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mirabecker's review against another edition
5.0
Fuck, this was good. Like, I was gasping out loud, whispering "no no no no no" under my breath, suppressing screams when I had to stop during cliffhangers, pausing packing to sit down on my floor while listening because it was just that intense. I sped through the last 4 hours or so of the audiobook because I just had to know what happened next - I gotta. This was the most classic horror I've read from Stephen King (aside from Salems Lot, I guess), and god it was so good. Annie is fucking insane, but interestingly insane, with her strange sayings and moods and unpredictability. And, as an added bonus, it's fun to watch King write about what it's like to be an author. He has really interesting themes and motifs throughout the book in addition to the horror.
TL;DR: read it read it read it. But be prepared for true classic horror.
TL;DR: read it read it read it. But be prepared for true classic horror.
jeseds's review against another edition
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
internetnomads's review against another edition
4.0
I find this book to be polarizing, even among King's fans. You either love it or hate it. I really enjoyed it myself - it was edge-of-the-seat good.
I don't read much suspense fiction, partly because the mediocre stuff doesn't match up to the best of the genre, like this book. I like to think of myself as hard to fool!
I don't read much suspense fiction, partly because the mediocre stuff doesn't match up to the best of the genre, like this book. I like to think of myself as hard to fool!
fluffysarcasm's review against another edition
5.0
I highly enjoyed this tale of obsession gone too far. The story held my interest and I even found myself wanting to know what happened in the novel that Paul Sheldon finds himself being forced to write. I think that this book can really show how much a writer will pick from their real life in order to create the fantasy for a reader to escape into; not only was Paul Sheldon using his experiences with Annie to flavor his novel and deal with what was happening to him, but I heard that Stephen King himself got the idea for this story when a crazy fan broke into his home. I'm not sure if that's true or not, but I remember hearing it somewhere.
izzysom's review against another edition
5.0
I ate this book up! This was the first of King’s novels that I read as an adult, and man can he write an anxiety-inducing piece of work! I’m definitely on a Stephen King kick and support all the hype surrounding this book in particular.
reilerts's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This book was fucking crazy! I forget how much I enjoy reading horror sometimes. My hell, you can get away with so much more in books than you can movies. And your mind does a great job of showing you that imagery and it's absolutely horrific, but so fun if you're anything like me. I do want to point out, that this was my first solo Stephen King read, and I enjoyed it a whole lot. I'm going to explore some more of his books for sure.
The thing I think I enjoyed the most about this book was how my stomach felt reading it. It was turning and was in knots. It's kind of strange to say it's a feeling that I chase but it's true! I've seen way too many horror movies at this point, and it's hard for my stomach to feel the way it felt while reading this, so it was refreshing in a way. I don't fuck with dismemberment, it scares me a lot. I tended to put myself in Paul's shoes and it was not a nice place to be in. Annie was crazy, and I mean, amputating his foot and then taking a blow torch to it????? SHE'S FUCKING CRAZY. I really love how Stephen King brought these characters to life. You could feel the tension in the room. The shift of Annie's moods happen so suddenly, and you can feel Paul's terror the whole time. I loved the insight this brought to Paul's mind as well. It was all terrifying and gruesome. I loved the view this book took on the impact of writing as well, I mean it's a bit extreme but still. It gave some great insight into what authors feel, as well as how disappointed fans can be when an author makes a move that audiences find to be upsetting.
Okay also, just have to address how fucked it was that Annie killed that many children...girlie...not cool. She is truly evil and crazy, but she did end up being my favorite character just because of how interesting she is. Her death was so perfect too. I adore how easily Paul was able to break her. Okay maybe "easy" was not the right word to use, but y'all know what I mean. For sure a sweet revenge moment though.
donnachadh's review against another edition
SUMMARY: After an automobile accident, novelist Paul Sheldon meets his biggest fan. Annie Wilkes is his nurse-and captor. Now, she 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...