A review by Tadders on Lisey's Story - Stephen King November 3rd, 2006
Author's product rating:
Would you read it again?
Maybe
Story
Good
Characters
Satisfactory
Readability
Poor
How does it compare to other works by the same author?
Poor
Advantages:
Reasonably solid conclusion
Disadvantages:
Very bitty and confusing plot and characters
Recommend to potential buyers:
no
Full review
Critics and 'Constant Readers' alike may well be surprised with Stephen King's latest offering, which has been described as his most personal and honest novel to date, but which is much harder to define in terms of genre and story than his other novels and consequently, quite hard to review.
On the surface, 'Lisey's Story' is about a widow's recollections of her recently deceased husband, Scott, and the emotional journey she goes through to re-establish her place in the world and come to terms both with his absence and her demons about the past. Although she gets the title credit and is portrayed as her husband's saving grace, the real star of the piece is best-selling author Scott; a brilliant but troubled character whose horrific childhood is slowly revealed to us throughout the novel via Lisey's flashbacks and messages he leaves behind for her. To give us a sense of the present and keep the pace of the novel moving along, we are also presented with a more King-esque sub-plot involving an insanely sadistic fan intent on harassing (and harming) Lisey to get his hands on her husband's unpublished works. Added to this is the love/hate relationship Lisey has with her three sisters, one of which has severe mental problems.
It may sound quite involved for a surface sketch of the plot, but the real complexities of this work run much deeper. I got the sense that the real message behind this story is one of love and the potential power behind a solid marital union. Given the dedication to his wife, you can't help but wonder if King is offering up praise to his own wife for her unseen part in his success. Although their marriage is by no means an easy one, we are given the impression that the love between Scott and Lisey knows no bounds and that it will be ever present even in death. King romanticises this bond further by the inclusion of a shared supernatural other world, which is healing, but which is also potentially harmful to them. Though King insists that the work is not autobiographical, it's quite obvious that he's drawn on his own personal experience both as a writer and a husband in terms of his characters. It's all too easy to assume that the seed for Lisey's character may have stemmed from his thoughts about his own wife following his own near death experience. Having said that, he insists that he is not Scott Landon and, judging from the character's mental state and deeply worrying past, we would hope not.
There's nothing wrong with the basic story idea here, but King's method of telling it seems to have taken a bit of a downward plunge and this is unfortunate because, coupled with his ability to write convincing characters, that's usually where he's at his best. It seems he has thrown every possible device under the sun into this book to give us a emotional rollercoaster ride through themes of violence, abuse, mortality, love, fantasy, madness and grief. It has all the ingredients to be amazing, but in some ways, this is the novel's downfall as it is bitty to the point of incomprehensible. Abandoning the idea that less is more, King has tried to throw too much at you too quickly at the expense of the story and the roundness of his characters. The confusion the reader feels as they try to comprehend what is actually going on in the first 200 pages makes it almost impossible to connect with the characters or feel any kind of emotion for their plight as you find yourself distracted by the jumps between past and present. It is very hard to see comparisons between this and his previous works in terms of structure and language, which is poetic in reference to Scott and Lisey, but littered with what can only be described as babytalk in the flashbacks revealing Scott's childhood, which can become quite irritating. Perhaps the lack of structure has something to do with the fact that he opted to use a different editor this time around. King has nothing but praise for her, but I can't help but wonder what the outcome would have been like if he's stuck with his usual bloke. All I can say is that if this is the edited version, I cannot begin to imagine what sort of state it was in before!
After the first 250 pages, the novel begins to find its way and the thread of the tale becomes more linear when we are given an anchor to Lisey's present world, which offers a greater insight and understanding into her past. However, it does feel like a case of too little too late by this point and I have to admit that were I not an avid Stephen King fan, I'm not sure I would have persevered. I am glad I did, because the ending picks up and those familiar with his other works will be rewarded with the trademark King writing they signed up for. But, I did feel as though the novel would have benefited from more of Lisey's present world to offset the fantastical memories and supernatural elements. The introduction of the crazed fan after Scott's papers makes for some interesting, if harrowing reading, but it feels as though it is touched upon too briefly, as does the time spent on Lisey's sister's illness. Not only does this detract from the credibility of the supernatural element, the lack of depth to these characters and their actions gives the reader the impression that King didn't know what he was doing with either the story or characters from one page to the next. Those expecting to feel as though they in the capable hands of a storytelling master will be sorely disappointed.
