Lisey's Story

An Amazing Read

I have read most of King's works and really love much of them. I enjoy the stories and also the style in which he writes them. To me, Lisey's Story is one of his best works to date. It disturbed me quite a bit, made me laugh and also made me tear up. I'm still not even sure I understand the story completely. But I have never before read a book that delves so deeply into the intimacies of a relationship between a couple, and intertwined this relationship around an amazing story Wow! Mr. King, you're the man! Write on!

3 out of 3 people found this review helpful.

I believe this is one of Stephen King's best

This book definitely starts out slow, but other than The Talisman and Dolores Claiborne no other King book has grabbed me and held me so captivated. It was almost like he combined the best of both worlds in this one. I felt a great connection to the characters and couldn't wait to keep reading it. It left me wanting more, which King is really good at anyway, but with this book I felt Lisey's pain and her love so deeply I would love it if he wrote another with her as the main character. I am so shocked by the negative feedback. For a man to create such a wonderful female cast of characters - not just Lisey but her sisters. I think he did it brilliantly. Great Job Mr. King!!!

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Why such negative reviews?

I was browsing around in the bargain section at Barnes & Noble and I was surprised to see a Stephen King novel on the shelves. I thought the cover was really pretty and from what the jacket said...it looked interesting. I go home and look up Lisey's Story and see all these awful reviews saying it's SKing's worst novel. I am no fan of King but from what i've read i've really enjoyed. I read the book and finished it in 3 days, the beginning is pretty slow (like most King books) but slowly picks up the pace. When I finished I was shocked, I thought the book was excellent. These have to be some of the best characters he's ever written. Scott is so unstable and complex and Lisey is simpler to balance out the relationship. Maybe some hardcore fans were expecting something terrifying, if that's what your looking for then do not but this book. Stephen King is has definitely changed a lot from his early days, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing is it, Lisey's Story really does prove that. If your a patient reader and want a rewarding read go spend the 5 bucks on this great book.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Makes me want to read it again

I agree with the review below stating the fact that this is not in the norm of S.K. writing style, but it was a good story none the less. It was almost more of a twisted love tale, something original and never thought of before. Lisey¿s Story was slow to get into but soon enough it had me holding onto it tightly around midnight, yet the following evening I didn't even want to pick it up but I had to. I loved this story, it twisted, it scared, and it prodded at your curiosity until the end. For any type of reading, this is the way to go.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Return of The King

2006 has been a great year for masters of the supernatural horror genre, but until now the master of them all hasn't put in a worthwhile appearance. Well that's all changed and how! After a mildly disappointing recent effort by his own standards with this years earlier novel 'The Cell' King was being overshadowed by the likes of Scott Smith, James Herbert, Cormac McCarthy and the anonymous author of The Book With No Name. But now he's back to show everyone who exactly who does it best. Lisey's Story has a great many of the attributes a true fan of SK would associate with his work. There's the character Scott Landon who just happens to be an author for starters! Anyway the story follows Lisey who was the great love of Scott Landon's life before his passing two years before the book begins. Well with Scott six feet under and Lisey all alone and mourning, along comes one of King's truly evil characters in the shape of Jimmy Dooley. Anxious to get his hands on Scott's unpublished works, this man will stop at nothing. King has brought wonderful dialogue, tension, suspense and all of the trademarks from his best work to the table in Lisey's Story. Essentially a fairly uncomplex storyline, the book's strength lies as always in the immense investment the author puts into his characters. Lisey's sister Amanda talking to her in the voice of her dead husband is a delightful intricacy for example. Every single one of the characters (no matter how minor they may seem at first) is multi-layered. Every line of dialogue is carefully fashioned, and every narrative paints a picture the reader can't fail to visualise in their minds eye. There have been many of Stephen King's books of late that have been referred to as a return to form. Personally I don't think he ever really lost it. If every book is a return to form then surely the form was never lost in the first place? The competition might be getting stronger, but no one is quite ready to knock the master from his rightful place atop the mountain of horror and suspense. At 528 pages there is enough here to keep a reader occupied and enthralled for a fair few hours, days or weeks depending on whether you want to rush it or savour it. One thing's for sure though. No matter how long it takes to read, it's worth every penny.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

A severe miss.

It amazes me what Stephen King can get away with some times. Make no mistake, King is an amazing writer and has written some of America's best horror novels. Here however, he buries a possible good story under four hundred pages of near indecipherable time/reality jumps with newly created words that do nothing for the reader or story. I was so disappointed by this novel. The usual King creepiness is there only sporadically the general plot was all over the place. Overall, this is just a minor speed bump for King but should be skipped unless you are King fanatic.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Another great winding tale from Stephen King

I've been a Stephen King fan for many years and enjoy his more non-straightforward-horror-yarns more than the traditional monster and beastie tales. (Although I enjoy those, as well) I enjoyed the psychological character development of this book, although, it was a bit slow to start. Once I got into the rhythm of the back and forth mental storyline, the story itself took off. It wouldn't be a Stephen King story without SOME kind of supernatural element, however, and once that was revealed, the book really flew along. I would recommend this book to any Stephen King fan.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Lost Interest

I love Stephen King and have read quite a few of his books. And usually they're very hard to put down once started. But this one....I only finished it out of a sense that I should finish what I start. Otherwise, I lost interest early on, the smuckers usage was very annoying and it didn't hold my interest like so many other books have. Personally, I don't recommend it.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Jennifer Wardrip - Personal Read

So many others have given an outline of Stephen King's newest release, but I just wanted to leave a few comments.

