An absolute thrill to explore. I was hooked and couldn't turn the pages quick enough. I was always wishing for more time to sit down and devour this book. My immediate opinion is that it is awesome but I think that is almost a given considering that it is Stephen King. This is one of King's newer books; it's actually the newest book that I've read by him. I could tell straight away that his writing style was a little different to the older books I've read, but I will get to this in a moment. First a brief synopsis.
Lisey Debusher Landon lost her husband, Scott, two years ago, after a twenty-five-year marriage of the most profound and sometimes frightening intimacy. Scott was an award-winning, bestselling novelist and a very complicated man. Early in their relationship, before they married, Lisey had to learn from him about books and blood and bools. Later, she understood that there was a place Scott went -- a place that both terrified and healed him, that could eat him alive or give him the ideas he needed in order to live. Now it's Lisey's turn to face Scott's demons, Lisey's turn to go to Boo'ya Moon. What begins as a widow's effort to sort through the papers of her celebrated husband becomes a nearly fatal journey into the darkness he inhabited. Perhaps King's most personal and powerful novel, "Lisey's Story" is about the wellsprings of creativity, the temptations of madness, and the secret language of love.
This story took me surprise in a really good way. I only went into it with this tiny description that is was about Lisey, who is a widow of a famous writer and while she is sorting through his stuff, she is taken on a life-changing adventure. Obviously that synopsis was a little broad but that's the general gist of the story. Except it was so much more.
Lisey is sorting through her husband's stuff, very slowly, and is approached by an obsessive fan and professor to hurry up and distribute some unpublished worked. This fan sort of hires a psycho to threaten Lisey into giving him the works when the psycho becomes a force of his own and Lisey has to face this one-of-a-kind villain.
Before any of this confrontation even happens, Lisey has to deal with her older sister who has a history of mental illness and is going through an episode. Whilst dealing with this, she is remembering memories of her and her husband which will ultimately lead her to some kind of a conclusion of her grief.
This story takes an interesting concept to mental illness and where peoples minds go when they are 'gone'. The actual setting of Boo'ya Moon was so intriguing. Its a dangerous place whilst also being a place of healing and nostalgia for Scott and eventually Lisey as she returns. I liked how King took the concept of mental illness and gave a paranormal perspective which was both hopeful and terrifying.
The writing style, which I mentioned before, identifed quite easily with King's older works but was more restrained in it's craziness; not that it wasn't crazy and wonderful to read. I get into a kind of rhythm when I read Stephen King and it didn't take me long before I go into the groove. I definitely enjoyed all the new words and concepts that he invented to compliment Scott's insanity. My favourites being 'bool hunt' 'smuck/smucking' and 'SOWISA: Strap On When It Seems Appropriate'. It's these kind of quirks that I admire and love about Stephen King and novels in general.
I only really had one slight tiff with book and that was that I didn't really connect with Lisey as I wish I could've. I don't think this is the book's problem. It's most likely mine because it took me so long to finish the book and therefore kind of lost my rhythm with the characters and their lives. Lisey was an interesting character as well as her odd sisters.
Overall, I loved this book and I'm so glad I decided to pick it up. Even though it wasn't a thriller, it was still a thrilling read and I was completely enthralled in Lisey's Story.
Rating - 4 out of 5 stars
