Difficult Read

  • This message board permanently closed on June 30th, 2020 at 4PM EDT and is no longer accepting new members.

Jules3155

Well-Known Member
Aug 28, 2014
66
314
56
Southern Ohio
Just started reading Lisey's Story. I am finding parts of it difficult to understand...that "over my head" feeling. I will continue to read it...just hope it becomes clearer soon. I just read "Blaze" and couldn't put it down. While I would be doing other things, I would keep thinking about Blaze and couldn't wait to get back to reading it. Was hoping Lisey's Story would be that way too.
 

carrie's younger brother

Well-Known Member
Mar 8, 2012
5,428
25,651
NJ
Just started reading Lisey's Story. I am finding parts of it difficult to understand...that "over my head" feeling. I will continue to read it...just hope it becomes clearer soon. I just read "Blaze" and couldn't put it down. While I would be doing other things, I would keep thinking about Blaze and couldn't wait to get back to reading it. Was hoping Lisey's Story would be that way too.
Some of SK's books are just not for everyone. I never really got into Lisey's Story either (though I read it all and understood it, as much as one can I guess). But to this day, I can't remember what it's about for the life of me. The only think I can remember is

the phrase "blood bool" and how disgusting it sounds. Can't remember what it actually is though.
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
15,683
92,168
USA
Lisey's Story is definitely Mr. King's most 'literary' book. He does a lovely job with jumps back and for the through time, but since it's not part of his usual style, it can be difficult to navigate--it's unexpected. It feels raw and personal, too. It's an uncomfortable book, I think, but well worth the effort to read it through a first time. You'll finish and have to think about what you read, and then it will either click with you and be far easier the next time (my experience) or you'll decide it's not for you.
 

BeverleyMarsh

Well-Known Member
Jul 23, 2010
862
5,374
The Twilight Zone
I personnally didn't have any problem getting into Lisey's story, I loved it from the first read, and about halfway through it I already had an inkling it would become my favourite SK's novel. And to this day it is my favourite. But it's true it's a real departure from his usual style, I tried to get my mum to read it as I was convinced she would love it but she said she tried and tried but couldn't get into it. She was surprised as she never had any problem getting through his novels before and it's actually her who initiated me to Stephen King's work. I think maybe it's a case of leaving the expectations you have of his usual work aside, as much as possible, but maybe it's just not for you, like Skimom said, it's true this one has very much divided opinions.
 

Walter Oobleck

keeps coming back...or going, and going, and going
Mar 6, 2013
11,749
34,805
I've read this one so many times my hardback looks like the user manual at the mechanic shop. I loved this story and yeah there are some things I had to reread the first time through. One chapter midway through the firs third...Wood-pucky maybe. Woodenhead. Never got a kiss. Old Hank sang 'em, didn't he? Oh you betcha.
And the other day, I'm trying to find something to make a point. And boom, there I am again, step outside and look at the sky. You have that thing that sneaks up on you and bites you on the ass. I made my father laugh. That's the thing, isn't it...? Did God laugh? Does he laugh? Or is the only thing available the horror of forever? I never made my old man laugh, no siree-bucko. All I needed was that quick crumble of evening paper and I was out the door.

This one is a favorite. What's crazy is that Salon did a number on this one, right. King may have to blah blah blah to write a literary novel? Empty devils.

I think it's a hoot that we could possibly say hey to the Shakespeare of our day. Hey, Billy! What say! Doesn't mean he hears us, right?

Now...I have to run again. Boundary Street, someone ripped up their kitchen. Don't you hate when that happens.
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
15,683
92,168
USA
I've read this one so many times my hardback looks like the user manual at the mechanic shop. I loved this story and yeah there are some things I had to reread the first time through. One chapter midway through the firs third...Wood-pucky maybe. Woodenhead. Never got a kiss. Old Hank sang 'em, didn't he? Oh you betcha.
And the other day, I'm trying to find something to make a point. And boom, there I am again, step outside and look at the sky. You have that thing that sneaks up on you and bites you on the ass. I made my father laugh. That's the thing, isn't it...? Did God laugh? Does he laugh? Or is the only thing available the horror of forever? I never made my old man laugh, no siree-bucko. All I needed was that quick crumble of evening paper and I was out the door.

