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Misery

by Stephen King

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14,665195353 (3.97)1 / 268
After an almost fatal car crash, novelist Paul Sheldon finds himself being nursed by a deranged fan who holds him captive.
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 Folio Society Devotees: Misery Stephen King1 unread / 1Carl64, September 2

» See also 268 mentions

English (182)  French (3)  Italian (2)  Danish (2)  Portuguese (Brazil) (1)  Hungarian (1)  Spanish (1)  Dutch (1)  All languages (193)
Showing 1-5 of 182 (next | show all)
Super recomendable, impecable historia del gran Stephen King. Muy atrapante desde el primer momento, aunque debo reconocer que en los momentos de la historia de "Misery" me aburría un poco, pero bueno es parte de la novela para entender el porque de esa obsesión de Annie. Clásico de terror muy recomendable ( )
  mahebelen | Aug 25, 2023 |
this book is amazing and might be a contender for a top favorite king book for me so far.

i did watch the movie first and its amazing just like this book is but for different reasons. i wont get into comparisons as i want this to be about the book but i dont think you can go wrong with either.

i think the concept is great. having a character being trapped by a crazy fan and wants them to write a book in the way they want it wile he is being tormented in many ways. i also found a few scenes to be a very thrilling page turner. the tension this book brings is crazy good and the background behind these characters are very fascinating. i love almost everything about this book.

the only thing i was not crazy about was the part where you read the story within a story. its all written in cursive wish in general im not a fan of (dumb brain of mine i know) but the main thing is that i just dont enjoy reading that whole section. i know it was meant to be that way and it is a clever idea for this book so i give king credit for making it but i feel it goes on a tad too long and if i ever reread this book again i will most likely skim through that part. other wise this book rules and is a huge favorite ( )
  XanaduCastle | Aug 5, 2023 |
I've never read this before, despite being a long-time Stephen King fan. I'm glad I finally did, because it was one of his best, in my opinion.

Very well-crafted, complex, gruesome & clever psychological horror. It had me alternately cringing, laughing, and on the edge of my seat (it's true. Ask my boyfriend, who had to sit through much of this, and who didn't miss the chance to mock me for my frequent snorts of amusement.)

5/5. Even though I am, for all intents and purposes, a cockadoodie brat. ( )
  veewren | Jul 12, 2023 |
I have read several of Stephen King’s books, and this one, is the best one I have read so far. Warning, do not read it at night, unless you want to induce nightmares.

The story follows Paul Sheldon, a successful writer of a series of books about Misery Chastain. Paul is involved in a vehicular accident, and as luck would have it, he is rescued by his number one fan, Annie Wilkes. Annie is certifiably crazy, insane, demented, and evil. Annie is upset that Paul killed off Misery in his last novel, so she holds him hostage, forcing him to write another Misery novel, bringing Misery back to life. Annie is a former nurse with a sordid background and “nurses” Paul back to health, at least healthy enough to complete a new Misery novel. Paul has broken legs and is in poor health as a result of the accident and Annie feeds him enough pain medicine to keep him stable enough to finish the Misery novel.

I won’t give anything away, but the book becomes extremely gruesome, in typical Stephen King style. I could not stop reading the final hundred pages wanting to know how the story ended, if Paul survived the evil Annie Wilkes.

The book contains a tight cast of characters and completely takes place in Annie’s house of nightmares. The characters of Paul and Annie are well developed, especially Annie.

If you have not read this King book, you need to, NOW! It is an older King book, but for some reason I never read it before now. This may be the best book I’ve read this year. Get it now and read it. You won’t be disappointed. ( )
  dwcofer | Jul 6, 2023 |
This was great fun and the first time I finished a Stephen King novel. Keen for more. Some of the brutal scenes may stay with me for a bit... ( )
  Harris023 | Apr 23, 2023 |
Showing 1-5 of 182 (next | show all)

» Add other authors (18 possible)

Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
King, Stephenprimary authorall editionsconfirmed
Crouse, LindsayNarratorsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Giusti, BobCover artistsecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Hill, AmyDesignersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
Stuart, NeilCover designersecondary authorsome editionsconfirmed
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Epigraph
When you look into the abyss, the abyss also looks into you.

— Friedrich Nietzsche
Writing does not cause misery, it is born of misery.

— Montaigne
It's no good. I've been trying to sleep for the last half-hour, and I can't. Writing here is a sort of drug. It's the only thing I look forward to. This afternoon I read what I wrote. . . . And it seemed vivid. I know it seems vivid because my imagination fills in all the bits another person wouldn't understand. I mean, it's vanity. But it seems a sort of magic. . . . And I just can't live in this resent. I would go mad if I did.

— John Fowles
The Collector
"You will be visited by a tall, dark stranger," the gipsy woman told Misery, and Misery, startled, realized two things at once: this was no gipsy, and the two of them were no longer alone in the tent. She could smell Gwendolyn Chastain's perfume in the moment before the madwoman's hands closed around her throat.

"In fact," the gipsy who was not a gipsy observed, "I think she is here now."

Misery tried to scream, but she could no longer even breathe.


Misery's Child
"It always look data way, Boss Ian," Hezekia said, "No matter how you look at her, she seem like she be lookin' at you. I doan know if it be true, but the Bourkas, dey say even when you get behin' her, the godess, she seem to be lookin' at you."

"But she is, after all, only a piece of stone, Ian remonstrated.

"Yes, Boss Ian," Hezekia agreed. "Dat what give her powah.

— Misery's Return
Dedication
This is for Stephanie and Jim Leonard, who know why. Boy, do they.
First words
umber whunn

yerrnnn umber whunnnn

fayunnn

These sounds: even in the haze.
Quotations
"I'm your number-one fan!"
Then he would look at the blank screen of his word processor for awhile. What fun. Paul Sheldon's fifteen-thousand-dollar paperweight.
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After an almost fatal car crash, novelist Paul Sheldon finds himself being nursed by a deranged fan who holds him captive.

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Book description
Paul Sheldon. He's a bestselling novelist who has finally met his biggest fan. Her name is Annie Wilkes and she is more than a rabid reader - she is Paul's nurse, tending his shattered body after an automobile accident. But she is also his captor, keeping him prisoner in her isolated house. Now Annie wants Paul to write his greatest work-just for her. She has a lot of ways to spur him on. One is a needle. Another is an ax. And if they don't work, she can get really nasty... (0-451-15355-3)
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Misery Stephen King in Folio Society Devotees

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Average: (3.97)
0.5 5
1 43
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