Pleasantly suprised

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ajblank

Member
May 22, 2011
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Columbus, OH
I made it a goal a few years ago to read every single Stephen King book. The journey has been great so far, but there a few books that I've had no desire in reading. For whatever reason Duma Key was one of these. Something about it just never appealed to me. I finally finished it today and I can't believe I waited this long to read it. It's one of my new favorites. I think this is probably one of his most detailed and visual books. I can't wait to reread it.

Also, I was about half way through the book when somebody gave my wife a painting as a gift. And of course, it turned out to be a beach scene. Still debating on if I should burn it in the oven. Haha
 

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
61,289
239,271
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
I made it a goal a few years ago to read every single Stephen King book. The journey has been great so far, but there a few books that I've had no desire in reading. For whatever reason Duma Key was one of these. Something about it just never appealed to me. I finally finished it today and I can't believe I waited this long to read it. It's one of my new favorites. I think this is probably one of his most detailed and visual books. I can't wait to reread it.

Also, I was about half way through the book when somebody gave my wife a painting as a gift. And of course, it turned out to be a beach scene. Still debating on if I should burn it in the oven. Haha
Glad you enjoyed it. I thought it was pretty good too
Duma_Key_by_glitterboys.jpg
 

blunthead

Well-Known Member
Aug 2, 2006
80,755
195,461
Atlanta GA
I made it a goal a few years ago to read every single Stephen King book. The journey has been great so far, but there a few books that I've had no desire in reading. For whatever reason Duma Key was one of these. Something about it just never appealed to me. I finally finished it today and I can't believe I waited this long to read it. It's one of my new favorites. I think this is probably one of his most detailed and visual books. I can't wait to reread it.

Also, I was about half way through the book when somebody gave my wife a painting as a gift. And of course, it turned out to be a beach scene. Still debating on if I should burn it in the oven. Haha
Welcome to the SKMB!

It took me a few books to learn my lesson about not judging one by its title, nor cover. sK's yet to fail me. As for your wife's painting, can you say "Ka-incidence"?
 

grin willard

"Keep the change, you filthy animal!"
Feb 21, 2017
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I loved the cover! I loved practically everything about this book. King's newness to Florida came thru via Edgar, as well as his feeling damaged from his accident. The big novel unfolds at a very leisurely pace, and still by the end you'll likely wish it would go on & on. He even got his love of boloney on white bread with mayonnaise in there! About my "practically everything about this book" from before, *sigh* if I have a gripe about the book I'd say it's that King once again, created an almost mystically saintly black lady character. The book was so good, that digression can easily be forgiven. Then the other shoe dropped. If there is an overtly masculine, handsome, Hemingway-esque character, who is admired and tends to succeed at whatever he turns his hand to, in a Stephen King book they must always be revealed at the moment of truth to be a coward, or at least utterly wrong, close-minded & largely useless. Wading into the confrontation between the father and Nan Melda against the wraiths, the text swimming before me, I closed my eyes and hoped against hope that this would not be the case. ( :( That was largely for dramatic effect. I doubt I actually closed my eyes.) But of course, that was the case! And at his dropping the n-bomb, I think I probably exclaimed, "Oh come on!!" out loud. If not out loud, certainly mentally. That scene deflated me for a bit. Even more so because I saw it basically marching down 5th avenue twirling batons! Do you suppose being physically thrown out of a bar and called a girl because of his long hair at 21 gave Stephen King a lifelong hatred of testosterone cases? I don't know. Some overtly masculine types are okay guys. (GNTLGNT, for example) I'd much rather have seen the aging, going to fat, amateur scuba-diver who was adored by his girls, go down swinging.
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
87,651
358,754
62
Cambridge, Ohio
I loved the cover! I loved practically everything about this book. King's newness to Florida came thru via Edgar, as well as his feeling damaged from his accident. The big novel unfolds at a very leisurely pace, and still by the end you'll likely wish it would go on & on. He even got his love of boloney on white bread with mayonnaise in there! About my "practically everything about this book" from before, *sigh* if I have a gripe about the book I'd say it's that King once again, created an almost mystically saintly black lady character. The book was so good, that digression can easily be forgiven. Then the other shoe dropped. If there is an overtly masculine, handsome, Hemingway-esque character, who is admired and tends to succeed at whatever he turns his hand to, in a Stephen King book they must always be revealed at the moment of truth to be a coward, or at least utterly wrong, close-minded & largely useless. Wading into the confrontation between the father and Nan Melda against the wraiths, the text swimming before me, I closed my eyes and hoped against hope that this would not be the case. ( :( That was largely for dramatic effect. I doubt I actually closed my eyes.) But of course, that was the case! And at his dropping the n-bomb, I think I probably exclaimed, "Oh come on!!" out loud. If not out loud, certainly mentally. That scene deflated me for a bit. Even more so because I saw it basically marching down 5th avenue twirling batons! Do you suppose being physically thrown out of a bar and called a girl because of his long hair at 21 gave Stephen King a lifelong hatred of testosterone cases? I don't know. Some overtly masculine types are okay guys. (GNTLGNT, for example) I'd much rather have seen the aging, going to fat, amateur scuba-diver who was adored by his girls, go down swinging.
....not exactly like mold, but you ARE growing on me.....:biggrin2:....guess that makes you a fun-guy....or fungi.....:biggrin-new:
 

grin willard

"Keep the change, you filthy animal!"
Feb 21, 2017
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I must have missed the "mystically saintly black lady character."

Unless you are mistaking Elizabeth Eastlake as a woman of color?

