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Misery
Scriitorul de succes Paul Sheldon crede că a scăpat, în sfârșit, de Misery Chastain – protagonista foarte populară a ciclului său de romane de dragoste. Într-o mișcare de carieră controversată, Paul tocmai a ucis-o pe Misery, ca să-și lărgească orizontul creativ. Dar o asemenea schimbare nu poate rămâne fără consecințe.
După un accident de mașină aproape fatal, scriitorul rămâne imobilizat și se află la mila salvatoarei lui, care promite să-l readucă la viață – cea mai înfocată fană a sa, Annie Wilkes. Însă Annie e furioasă pentru ce i-a făcut Paul lui Misery și îi cere să reabiliteze personajul într-un nou roman, scris sub îndrumarea ei.
Scriitorul devine prizonierul propriei ficțiuni, iar torționarul este cititorul său cel mai entuziast. Curând, tensiunea atinge cote insuportabile și devine limpede că sfârșitul cărții va fi și sfârșitul unuia dintre cei doi.
„Un Stephen King clasic, plin de întorsături de situație și de suspans pur.“
The Boston Globe
„Stephen King în mare vervă, pe terenul său favorit… un roman cu adevărat înfricoșător.“
USA Today
„I-a auzit glasul, trezindu-l din ceață. A deschis ochii și a văzut-o îndreptând o armă spre el. Ochii îi sclipeau de furie. Saliva îi lucea pe dinți.
– Dacă-ți dorești cu atâta disperare libertatea, Paul, a spus Annie, m-aș bucura să ți-o dăruiesc. Și a apăsat pe ambele trăgace.
El a tresărit, așteptându-se ca pușca să se declanșeze. Dar Annie nu era acolo, desigur; mintea lui deja recunoscuse visul. Nu era un vis – era un avertisment. Se putea întoarce oricând. Oricând. Nuanța luminii ce răzbătea prin ușa pe jumătate deschisă a băii se schimbase, devenise mai strălucitoare. Părea lumina amiezii. Își dorea să audă ceasul bătând ca să-și dea seama cât de aproape era de realitate, dar acesta tăcea cu încăpățânare.“
După un accident de mașină aproape fatal, scriitorul rămâne imobilizat și se află la mila salvatoarei lui, care promite să-l readucă la viață – cea mai înfocată fană a sa, Annie Wilkes. Însă Annie e furioasă pentru ce i-a făcut Paul lui Misery și îi cere să reabiliteze personajul într-un nou roman, scris sub îndrumarea ei.
Scriitorul devine prizonierul propriei ficțiuni, iar torționarul este cititorul său cel mai entuziast. Curând, tensiunea atinge cote insuportabile și devine limpede că sfârșitul cărții va fi și sfârșitul unuia dintre cei doi.
„Un Stephen King clasic, plin de întorsături de situație și de suspans pur.“
The Boston Globe
„Stephen King în mare vervă, pe terenul său favorit… un roman cu adevărat înfricoșător.“
USA Today
„I-a auzit glasul, trezindu-l din ceață. A deschis ochii și a văzut-o îndreptând o armă spre el. Ochii îi sclipeau de furie. Saliva îi lucea pe dinți.
– Dacă-ți dorești cu atâta disperare libertatea, Paul, a spus Annie, m-aș bucura să ți-o dăruiesc. Și a apăsat pe ambele trăgace.
