There are three books by King that I felt were soft balls that barely made it over the plate. Rose Madder, From A Buick 8, and The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. I agree with King's assessment of this book. To me, it felt forced and you can almost feel King searching for the next word. As a reader, I felt lost and bewildered. Many say they didn't like the supernatural element of this book, but to me that's the only thing that saved it. It felt formulaic (Abused Woman pursued by Predator) and the odd and whimsical world Rosie enters redeemed the story, I feel. Slightly elevates it. The reader knows what will happen (more or less) when she buys the painting, and is just waiting for it to happen. Luckily for us, King's worst day at the ballgame is still extraordinary.
I will eventually read it again. Maybe, the second go round will make a difference as some of you have noted. Don't stone me.
Two years later and this review still grates on my nerves. Enough with the baseball metaphors.
I do think it's an interesting slant to another book, Sleeping With The Enemy, but I will need to read again before and if I change my mind.
My book club read this book last month. This is how book club went basically:
Joy: Colleen, what was your favorite part of this book?
Me: Well, Joy, I'll get to that in a few, but would anyone like some chocolate? (Passes around a bowl of chocolate until they are all staring at me expectantly. Reluctantly continues.) You know, Joy, Stephen King never disappoints. Every time I turned the page, there were more words that formed sentences. The kind of sentences that make up all of Stephen King's books. Long ones, short ones, incomplete ones. But that's the beauty of this book, right? The sentences tell a story in a way that only sentences could. And THAT is why this book was so brilliant.
Joy: You're a f*cking idiot. Why are you even in book club if you never actually read the books?
Me: Five stars!
This girl has a sense of humour - but with that last name, do you suppose she likes to vacuum?
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