Misery

by Stephen King

After a car crash, writer Paul Sheldon is saved by his number one fan. She brought him home, splinted his mangled legs, and all he had to do in return was write a very special book, one all about her favourite character. Because if he didn't, if he was bad, she would be cross - very cross.

• ISBN10: 0450417395
• ISBN13: 9780450417399
• Publish Date: 1 November 1988 (first published 8 June 1987)
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 25 October 2007
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
• Imprint: Hodder Paperback
• Edition: New edition
• Format: Paperback (A-Format (178x111 mm))
• Pages: 384
• Language: English

Reviews

[clq]

Wow.
Misery... a thrilling, dark, claustrophobic, occasionally gross, far-fetched yet believable, page-turner which seems to make a game out of pushing all the right buttons at exactly the right time.
Without wanting to spoil anything, Misery is about a writer, Paul Sheldon, who ends up in what turns out to be a pretty bad spot. Think you know what will happen? You don't. Think it can't get any worse for the main character? It does.

I get the impression that Stephen King could probably write about anything at all in a way which would make millions want to read it. Though, the guy can certainly construct a plot as well. Misery is more of a situation-drama than anything else, but every drop of juice has been squeezed out of the premise, in a good way. The story is in many ways driven forward by the main character's state of mind. The way his mind develops, and the way in which this is described, is fascinating and scary in equal measure.
No, this book hasn't had a profound impact on me, and no, I probably won't be thinking about it a week from now, but wow, it was a great ride. It is the perfect read-in-the-dark-in-the-middle-of-the-night book, and is genuinely one you won't want to put down.