El a tresărit, așteptându-se ca pușca să se declanșeze. Dar Annie nu era acolo, desigur; mintea lui deja recunoscuse visul. Nu era un vis – era un avertisment. Se putea întoarce oricând. Oricând. Nuanța luminii ce răzbătea prin ușa pe jumătate deschisă a băii se schimbase, devenise mai strălucitoare. Părea lumina amiezii. Își dorea să audă ceasul bătând ca să-și dea seama cât de aproape era de realitate, dar acesta tăcea cu încăpățânare.“
373 pages, Paperback
First published June 8, 1987
4 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 13, 2022
Abia așteptam să se termine 🙄🤦🏻♀️😂
August 5, 2021
Doamne Dumnezeule și Maica Domnului cu Sfântul Petru…
Ce carte…ce personaj…îmi bubuie mintea, nu alta…o să mă bântuie Annie în vise, coșmaruri o să am, sincer…
M-a șocat cartea asta, modul cum a creat-o King pe Annie, nici nu îmi găsesc cuvintele, personaj mai bolnav ca ăsta nu cred că am întâlnit…să n-ai tu toate țiglele pe casă, să schilodești cu zâmbetul pe buze…băi, turbato, te-aș fi sugrumat cu cearșeaful de pe pat de eram în locul lui Paul (sunt vitează, că doar scriu asta de pe canapea, de eram în locul lui Paul, mă scăpam pe mine…)
Acum mă duc să ascund cartea până la finalul lunii, când îmi contabilizez lecturile…
Ce carte…ce personaj…îmi bubuie mintea, nu alta…o să mă bântuie Annie în vise, coșmaruri o să am, sincer…
M-a șocat cartea asta, modul cum a creat-o King pe Annie, nici nu îmi găsesc cuvintele, personaj mai bolnav ca ăsta nu cred că am întâlnit…să n-ai tu toate țiglele pe casă, să schilodești cu zâmbetul pe buze…băi, turbato, te-aș fi sugrumat cu cearșeaful de pe pat de eram în locul lui Paul (sunt vitează, că doar scriu asta de pe canapea, de eram în locul lui Paul, mă scăpam pe mine…)
Acum mă duc să ascund cartea până la finalul lunii, când îmi contabilizez lecturile…
August 26, 2025
Am mixed feelings legate de cartea asta. Premisa a fost faină dar m-am scârbit la foarte multe scene și la altele m-am plictisit destul de tare. Am stat câteva luni întregi pe cartea asta și abia acum la final, în ultimele 50 de pagini mi se pare că a devenit mai interesantă. Și chiar și așa interesantă cum a devenit pe final, parcă m-a deranjat faptul că King nu știe câteodată când și cum să-și termine poveștile. Nu sunt tare satisfăcută nici de finalul pe care l-am primit. Cred că mi-ar fi plăcut și m-ar fi afectat mai tare dacă teoria mea ar fi fost adevărată.
March 21, 2025
Anne Wilks, căreia i se spune Annie, a fost prea mult pentru mine..
Acest roman a fost sadic, mi-a întors stomacul pe dos, a trebui să îl iau în doze mici deoarece mi-a dat o stare foarte neplăcută, în același timp, parcă a lipsit ceva sau poate aveam eu alte așteptări..
Nu prea mi-a plăcut, deși scriitura lui King e foarte faină, nu a fost pentru mine, psihicul uman te lasă des fară cuvinte..
Acest roman a fost sadic, mi-a întors stomacul pe dos, a trebui să îl iau în doze mici deoarece mi-a dat o stare foarte neplăcută, în același timp, parcă a lipsit ceva sau poate aveam eu alte așteptări..
Nu prea mi-a plăcut, deși scriitura lui King e foarte faină, nu a fost pentru mine, psihicul uman te lasă des fară cuvinte..
February 3, 2024
What... did I read? This book was incredibly exasperating, and by that, I don't mean it was bad, but it frustrated me in a "what kind of mind could create such a disturbing character" way. I haven't read a lot of Stephen King, but out of everything I have, read, this is one of the best, most chilling novels this man has written.
I can't speak for everyone's preferences in horror novels, but for me, the sheer terror of being confined to a room, powerless and defenseless, at the mercy of someone as unpredictable as Annie, is truly horrifying. And when the ax came swinging... I was scared out of my mind.
