of Ash. Because you know that feeling you have when a character is so evil, it’s just infuriating and you want to reach into the pages and
Yeah
Well I like when that happens
Because I love to suffer
So that was great.
I seriously don’t have anything to say because I hate overanalyzing books. I liked the writing, I liked how stuff was always happening, I liked how it preyed on my insecurities. It was great.
5/5 my mom should read this, she’d enjoy the rats
December 22, 2020
Each time I finish a King, I'm like OK this was my favorite but FOR REAL at this moment in time, Misery is my favorite. I can't even describe it. You must read it to experience it fully. I watched the movie YEARS ago and I hardly remember anything and I'm so happy about that because the book was like a totally new experience for me.
Annie Wilkes is one of the best characters I've ever read. Best in the sense that she is totally bat shit crazy and it's so believable but you also feel bad for her at the same time. Like, what is that?? How can I hate her and want to hug her at the same damn time? I'm not sure but that's a PERFECTLY written character if you ask me.
This is definitely scary in the sense that IT COULD HAPPEN. There are definitely lunatics out there. Poor Paul.
Stop, drop and please read this.
Annie Wilkes is one of the best characters I've ever read. Best in the sense that she is totally bat shit crazy and it's so believable but you also feel bad for her at the same time. Like, what is that?? How can I hate her and want to hug her at the same damn time? I'm not sure but that's a PERFECTLY written character if you ask me.
This is definitely scary in the sense that IT COULD HAPPEN. There are definitely lunatics out there. Poor Paul.
Stop, drop and please read this.
November 7, 2020
3.5
Esta é a minha primeira leitura de Stephen King e fui surpreendida pela positiva, visto que não tinha grandes expectativas para a sua obra. A história é fluida e rápida de ler, sem ter uma escrita demasiado banal.
Paul Sheldon é um escritor que se vê aprisionado e torturado por uma das suas fãs, Annie Wilkes. A plot é bastante simples, o que torna o livro muito rápido de ler, mas também (por ser tão claustrofóbica no seu espaço e personagens) permite um bom desenvolvimento das mesmas.
Não sei se Misery tem alguma interpretação comum, mas para mim Annie Wilkes personificou o medo avassalador que Sheldon, e muitos outros escritores possuem: o conflito entre a escrita para agradar a massas - e o quão destrutiva essa tentação é para a mente do verdadeiro artista - e a vontade de escrever de si para si, pelo prazer da literatura, que tantas vezes as massas repelem.
Aparentemente SK afirmou que Misery é sobre a dependência de cocaína portanto a minha interpretação passou bastante ao lado.
Penso que foi uma boa introdução ao espólio de SK, e espero ler mais algumas das suas obras,
Esta é a minha primeira leitura de Stephen King e fui surpreendida pela positiva, visto que não tinha grandes expectativas para a sua obra. A história é fluida e rápida de ler, sem ter uma escrita demasiado banal.
Paul Sheldon é um escritor que se vê aprisionado e torturado por uma das suas fãs, Annie Wilkes. A plot é bastante simples, o que torna o livro muito rápido de ler, mas também (por ser tão claustrofóbica no seu espaço e personagens) permite um bom desenvolvimento das mesmas.
Aparentemente SK afirmou que Misery é sobre a dependência de cocaína portanto a minha interpretação passou bastante ao lado.
Penso que foi uma boa introdução ao espólio de SK, e espero ler mais algumas das suas obras,
March 10, 2020
I should kick this off with the fact that I am one of those people who saw the film first ( stop! ) and I was semi young, like 15 or so. And I didn't fully remember anything, so I saw the book at my library and figured why not. I really was not expecting the violence and gore. Such as using an axe instead of a sledgehammer ( the film )and the very end as Paul is attempting to escape by crawling on the floor trying to reach the door and Annie grasping after him I felt like I was in that room watching it all go down. I also liked the disappearance of Annie, kind of gave me Halloween vibes. You also have to appreciate that she truly got in his head, even long after the ordeal, as he saw Annie in his darkened apartment. And him being happy enough to the point of tears by writing a completely new project was a sweet ending to this ingratiating journey. Hats off steve.