There is no doubt that this novel is one of his most literary to date. It did seem to get better reviews from critics, strangely enough, though I doubt it will win any awards with his fans as neither the language nor the story is particularly accessible. Having said that, babytalk aside, there are some beautifully romanticised phrases which capture the feeling of love perfectly. I also have to admit that although the babytalk grates on your nerves after awhile, the meaning behind it is clarified and somewhat justified if you manage to wade your way through to the end.
To try and sum up this bitty jumble of ramblings (which is not too dissimilar to the style of this novel), I find it a struggle to say how I feel about this book. I normally rush to the shops for the latest Stephen King novel and race my way through it before wanting to start again, but I have a feeling this one may remain on my shelf for a while before I re-read it. I have a feeling I will need to re-read it in order to get a better understanding of those opening 200 pages now I know how it ends, but that doesn't strike me as the sign of a well-written novel. Do not go and buy this if you are expecting a page-turner, as you will be disappointed. For the first time ever with a King novel, I found it quite easy to put down and not so easy to pick up again, but I do feel that the ending is fairly strong, which is often where King's weakness as a writer becomes apparent. Did I enjoy it? Yes and no. I think I found it more interesting and challenging than his other novels, but the occasionally gruesome subject matter does not lend itself to enjoyment. If you like freaky stuff, you might find this intriguing but, for me, it is definitely not one of King's best.
More Reviews
A Lazy Story Review ofLisey's Story - Stephen Kingby
Soho_Black
Advantages: I got it for half price. Disadvantages: It was still too much.
In nearly 18 months in my current job, I have taken lunch away from my desk only once, preferring instead to spend my free time surfing the web. The one exception was earlier this year when Stephen King's "Cell" was newly published and I was so eager to read it that I preferred the book to the internet. When "Lisey's Story" was published, I expected to do the same again. Instead the opposite was true; this time, the internet held a greater attraction ... ...which doesn't happen very often. Not to me, at any rate.
Lisey Landon is the widow of Scott Landon; a successful and award winning novelist. Finally, a couple of years after his death, Lisey decides it's time to clear out his study. As she expected, there are hundreds of memories of her husband in there. What she didn't expect is that her memories would come to life and it would appear that she is haunted by Scott's ghost.
At the same time, Lisey ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: It's A New Stephen King Novel Disadvantages: It's My Least Favourite King Novel, Ever!
...the bit. I had Lisey's Story on pre-order from Amazon long before its actual publication date was due.
I'm disappointed to admit, however, that when the book finally arrived it didn't grab me straight away. Two friends (both King readers) admitted that they'd put the book down before they'd completed the first hundred pages and another said you really had to persevere at it. I chose to read James Herbert's latest novel first and build myself steadily ... ...in to the story are Lisey's sisters and a plethora of what she calls Incunks - people who desperately want the prizes of unpublished work from her husband's computers and filing cabinets.
It's one of these Incunks that really starts the true story rolling. A professor wants Scott Landon's unpublished manuscripts for his university's library collection and, unwittingly it seems, arranges for somebody to coax her in to giving them to her. Unfortunately ...
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How does it compare to ...
very helpful
30.01.2007
King - the master... Review ofLisey's Story - Stephen Kingby
randomosity_prevails
Advantages: A beautifully well-constructed tale. Disadvantages: Some of the descriptions were a little hard to follow.