Annie is one of those characters who leaps off the pages, looming larger than life when seen through Paul Sheldon's perspective. Her sadistic, deeply disturbed, manipulative, and delusional nature is vividly portrayed. Living a mundane and lonely life, Annie finds solace by immersing herself in the world of Misery, a character crafted by Paul. However, her obsession takes a dark turn when she stumbles upon the conclusion of the series and realizes it doesn't align with her desires. What can she do? Take the mature road and accept that characters in books die, or kidnap, lock in a room and torture the author until he writes the ending that she wants? Hell hath no fury like a mega-fan who discovers their adored character doesn't make it in the end...
While the novel does contain its share of blood and gore, often presented in an extremely graphic manner, the most impactful element, in my view, is the psychological torment. Paul Sheldon finds himself confined to a room, his feet crushed, already hooked on codeine, and incapable of self-care. His complete dependence on Annie, a woman whose moods shift unpredictably, is magnified. "Misery" is a multifaceted character study - not only Annie is under scrutiny, but Paul as well. His struggles, both with his dire circumstances and his identity as a writer, are meticulously dissected.
I feel like maybe Stephen King infused elements of his own experiences and reflections into the character of Paul Sheldon. Perhaps King encountered fans dissatisfied with his book endings and grappled with the ongoing debate about the nature of his literary contributions. There are musings that go into metafiction territory, with the character explaining writing techniques and tactics on creating a good novel. Annie Wilkes could be seen as a distorted reflection of every book nerd - albeit not to the extreme degree of psychopathy portrayed in the novel. (But I'd surely want to meet at least one of my favorite writers, let's say GRRM, and ask him WHY??)
The tension King created here had me grasping for breath. The suspense doesn't solely culminate at the inevitable direct confrontation between the two characters but steadily builds up, creating disturbing peaks even in moments where one might expect Paul to find some semblance of safety. King skillfully manipulates both Paul's and the reader's psyche, creating a palpable sense of discomfort. His vivid and almost cinematographic descriptions contribute to the immersive experience - no wonder the movie itself is such a good one!
One thing I didn't particularly feel was the ending. King has a penchant for screwing up the endings. I understand what he wanted to do there, , but King dragged it maybe a bit too much, in his signature style. :)) But this is just a minor qualm. It takes very little away from the level to which "Misery" impacted me.
I can't speak for everyone's preferences in horror novels, but for me, the sheer terror of being confined to a room, powerless and defenseless, at the mercy of someone as unpredictable as Annie, is truly horrifying. And when the ax came swinging... I was scared out of my mind.
Annie is one of those characters who leaps off the pages, looming larger than life when seen through Paul Sheldon's perspective. Her sadistic, deeply disturbed, manipulative, and delusional nature is vividly portrayed. Living a mundane and lonely life, Annie finds solace by immersing herself in the world of Misery, a character crafted by Paul. However, her obsession takes a dark turn when she stumbles upon the conclusion of the series and realizes it doesn't align with her desires. What can she do? Take the mature road and accept that characters in books die, or kidnap, lock in a room and torture the author until he writes the ending that she wants? Hell hath no fury like a mega-fan who discovers their adored character doesn't make it in the end...
While the novel does contain its share of blood and gore, often presented in an extremely graphic manner, the most impactful element, in my view, is the psychological torment. Paul Sheldon finds himself confined to a room, his feet crushed, already hooked on codeine, and incapable of self-care. His complete dependence on Annie, a woman whose moods shift unpredictably, is magnified. "Misery" is a multifaceted character study - not only Annie is under scrutiny, but Paul as well. His struggles, both with his dire circumstances and his identity as a writer, are meticulously dissected.
I feel like maybe Stephen King infused elements of his own experiences and reflections into the character of Paul Sheldon. Perhaps King encountered fans dissatisfied with his book endings and grappled with the ongoing debate about the nature of his literary contributions. There are musings that go into metafiction territory, with the character explaining writing techniques and tactics on creating a good novel. Annie Wilkes could be seen as a distorted reflection of every book nerd - albeit not to the extreme degree of psychopathy portrayed in the novel. (But I'd surely want to meet at least one of my favorite writers, let's say GRRM, and ask him WHY??)
