The #1 national bestseller about a famous novelist held hostage by his “number one fan” and suffering a frightening case of writer’s block—that could prove fatal. One of “Stephen King’s best…genuinely scary” (USA TODAY). 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 … 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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I have read almost all of his books, scary as usual, but this one a bit more realistic.
I remember reading it, it’s one of the first Stephen King novels I’ve read so it’s been a long time. I remember being too young to read it. Haha! I started reading before most children, so I started with R.L. Stine and once I was caught up, I decided to jump to Stephen King. Misery was the first “real full-length novel” I read. The only thing I remember is me on my bed, reading, then when the “torture” scene begins, I turned around, picked up the trash can, vomited, and kept reading. I don’t know if that’s a good review or not, but, it’s a classic! I do recommend the novel. Haha!
Loved it and all Stephen King literature.
The book is sooooo much better than the movie. This book just draws you right into it almost as soon as you touch the pages. It’s spine tingling with it’s twist and turns, what will that evil “witch” do next???
Ahhh to find out you MUST read this book, no skipping pages here, you may just miss something!! Before you know it you’ve flown through the book in a day!
Grab a snack , drink & get cozy before you get into ” Misery” !!
Wow! Stephen King does creepy so well. If you like Stephen King’s books and haven’t read this one yet – get the book and read it. The movie, based on the book, was great, but there’s so much more in the book.
I love all Stephen King books!
I love this book!
Stephen King. Like all his books. EXCELLENT.
Scary stuff.
Nobody takes mundane circumstances and makes them terrifying like King. Anybody who has longed for fame and adulation should read this book carefully and refer to it whenever they are convinced they deserve their groupies praise. It can be ghastly to be loved too much by someone who only knows you as your public persona. Sleep tight.
King at his best
Couldn’t put the book down!! The words flowed so easy and no extra story lines in it, as Stephen King does so often. Rose Matter is another book that Stephen King did a super good job on and didn’t ramble on about something else. I highly recommend this book!!
Fantastic book, great story and a great big ouch i felt that!
Perhaps King’s scariest (in my opinion) because it was so possible. Expertly written.
One of my all time favorite reads. What can I say? Chilling then, chilling today. Grab a blanket before sitting down with this beyond midnight read.
Anything Stephen king is amazing
Wait a minute; I know what you’re going to ask me now: “haven’t you seen the movie?”
Well, I did, many years ago I saw it, and perhaps that was also why I gave up reading the book. And that was a huge mistake for me.
So I have to start with a sincere apology and a deep impression – I was dazzled.
To be more specific, I’m talking about the locations and book subtext that captured me. So, it’s been two days since I finished the book, and suddenly I realize I know every corner of Annie Wilkes’s house; Paul’s bedroom, the front yard, the barn, kitchen, living room, and the basement. I even know the road between it and the town that starts with an S. Hence I had to convince myself that these visions came to me from the book, and I didn’t have any residual subconsciousness from the movie – which as I mentioned before, I saw many years ago.
All of this, of course, only increased the tension and terror that had been hurled at my veins mercilessly (I would stop the clumsy parallels to the book already here, with your permission). But it was not only the successful descriptions of the physical environment that helped me connect to the Book but the characters of Paul and Annie. It’s hard for me to explain it, but I felt that the plot and the ideas and dialogues in the book were so full of complexity, and correctness, and ‘metaphorical qualities,’ if you will.
Whether it is the capsules, the painkillers, which symbolize in such a metaphysical manner but also very verbally, of course, how Paul becomes addicted against his will to the situation and the way of life, or at least aspects of it.
Annie’s analogy to God, her control of the environment, her exclusive sophistication and her loving but also brutal and cruel way. And her madness that nevertheless allows some freedom of action, her limits of compassion. And there was Paul’s insinuations, his personal experiences, from childhood and adolescence, his Private Jokes that become the murmur of a madman. Both, so precious. Great job!
Listen, I’m losing order. There is much more, but this book is such a substantial piece of art, I can’t and won’t put everything in order. I hope that the unconscious part of my brain will be able to make a runaway when I need it to do so.
Read this before you see the movie.
A best-selling author, Paul Sheldon, is rescued and then held hostage by his number one fan, Annie Wilkes. What could possibly go wrong? The answer? Everything. I felt these characters were well developed. Annie definitely belongs in a loony bin. From her strange behavior, the odd language she has. Then there is Paul who is not only an author but loves his drinks and cigarettes. I really felt for Paul he had so many opportunities to get away but due to his love of his pills and injuries, it seemed he was doomed. I did love this story but I felt it dragged on too long. Maybe it was the long passages of the rewritten Misery book that Annie was having Paul rewrite or the multiple failed attempts at getting away but I just had a hard time staying focused on the story. I am glad I read through it and now have one more King story off my list.
This is a perfect starter for anyone looking to start reading Stephen King