****** Please note, this review may contain plot spoilers ********
Let me begin by giving a basic plot outline of this book. Lisey Landon is the widow of Scott, a famous author. Since his death, she has been bombarded by requests for his unpublished stories, which are stored in her house. She receives threatening phone calls from a man calling himself 'Zack', and finds herself in more trouble than she can deal with. During this time, her sister, ... ...of self-mutilation resulted in her slipping into a catatonic state. It is around this time that Lisey begins to remember things that Scott had told her about his childhood. He told her stories of escaping to another world, which he called Boo'ya Moon, of how his father would cut him and his brother in order to release what he named the 'bad gunky'. I took this to be a childish description of a mental disorder, possibly schizophrenia, or manic depression. ...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: A good read. You learn a lot about Lisey's life, past and present Disadvantages: Leaves you feeling disappointed.
Another new title from Stephen King. Despite owning almost every single Stephen King title, I can't help but feel a little underwhelmed when each new title appears on the shelf. Unlike the classics of yesteryear, recent titles have been disappointing - the Stephen King quirkiness is present without quite the same spark.
The premise is centred around Lisey Landon, the recent widow of famous author Scott Landon. She still lives alone and is finding ... ...decides it is about time to clear out Scott's study which, until now, has been left virtually untouched. What follows is a mixture of flashbacks to both Scott's early childhood, and also the shared experiences during their marriage. As per usual, there is a supernatural air to all of this. You also learn more about Lisey and her family, though this seems like a slightly awkward way to reach the conclusion (which I shan't spoil!)
All in all, a good ...
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helpful
22.03.2008
Quick review of Lisey's Story - Stephen King Review ofLisey's Story - Stephen Kingby
squreby
I found that this book was very difficult to get into at the very beginning but as I continued to read i found that it was a book that i just couldnt put down. its mix between our world and annother is one that does not fit the conformity of most worlds that have been made up. I think that is well worth a read and would capture any reader and is a truely unique story.
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Quite a calm book depite the theme Disadvantages: I enjoyed it all
...-hole he finally made a friend for life - George Rackley. George was good to him and they ran cons together, making an existence on the expense of others, while never causing anyone any physical harm. But then George died and Blaze was left alone to look after himself.
He finally decided to run the biggest job of his life - one that George had planned before he died. Kidnapping! He could get $2 million and live out his life in Acapulco. But Blaze never counted on enjoying the experience quite the way he did.
I was really pleased to get this for Christmas as I had last received Lisey's Story by StephenKing and just couldn't get into it enough to get past about the first quarter of the book it was so shockingly boring. I love King and therefore leapt into this as soon as I had finished the last book I had been reading.
I wasn...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Advantages: Excellent and educational autobiography Disadvantages: Perhaps a bit too close for comfort at times
...Often when we're shopping in Tesco, hubby and I pick up random DVDs, CDs and books. At the moment I'm reading StephenKing's "Lisey's Story" which was a Christmas present. However, being a hardback it's just not convenient to take to work and to be honest I'm not really getting into it, so yesterday I picked up a couple of paperback books to read in the meantime.
Why I chose the book
"Passing for Normal" appealed to me, firstly because I enjoy autobiographies, but mainly because I enjoy reading about other people's misfortunes - quite honestly who doesn't secretly like that?!!! I'm particularly interested in reading about mental illness, and issues related to it - both real-life stories and academic books. I'm aware that Tourettes is a neurological disorder (rather than a mental disorder), however according to...
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Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful
Advantages: Engaging characters and story, menacing horror. Disadvantages: The art side of things can slow the pace down.
...Edgar Freemantle has issues. After losing his arm in an accident at work he has become increasingly aggressive to the point were he has lost his wife and become a shadow of his former self. More in desperation than hope, Edgar take his psychiatrists advice and takes a break from it all in the beautiful Florida backwater of "Duma Key". In this place Edgar finds a new purpose and passion in painting and his vivid paintings of sunsets soon begin to attract attention. However, does the phantom itch in his missing arm mean something and why does he seem compelled to paint the tragic story of the doomed sisters of Duma Key?
It has been a long time since I have read a StephenKing novel. After the woeful, self-indulgent tripe that was "Lisey's Story" I have intentionally had a break from my favourite author. As a self-professed "constant...
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helpful 06.07.2008
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