The tension King created here had me grasping for breath. The suspense doesn't solely culminate at the inevitable direct confrontation between the two characters but steadily builds up, creating disturbing peaks even in moments where one might expect Paul to find some semblance of safety. King skillfully manipulates both Paul's and the reader's psyche, creating a palpable sense of discomfort. His vivid and almost cinematographic descriptions contribute to the immersive experience - no wonder the movie itself is such a good one!
One thing I didn't particularly feel was the ending. King has a penchant for screwing up the endings. I understand what he wanted to do there, , but King dragged it maybe a bit too much, in his signature style. :)) But this is just a minor qualm. It takes very little away from the level to which "Misery" impacted me.
October 25, 2022
N-am cuvinte. Este excepțională. Una dintre cele mai bune scrieri ale maestrului ✨
February 9, 2024
genial!!!!!!!!!!
July 5, 2023
"Demons, I get - People are crazy!"
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Unhinged, shocking & terrifying.
Who needs enemies when you have this kind of friends? Honestly, I haven't been this uneasy since 2018 when I saw The Nun in theatres. *trembles*
You know the feeling of anxious anticipation when you are waiting for something big to drop? It's like a medicine that you have to take in small doses in order not to send you into complete overdrive. This is what this book felt like. Every 50 to 70 pages something big would happen, an Annie-explosion/breakdown that would be so disgusting it would compensate for all the tension beforehand.
Even writing these few lines makes me uncomfortable - I don't know if I'd be able to sit through the movie in the foreseeable future. I feel like I need to forget the hows of the story before I, masochistically, put myself through this again. What makes this work so well is that we are no longer talking about any fantasy - this could as well be a 100% true crime case. Yikes.
Confession: The other night I had this nightmare where there was a bunch of people trapped in a mall balcony and I was on the phone with the police asking them if they've ever read Misery by Stephen King cause we were in that kind of situation - then I woke up heart beating frantically, all sweaty and disoriented. And I haven't been able to stop thinking about this.
One star off because it is still torturing me and I do not enjoy this.
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Unhinged, shocking & terrifying.
Who needs enemies when you have this kind of friends? Honestly, I haven't been this uneasy since 2018 when I saw The Nun in theatres. *trembles*
You know the feeling of anxious anticipation when you are waiting for something big to drop? It's like a medicine that you have to take in small doses in order not to send you into complete overdrive. This is what this book felt like. Every 50 to 70 pages something big would happen, an Annie-explosion/breakdown that would be so disgusting it would compensate for all the tension beforehand.
Even writing these few lines makes me uncomfortable - I don't know if I'd be able to sit through the movie in the foreseeable future. I feel like I need to forget the hows of the story before I, masochistically, put myself through this again. What makes this work so well is that we are no longer talking about any fantasy - this could as well be a 100% true crime case. Yikes.
Confession: The other night I had this nightmare where there was a bunch of people trapped in a mall balcony and I was on the phone with the police asking them if they've ever read Misery by Stephen King cause we were in that kind of situation - then I woke up heart beating frantically, all sweaty and disoriented. And I haven't been able to stop thinking about this.
One star off because it is still torturing me and I do not enjoy this.
October 27, 2021
Another Great Book from the King.
Beginning slow, but ramping up in events, twists and turns. The story picks off fast after a certain point. For me, it was somewhere after the first 50 pages. The story is really good in suspense and dread, you go through all the ups and downs of the main characters' narrative.
The only lacking part which I found, was towards the ending. Even though the author managed to grab my attention at least once, the ending feels less concentrated.
The most gripping point for me was a certain part in the middle of the book where a lot of knowledge was discovered, harrowing knowledge, turning the story towards something more darker and disturbing.
Beginning slow, but ramping up in events, twists and turns. The story picks off fast after a certain point. For me, it was somewhere after the first 50 pages. The story is really good in suspense and dread, you go through all the ups and downs of the main characters' narrative.