October 21, 2021
Misery is my first Stephen King novel, and it won’t be my last. I decided to read Misery as my first Stephen King novel because I remember seeing bits and pieces of the movie and enjoying it.
On Goodreads, Misery is classified mostly as horror; however, I think there’s more to the novel than that. Instead, it’s a psychological thriller suspense horror novel. A bit of a mouthful, but each of those labels together accurately conveys the intricacies of this novel.
Misery is not for the faint of heart as King does not shy away from the descriptions of gore and the horror of what happened to Paul. I didn’t find it to be a central tenant of the novel, however its significance cannot be overlooked.
Throughout the novel, King fostered a tense feeling in his readers and didn’t let it up until the final pages. I felt a sense of dread from the first page until the last as Paul fought for his life then slowly started to succumb to the realities of his situation.
Misery is also a comment on the writing process, the writer-reader relationship, and addiction. Throughout the novel, Paul is writing a novel for his abductor and readers are treated to Paul’s thought process and the general process of writing a novel. This is all accomplished through Paul’s growing addiction to pain medication. I don’t know very much about King as a person, however I heard he was addicted to various substances. So, I’m wondering if Misery a reflection of King.
Overall, Misery was a fantastic novel to begin my Stephen King journey. It’s more than a horror novel as it gives readers an intimate look at the writing process and the writer-reader relationship all through the lens of addiction.
On Goodreads, Misery is classified mostly as horror; however, I think there’s more to the novel than that. Instead, it’s a psychological thriller suspense horror novel. A bit of a mouthful, but each of those labels together accurately conveys the intricacies of this novel.
Misery is not for the faint of heart as King does not shy away from the descriptions of gore and the horror of what happened to Paul. I didn’t find it to be a central tenant of the novel, however its significance cannot be overlooked.
Throughout the novel, King fostered a tense feeling in his readers and didn’t let it up until the final pages. I felt a sense of dread from the first page until the last as Paul fought for his life then slowly started to succumb to the realities of his situation.
Misery is also a comment on the writing process, the writer-reader relationship, and addiction. Throughout the novel, Paul is writing a novel for his abductor and readers are treated to Paul’s thought process and the general process of writing a novel. This is all accomplished through Paul’s growing addiction to pain medication. I don’t know very much about King as a person, however I heard he was addicted to various substances. So, I’m wondering if Misery a reflection of King.
Overall, Misery was a fantastic novel to begin my Stephen King journey. It’s more than a horror novel as it gives readers an intimate look at the writing process and the writer-reader relationship all through the lens of addiction.
January 14, 2026
Film Misery mi je jedan od najdražih, ne samo cosy horora, već filmova generalno. S te strane sam znala u šta se upuštam, mada sam isto tako znala da je Kathy Bates kao Annie Wilkes genijalnost za sebe. Takva interpretacija svakako ne bi postojala da Stephen King nije napisao jednog od najjezivijih negativaca, upravo zato što horor ovde ne dolazi iz natprirodnog, već iz pomračenog uma, tišine i sporog psihičkog mučenja. Na sve to, King je ovde obradio sopstvenu borbu sa zavisnošću. Priznajem da sam mu davala šansu u nekoliko navrata i ostala razočarana, a verujem da je bilo do trenutka i izbora knjiga koje mi prosto nisu legle jer sam više za psihološke trilere bez natprirodnih elemenata. Knjiga ima više nasilja, a za fanove filma posebno je dragoceno što nudi dublje "Memory Lane" uvide i detalje koje film samo naznači.
April 20, 2023
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
Wow! This was good. Beyond good. It was one of those books that reminds you why you enjoy reading. This book has been sitting on my shelf for years. Unread and probably feeling ignored. I am kicking myself for waiting until now to read this book. I don’t know why I was ignoring this book. I saw the movie when it first came out and remember liking it. I wasn’t worried about spoilers because let’s face it, I watched this movie over 30 years ago and I can barely remember what I was doing this week. (Yes, I am old). I guess the moral of this story is that I should actually try to read some of the books that have been collecting dust on my shelves. This book was easily a 5-star read. I spent my morning unable to do anything else until this book was finished because I was so mesmerized by the story.