This isn't a typical King book. I'm not saying it's bad, just different. It also takes awhile to get into the action, but once there the story is quite satisfying. As many have said, this is as much (if not more) a love story than a horror novel. The similarities between King's fictional characters and real life are remarkable (I'm guessing he planned it that way.) Overall, this is a book for the ultimate King fan.

If you've never read Stephen King, though, I wouldn't recommend LISEY'S STORY as a place to start, since it's so divergent from what he normally writes.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Stephen King's BEST

Fresh, different and beautifully bizarre! Recommended to those with an imagination who appreciate a creative story and demand a break from the mundane same-old-same-old formulas of many other novels. I don't think King a particularly good writer but this book was strangely touching and very impressive... not to be missed!

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Steven king rocks

He is my favorite author. His books start off slow while indroducing people and setting the plot. Once your past that the book takes a turn and becomes amazing. I had a hard time putting this one down. Great story.

Not good!!

It took me 2 1/2 years to finish this book! I love Steven King but I could not get into this one. It kept bouncing around to much to follow

Not so great

I read this book and unlike his latest, "Full Dark, No Stars,( Which I thought was great)
This one I found almost unreadable. The storyline is so confusing
as it jumps back and forth into some sort of Fantasy Land.
Sorry Mr. King, usually I'm a big fan, but just did not get this one.

awesome!

I enjoyed this book. It was a slow start and at times the character descriptions seemed to go on forever. However it picked up nicely and had a lot of twists in it. Although it is not my favorite King book, its still amazingly good. I love the strenghth he give Lisey! Keep reading, this book is worth the time and money!

Worst Stephen King Book I've EVER Read

I've been an avid fan of Stephen King for many years. I bought this book and I was so excited. After starting the book, it just became like a chore. It was boring, and I couldn't get into it no matter how hard I tried. I basically finished it just becase I've never not finished a book. Horrible. Period.

Liseys Story

The story kept me spell bound from the begining to the end. I was sad to reach the end of the book and would like to have read more about Lisey's life and possible future adventures to Scotts other world. I also recommend UR it was very interesting and really makes you stop and think. Stephen King opens your mind up to the what if's and maybe could be's for sure it takes you out of today.

INTRIGUING AND MOVING

I was getting very impatient with this book in the beginning and it seemed fairly inscrutable with all the talk of "bools." I'm glad I stuck with it, though, because it picked up steam and turned out to be a good read. Lisey and Scott's love story was moving, and having recently lost my husband myself, many of the emotions Lisey was feeling struck a chord with me. One wonders how Stephen King is able to create the stories and characters that he does - perhaps there are elements of "Lisey's Story" in his own life - whether concrete or more nebulous. Surely such a fertile imagination must spring from some dark place. One minor annoyance: I kept having to remind myself how to pronounce Lisey's name - it seemed to me that it should have rhymed with "die-sy."

You can't fail with King

It's hard to put your finger on what makes King so amazing. The stories, sure, but anyone can tell stories. The characters, sure, but anyone can create a character. Writing style, sure, but anyone can write. But it's the combination of these things, and others, which really defines a fantastic novel, and a fantastic novelist. Lisey's Story is definitely a diamond among other novels I've read. Most of King's works fit this description, but Lisey's Story is definitely a step above a number of his other books. It can definitely make you cry, while simultaneously making you terrified to look in a reflective surface (at least until the story is over and you find the way to stay in this world). It's amazing how even the smallest things in a King novel can be the most horrifying thing you might ever think you'll see with your mind, but also how the most insignificant words can make you wish that such things were said to you. For anyone who is thinking about reading a Stephen King novel, start here. You won't regret it.

Come on now

Ive been a fan for a long time, but this is nothing but verbal diarrhea. I mean, I could put up with the long tangents back in the old days when there was a plot, but this book has no plot, only a bunch of stuff flying out of Mr. King's head. Come on, man, you have to do better than this.

Good read

Lisey's story is those books that is definitely not for the average reader. You have to be very patient with the style that King has and just the fact that it starts off so slow can be agonyzing. I can actually see a lot of people putting it down before finishing the book. The reason for the slow start and in-depth character development story is to so get get emotionally attached to the characters. Still, its slow pace and lack of excitement could be fustrating. Lisey's Story is a dark (not scary) and violent book. The shockingly brutal and grotesque scenes and language described are jaw dropping and is only for mature audience who can stomach it. The story does get better as it goes and well worth sticking through some of the lack luster parts of the book.