The only lacking part which I found, was towards the ending. Even though the author managed to grab my attention at least once, the ending feels less concentrated.
The most gripping point for me was a certain part in the middle of the book where a lot of knowledge was discovered, harrowing knowledge, turning the story towards something more darker and disturbing.
July 10, 2025
I struggled to get through the first 100 or so pages of Misery—the slow burn. But I'm glad I stuck with it, because once the tension ramped up, it became a gripping. As with most Stephen King novels, it’s the negative character—in this case, the unforgettable Annie Wilkes—that truly drives the story. I’ve realized I enjoy King’s work most because of his intense, often terrifying negative characters. They keep the suspense alive and make the journey worth it.
October 15, 2023
3,5 / 5
November 1, 2025
Mi-am impus sa citesc mai multe carti din aria lui King, si de data asta am decis sa imi dau intalnire cu Misery si cu ale ei secrete intunecate. Desi este doar un personaj dintr-o serie de romane de succes, autorul ei, Paul Sheldon s-a saturat pana in gat de ea. Asa ca, in disperarea de a se elibera atat de ea cat si de stigmatul de a scrie chestii comerciale, Paul o ucide si si astfel pune capat torturii de a scrie despre ea. Sau asa credea el, caci in urma unui accident de masina, este "salvat" de Annie, care se declara a fi cel mai mare fan al lui. Si este un fan foarte foarte furios pe finalul seriei ei favorite. Cu picioarele facute praf, chircit de dureri si imobilizat intr-un pat din casa unei nebune, Sheldon se simte ca un soricel intr-o capcana. Annie este dusa cu pluta, si nu intr-un mod amuzant sau dragut, ci intr-un mod scarry, care te face sa vomiti si sa vrei sa fugi o mie de ani, doar doar sa scapi de umbra ei apasatoare si de mirosul neplacut pe care il emana fiinta ei. Astfel ca Sheldon, sub jugul unui fan nebun, ajunge sa o readuca la viata pe Misery, sperand sa scap de sub asuprirea psihopatei. Insa el stie ca este doar o chestiune de timp pana cand ceva in launtrul lui Annie o sa explodeze, iar viata lui o sa se surga ca nisipul dintr-o clepsidra sparta. Intr-un final, cine o sa fie, el sau Annie? Ori poate amandoi?
Sincera sa fiu, ideea mi s-a parut interesanta. Si chiar a fost, caci Annie, in toata nebunia ei dezgustatoare, este un personaj foarte complex si dus rau cu sorcova. Iar Sheldon, desi pe alocuri mi-a dat impresia ca ar incepe sa dezvolte un soi de sindrom Stockholm, a reusit sa ma uimeasca pana la final cu taria lui de caracter sub toata presiunea aia imensa. Personal, desi toate fazele de aberatie marca Sheldon, toate monologurile lui interioare, dezlipirea lui de realitate au fost perfect reale si potrivite pentru o astfel de situatie, m-au plictisit efectiv de moarte. Am simtit ca uneori erau acolo doar ca sa umple paginile, pentru ca pareau a fi fragmente de discutii pe care doar autorul le putea intelege, motiv pentru care am crezut ca merg in gol cu cititul si ca paginile nu se mai terminau odata. Iar cand am ajuns la final, am rasuflat usurata ca insfarsit am scapat de bolnava de Annie. Pentru mine nu s-a ridicat la nivelul faime, dar nici nu pot spune ca a fost o carte groaznica.