This one is a favorite. What's crazy is that Salon did a number on this one, right. King may have to blah blah blah to write a literary novel? Empty devils.

I think it's a hoot that we could possibly say hey to the Shakespeare of our day. Hey, Billy! What say! Doesn't mean he hears us, right?

Now...I have to run again. Boundary Street, someone ripped up their kitchen. Don't you hate when that happens.
Poor old Kawliga...
 

Steffen

Well-Known Member
Aug 9, 2015
2,233
12,800
Just started reading Lisey's Story. I am finding parts of it difficult to understand...that "over my head" feeling. I will continue to read it...just hope it becomes clearer soon. I just read "Blaze" and couldn't put it down. While I would be doing other things, I would keep thinking about Blaze and couldn't wait to get back to reading it. Was hoping Lisey's Story would be that way too.


As with all forms of art, I accept that people's tastes are different (unless they don't like Bruce Springsteen or John Mellencamp, in which case something is fundamentally wrong with them on a molecular level ;;D). This book, however, was a trying one for me. It took me almost 3 years of picking it up and putting it down before I finished it. It's definitely not a bad story, but it's one of the few King books I just couldn't get into. Blaze, on the other hand, I loved. Would be nice to see a movie of that book.
 

Sliced Bread

Well-Known Member
Jan 6, 2011
145
574
44
From Scotland, live in Ireland
Said it before, I'll say it again--probably one of the finest novels I'll NEVER read again. Pretty much everything Skimom said above, yep. Kinda awkward.

And all that couple's marriage-speak baby talk made me wanna ralph.

+1 like for "ralph", which I haven't heard since 80s high school movies. I actually laughed out loud on the bus.
 

Shoesalesman

Well-Known Member
Aug 12, 2010
1,814
4,093
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
LS is a commitment. Flawless parts coupled with confusing parts; never read a book with such a frequent push & pull between extremes before. Loved it, disliked it, excited by it, bored with it, crystal clear, clear as mud, pages flew, pages lagged. Stuck with it, though. Worth the read as the end came, but it took some deep stretching and a few start/stops at the beginning to limber up. But once you're past the initial ruts, stick with it, man!!!
 

Ebdim9th

Dressing the Gothic interval in tritones
Jul 1, 2009
6,137
22,104
It kind of reminded me of Bag of Bones and Rose Madder somewhat... along with a little of the Dark Tower for the thing with the pie-bald side and world-jumping like Jack Sawyer in the Talisman.... loved Lisey's Story... still do... I didn't ralph... probably won't the next time either unless of course I eat a bad Chicago dog while rereading it....
 

Sunlight Gardener

Well-Known Member
Jul 22, 2013
375
1,273
The silly language troubled me on the first read too and I ended the book thinking I wasn't crazy about it. I have listened to it on Audio a couple times since and was surprised how fast I got over the language thing and was able to concentrate on the story. Lindsey Crouse does a great job of pulling you in to the story. Probably my favorite part of the story was his crazy father and the horrible stuff that happened to he and his brother that made him the way he is. I found that part fascinating and I ended up liking the whole story a lot better.
 

César Hernández-Meraz

Wants to be Nick, ends up as Larry
May 19, 2015
605
4,416
44
Aguascalientes, Mexico
I could not go too far into it the first time I tried to read it, many years ago. But I started it again one or two years ago (so I was already 33 or 34) and loved it. I think my 20-something self just could not find any common ground with the characters in this book, with all those years of marriage, siblings with families and lives of their own and all that.

I am still single, but I have been exposed to friends' marriages, plus my own current relationship, which does have special talk just for the two of us. Thinking about my parents' future, if they would accept moving in with me (they live in my hometown, and I think they might be stubborn enough to want to stay there). All of those things helped me see the book differently, and now I enjoy it a lot.