Writer Paul Sheldon celebrates finishing his new novel with a few drinks. He ends up getting in an accident and the next thing he knows he wakes up in Annie’s house. Annie knows exactly who Paul is and considers herself to be his #1 fan. Paul is in bad shape so he is completely at Annie’s mercy. Some days with Annie prove to be better than others. Annie is one of those characters you just can’t forget and I couldn’t imagine being in the situation Paul finds himself in. I have to admit that I was pretty nervous for Paul throughout most of the book.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Lindsay Crouse did a wonderful job with this story. Paul and Annie were the only two characters throughout most of the book and I felt like she was able to bring them both to life. I found myself wanting to listen to this book for hours at a time without taking a break. I do believe that her narration added to my overall enjoyment of this story.
I would definitely recommend this book to others. I had a fantastic time with this book and am only mad that I waited so long to read it. I can’t wait to read more of King’s work.
Book Source: Library
Wow! This was good. Beyond good. It was one of those books that reminds you why you enjoy reading. This book has been sitting on my shelf for years. Unread and probably feeling ignored. I am kicking myself for waiting until now to read this book. I don’t know why I was ignoring this book. I saw the movie when it first came out and remember liking it. I wasn’t worried about spoilers because let’s face it, I watched this movie over 30 years ago and I can barely remember what I was doing this week. (Yes, I am old). I guess the moral of this story is that I should actually try to read some of the books that have been collecting dust on my shelves. This book was easily a 5-star read. I spent my morning unable to do anything else until this book was finished because I was so mesmerized by the story.
Writer Paul Sheldon celebrates finishing his new novel with a few drinks. He ends up getting in an accident and the next thing he knows he wakes up in Annie’s house. Annie knows exactly who Paul is and considers herself to be his #1 fan. Paul is in bad shape so he is completely at Annie’s mercy. Some days with Annie prove to be better than others. Annie is one of those characters you just can’t forget and I couldn’t imagine being in the situation Paul finds himself in. I have to admit that I was pretty nervous for Paul throughout most of the book.
I listened to the audiobook and thought that Lindsay Crouse did a wonderful job with this story. Paul and Annie were the only two characters throughout most of the book and I felt like she was able to bring them both to life. I found myself wanting to listen to this book for hours at a time without taking a break. I do believe that her narration added to my overall enjoyment of this story.
I would definitely recommend this book to others. I had a fantastic time with this book and am only mad that I waited so long to read it. I can’t wait to read more of King’s work.
Book Source: Library
September 15, 2020
I- wow-
This was so amazing.
Stephen King's prose and the way he writes the atmosphere and the setting and the characters in such an eerie, but interesting and and immersive and absorbing and engaging and compelling way is one of my absolute favorite things ever and I'm addicted to it.
While I was reading this book, there wasn't a single second I wasn't at the edge of my seat, not even at the beginning and that's incredible. It was so great, so intense and gripping and I enjoyed it so so so so so much.
The characterization is so vivid and gives me goosebumps when I think about it and it literally embedded itself in my mind that I don't think I'll ever forget about it. Annie and Paul's characters are both so incredibly fascinating to me and are so rich in their character, their backstory and their problems and issues, and everything comes together in such a disturbing but such interesting and almost exciting way where I just can't stop reading because there's always something happening and the tension and the physiological horror which is my favorite keeps growing and taking turns and it's SO GOOD.
I absolutely loved this and I don't think I'll ever forget the characters and the experience of reading it and now that I've finished this, unsurprisingly at all Stephen King has definitely become one of my absolute all-time favorite authors. I wish I could read all of his books at once now. I've more than enjoyed everything I've read so far.
This was so amazing.
Stephen King's prose and the way he writes the atmosphere and the setting and the characters in such an eerie, but interesting and and immersive and absorbing and engaging and compelling way is one of my absolute favorite things ever and I'm addicted to it.
While I was reading this book, there wasn't a single second I wasn't at the edge of my seat, not even at the beginning and that's incredible. It was so great, so intense and gripping and I enjoyed it so so so so so much.