Sincera sa fiu, ideea mi s-a parut interesanta. Si chiar a fost, caci Annie, in toata nebunia ei dezgustatoare, este un personaj foarte complex si dus rau cu sorcova. Iar Sheldon, desi pe alocuri mi-a dat impresia ca ar incepe sa dezvolte un soi de sindrom Stockholm, a reusit sa ma uimeasca pana la final cu taria lui de caracter sub toata presiunea aia imensa. Personal, desi toate fazele de aberatie marca Sheldon, toate monologurile lui interioare, dezlipirea lui de realitate au fost perfect reale si potrivite pentru o astfel de situatie, m-au plictisit efectiv de moarte. Am simtit ca uneori erau acolo doar ca sa umple paginile, pentru ca pareau a fi fragmente de discutii pe care doar autorul le putea intelege, motiv pentru care am crezut ca merg in gol cu cititul si ca paginile nu se mai terminau odata. Iar cand am ajuns la final, am rasuflat usurata ca insfarsit am scapat de bolnava de Annie. Pentru mine nu s-a ridicat la nivelul faime, dar nici nu pot spune ca a fost o carte groaznica.
January 28, 2026
"I’m your number one fan.”
"Misery" by Stephen King was an excellent book. It was my first novel from King’s universe without any supernatural elements, and I genuinely enjoyed that aspect. I wasn’t amazed by the fact that King could keep the story so engaging while taking place almost entirely in one house, simply because I had read "Gerald’s Game" a few years ago, where most of the action also happens in a single room.
I’m giving it a 4.5/5 rating, mainly because I found the sections focused on the novel Paul is writing to be a bit boring and sometimes slightly annoying. While it’s a good idea and serves the story well, at times it felt unnecessarily long.
Overall, it’s a great book and definitely a must-read!
"Misery" by Stephen King was an excellent book. It was my first novel from King’s universe without any supernatural elements, and I genuinely enjoyed that aspect. I wasn’t amazed by the fact that King could keep the story so engaging while taking place almost entirely in one house, simply because I had read "Gerald’s Game" a few years ago, where most of the action also happens in a single room.
I’m giving it a 4.5/5 rating, mainly because I found the sections focused on the novel Paul is writing to be a bit boring and sometimes slightly annoying. While it’s a good idea and serves the story well, at times it felt unnecessarily long.
Overall, it’s a great book and definitely a must-read!
March 23, 2023
Cum ar fi să te captureze cel mai mare fan al tău ca după aceea să-ți taie un picior? Ce spoiler? Credeai că toporul de pe copertă e decorativ sau că e povestea unui tăietor de lemne? Nu, bre! Între-un interviu, SK a spus că a avut un vis cu o scenă a romanului și, ceea ce trebuia să fie o povestire, s-a transformat în roman. Da, King are ambele picioare întregi. Temele sunt legate situația paradoxală a creatorului hăituit de propria creație, de supraviețuire și adaptare la teroare prin scris și celelalte de care autorul nu poate să scape. Cartea o arde uneori puțin „meta”, autoreferențial & stuf.
October 6, 2025
4.5⭐️
The story is focusing on the two main characters, both very well crafted in this book. Every description immerse you into the universe of this book. Each persons' experience is well illustrated, creating two strong characters with intense feelings.
The writing style keeps you engaged in the book's world and you want to keep reading more and more.
The 0.5⭐️ missing is for the end of the book. The story is complete, but some rows in the last 2-3 chapters makes no sense to me and I don't know what this could add to the plot.
The story is focusing on the two main characters, both very well crafted in this book. Every description immerse you into the universe of this book. Each persons' experience is well illustrated, creating two strong characters with intense feelings.
The writing style keeps you engaged in the book's world and you want to keep reading more and more.
The 0.5⭐️ missing is for the end of the book. The story is complete, but some rows in the last 2-3 chapters makes no sense to me and I don't know what this could add to the plot.
December 27, 2021
"Pentru că scriitorii își amintesc totul, Paul! Mai ales traumele. Dezbracă un scriitor în pielea goală, arată spre cicatricele sale și el va fi în stare să-ți spună povestea fiecăreia. Din cicatricele importante obții romane, nicidecum amnezie. E drăguț să ai un strop de talent dacă vrei să devii scriitor, dar singura condiție care stă cu adevărat în picioare e abilitatea de a-ți aminti povestea fiecărei cicatrice."
(pag. 258)
(pag. 258)
February 19, 2021
3.5 stars
June 21, 2023
I was not ready for this 😧
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews