Misery: A Novel
The #1 New York Times bestseller about a famous novelist held hostage in a remote location by his “number one fan.” One of “Stephen King’s best…genuinely scary” (USA TODAY). Adapted into the classic film Misery (1990).
Paul Sheldon is a bestselling novelist who has finally met his number one 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 furious that the author has killed off her favorite character in his latest book. Annie becomes his captor, keeping him prisoner in her isolated house.
Annie wants Paul to write a book that brings Misery back to life—just for her. She has a lot of ways to spur him on. One is a needle. Another is an axe. And if they don’t work, she can get really nasty.
“Terrifying” (San Francisco Chronicle), “dazzlingly well-written” (The Indianapolis Star), and “truly gripping” (Publishers Weekly), Misery is “classic Stephen King...full of twists and turns and mounting suspense” (The Boston Globe).
Paul Sheldon is a bestselling novelist who has finally met his number one 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 furious that the author has killed off her favorite character in his latest book. Annie becomes his captor, keeping him prisoner in her isolated house.
Annie wants Paul to write a book that brings Misery back to life—just for her. She has a lot of ways to spur him on. One is a needle. Another is an axe. And if they don’t work, she can get really nasty.
“Terrifying” (San Francisco Chronicle), “dazzlingly well-written” (The Indianapolis Star), and “truly gripping” (Publishers Weekly), Misery is “classic Stephen King...full of twists and turns and mounting suspense” (The Boston Globe).
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Readers say *Misery* is a gripping psychological thriller with intense, vivid writing that immerses you fully in the claustrophobic, nerve-wracking st...
Many times throughout this story I noticed my mouth was on the floor and my eyes were bulging from their sockets. King’s ability to keep me engaged in a story that primarily takes place in a single room is a testament to the quality of the plot
Hated the misery writing part, but the tension was great after he got back to writing. Until then it was a slow start. We get she's crazy fast and he knows hes in danger, and it spends a lot of time early on feeling a bit repetitive? But once he finds her past it really gets interesting from then on. Great writing, need to read more King. Gotta rewatch the movie, my film diary says 2011 last viewing! Parts came flickering back while reading, other parts I want to see how they play out again!
Misery is a masterpiece of horror and psychological thriller that showcases Stephen King at the peak of his narrative craft. The novel builds relentless tension around a powerful and, for every writer, visceral idea: what happens when a reader's admiration turns into a destructive obsession? My more-than-positive evaluation recognizes the perfection of its suspense mechanism, the depth of its themes, and the unforgettable figure of Annie Wilkes.
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