The characterization is so vivid and gives me goosebumps when I think about it and it literally embedded itself in my mind that I don't think I'll ever forget about it. Annie and Paul's characters are both so incredibly fascinating to me and are so rich in their character, their backstory and their problems and issues, and everything comes together in such a disturbing but such interesting and almost exciting way where I just can't stop reading because there's always something happening and the tension and the physiological horror which is my favorite keeps growing and taking turns and it's SO GOOD.
I absolutely loved this and I don't think I'll ever forget the characters and the experience of reading it and now that I've finished this, unsurprisingly at all Stephen King has definitely become one of my absolute all-time favorite authors. I wish I could read all of his books at once now. I've more than enjoyed everything I've read so far.
October 27, 2021
Because writers remember everything... Especially the hurts. Strip a writer to the buff, point to the scars, and he'll tell you the story of each small one. From the big ones you get novels, not amnesia. A little talent is nice thing to have if you want to be a writer, but the only real requirement is that ability to remember the story of every scar.
October 8, 2022
All the stars! One of my favorite of his. Horror month continues.
July 29, 2012
Misery is one of those rare novels that I feel a sense of relief to be finished with. Not to be misconstrued as any sort of dislike for the novel, on the contrary, King did such a good job of making me feel uncomfortable with his character's predicament that I experienced an actual physical feeling of relief to be done with it.
Overall, Misery is a very well-written novel that is not a horror in the traditional sense (no supernatural creatures or spooky things to give you the creepy-crawlies or make you jump,) but remains one of the most horrific novels that King has written. The setting, situation and characters all meld together perfectly in a scenario that is hard to call unbelievable or impossible and that feeling just adds to the creepiness of the circumstances.
I did have a few problems here and there with the novel, such as Otherwise, this is a very solid offering by King that, while I wouldn't say that I totally "enjoyed", is a really good novel.
Overall, Misery is a very well-written novel that is not a horror in the traditional sense (no supernatural creatures or spooky things to give you the creepy-crawlies or make you jump,) but remains one of the most horrific novels that King has written. The setting, situation and characters all meld together perfectly in a scenario that is hard to call unbelievable or impossible and that feeling just adds to the creepiness of the circumstances.
I did have a few problems here and there with the novel, such as Otherwise, this is a very solid offering by King that, while I wouldn't say that I totally "enjoyed", is a really good novel.
February 25, 2025
3.75 ⭐️- For my first ever Stephen King read, I thought this was very solid. It definitely was giving isolated, desperate, psychotic horror.
It is done rather simply as it just has two characters and takes place in one house. But that really allows you to feel as alone and hopeless as Paul. Annie was scary as hell (I can’t wait to see her portrayed in the movie); a true psycho.
I’ll definitely need to read some more King before I’m used to his writing style. It was definitely different from what I typically read. I thought the ending of this was very real which is good but I almost wanted it to be more dramatic. That’s just me. Also, some of the language used in this was VERY harsh; alarming at times. Didn’t love that.
It is done rather simply as it just has two characters and takes place in one house. But that really allows you to feel as alone and hopeless as Paul. Annie was scary as hell (I can’t wait to see her portrayed in the movie); a true psycho.
I’ll definitely need to read some more King before I’m used to his writing style. It was definitely different from what I typically read. I thought the ending of this was very real which is good but I almost wanted it to be more dramatic. That’s just me. Also, some of the language used in this was VERY harsh; alarming at times. Didn’t love that.
January 27, 2015
Author Paul Sheldon wakes up injured in a farmhouse in Boulder Colorado that belongs to an ex-nurse named Annie Wilkes who says that she is his "number one fan". She wants him to bring her favorite character Misery Chastain of his Misery novels back to life and write it just for her. Will Paul Sheldon accept her request or will he end up suffering in misery? Read on and find out for yourself.
This was a pretty good read. If you are a fan of Stephen King's work or new to his books, definitely check out this one. It is just as good as the film version but better. You can find Misery at your local library and wherever books are sold.
This was a pretty good read. If you are a fan of Stephen King's work or new to his books, definitely check out this one. It is just as good as the film version but better. You can find Misery at your local library and wherever books are sold.
December 2, 2024
"When you lived in the funhouse, the laff riot just never stopped."
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