Rating: 9/10
Stephen King is my favorite author, and let me tell you this book did not disappoint. Like many, I had seen the movie prior to reading the book (my cousin forced me to watch it). And I thought the movie to feel much slower than the book.However, I do think that Kathy Bates was the perfect Annie, but I digress. The movie really seemed to place a lot of focus on the outside world, and it really made a point to show the actions of the people looking for Paul Sheldon. The book focused more inward, the book mainly existed within the realm of Annie Wilkes' house, and not very far beyond that. I think this really helped the reader to see the smothering pressure of being trapped in one area with no clue of what was happening on the other side. This book did an excellent job of demonstrating the captive/captor dynamics and doing so in a thrilling way. I couldn't put the book down once I would start reading. King starts you right in on the action and holds you there for the entirety of the book. So what exactly happened? Misery follows author Paul Sheldon as he struggles to maintain his life and sanity in his "number one fan's" home. While celebrating the completion of a new book, outside the romance series that he's happy to finally be free of, Paul is in a car accident in the middle of rural nowhere in Sidewinder, Colorado. Lucky for him Annie Wilkes, his "number one fan", finds him and pulls him out of the wreckage. Unfortunately for Paul, Annie is untethered and has no intention of ever returning him home. Annie Wilkes' can shift from happy-go-lucky, to destructive in a moment. But it's all Paul's fault isn't it? This one was full of action and moments of pure terror of what is about to happen next. You really feel for the author, he's in excruciating pain and he's having to be on his best behavior even though, by all means, she doesn't deserve it. But when your captor is as unhinged and unpredictable as Annie Wilkes, you do what you can to keep her placated. If you've only seen the movie and are thinking of reading the book, please read this book, it's much more intense. Honestly, I kind of wish we could get a rewrite from her perspective. I want into the mind of this insane woman, just what led her to do all of this? I mean we do get a look at her past (which is wild, but satisfying), but I'd just like to know how this would all look from her point of view. I would also like to know about the place she goes when she's having a psychotic or depressive episode. The place is really only mentioned, but as I stated previously, the book makes a point to really trap the reader in with Paul. This book moved up to the second spot in my favorite King books after I read it.
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