:) Hi Nadine. Yeah, you must have missed it! I did mention Nan Melda, right? Nan Melda? Libbit's protector? Psychic powers? Nan Melda? **spoilers!!!**
Lost some fingers and was murdered by Libbit's dad?
Right? Did you read my post? Did you read the novel? Maybe it's me. If I didn't mention her, I'm pretty sure Stephen King did. Did you know that in 'The Stand' Mother Abigail's last name was Freemantle? I just found that out. That's nuts.

Found this someplace, I don't know. Maybe it will ring a bell. If the novel's too long for you.

The real heroine was Nan Melda, and we don't even know her last name I showed them one of the half-finished sketches: Nan Melda, recognizable by the kerchief around her head and a perfunctory dash of color across the brow and one cheek, talking to a young woman in the front hallwayNoveen was propped nearby, on a table that was nothing but six or eight lines with a quick oval shape to bind them together "Here she is, telling Adriana some tall tale about Emery, after he disappearedThat he was called suddenly back to Atlanta? That he went to Tampa to get a surprise wedding present? I don't know Anything to keep Adie in the house, or at least close by "Nan Melda was playing for time," Jack said "It was all she could do I pointed toward the crowding jungle overgrowth between us and the north end of the Key, growth that had no business being there - not, at least, without a team of horticulturalists working overtime to provide its upkeep"All that wasn't there in 1927, but Elizabeth was here, and she was at the peak of her talentsI don't think anyone trying to use the 1027 road that went off-island would have stood a chanceGod knows what Perse had made Elizabeth draw into existence between here and the drawbridge "Adriana was supposed to be next?" Wireman askedMaria and Hannah after themBecause Perse meant to have all of them except - maybe - Elizabeth herselfNan Melda must have known she could only hold Adie a single dayBut a day was all she needed I showed them another pictureAlthough much more hurried, it was once again Nan Melda and Libbit standing in the shallow end of the poolNoveen lay on the edge with one rag arm trailing in the waterAnd beside Noveen, sitting on its fat belly, was a wide-mouth ceramic keg with TABLE printed on the side in a semicircle "Nan Melda told Libbit what she had to doAnd she told Libbit she had to do it no matter what she saw in her head or how loud Perse screamed for her to stopbecause she would scream, Nan Melda said, if she found out she said they'd just have to hope Perse found out too late to make any difference ...
 
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FlakeNoir

Original Kiwi© SKMB®
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
44,082
175,641
New Zealand
:) Hi Nadine. Yeah, you must have missed it! I did mention Nan Melda, right? Nan Melda? Libbit's protector? Psychic powers? Nan Melda? **spoilers!!!**
Lost some fingers and was murdered by Libbit's dad?
Right? Did you read my post? Did you read the novel? Maybe it's me. If I didn't mention her, I'm pretty sure Stephen King did. Did you know that in 'The Stand' Mother Abigail's last name was Freemantle? I just found that out. That's nuts.

Found this someplace, I don't know. Maybe it will ring a bell. If the novel's too long for you.

The real heroine was Nan Melda, and we don't even know her last name I showed them one of the half-finished sketches: Nan Melda, recognizable by the kerchief around her head and a perfunctory dash of color across the brow and one cheek, talking to a young woman in the front hallwayNoveen was propped nearby, on a table that was nothing but six or eight lines with a quick oval shape to bind them together "Here she is, telling Adriana some tall tale about Emery, after he disappearedThat he was called suddenly back to Atlanta? That he went to Tampa to get a surprise wedding present? I don't know Anything to keep Adie in the house, or at least close by "Nan Melda was playing for time," Jack said "It was all she could do I pointed toward the crowding jungle overgrowth between us and the north end of the Key, growth that had no business being there - not, at least, without a team of horticulturalists working overtime to provide its upkeep"All that wasn't there in 1927, but Elizabeth was here, and she was at the peak of her talentsI don't think anyone trying to use the 1027 road that went off-island would have stood a chanceGod knows what Perse had made Elizabeth draw into existence between here and the drawbridge "Adriana was supposed to be next?" Wireman askedMaria and Hannah after themBecause Perse meant to have all of them except - maybe - Elizabeth herselfNan Melda must have known she could only hold Adie a single dayBut a day was all she needed I showed them another pictureAlthough much more hurried, it was once again Nan Melda and Libbit standing in the shallow end of the poolNoveen lay on the edge with one rag arm trailing in the waterAnd beside Noveen, sitting on its fat belly, was a wide-mouth ceramic keg with TABLE printed on the side in a semicircle "Nan Melda told Libbit what she had to doAnd she told Libbit she had to do it no matter what she saw in her head or how loud Perse screamed for her to stopbecause she would scream, Nan Melda said, if she found out she said they'd just have to hope Perse found out too late to make any difference ...
:rolleyes:

Probably don't need to lay on the sarcasm quite so thick.
 

grin willard

"Keep the change, you filthy animal!"
Feb 21, 2017
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:rolleyes:

Probably don't need to lay on the sarcasm quite so thick.

Yeah. Sorry. I'm swiftly approaching middle-age and work in the dog eat dog world of insurance! I try to get all my aggression out on the highways, but apparently there's some still lurking deep in my subconscious. Sorry "person that doesn't remember the black lady from Duma key". The thing that is really gonna keep me up nights, is that I called her "Nadine" and her name is "not Nadine"! Really? Really?!! How stupid am I? I could have used any other name and it might have been exceptable. Again, I'm sorry Pam! Gladys! Trudy! Hannah! Beyoncé! Carol! Janet! Rhiannon! Tammy!

The funny thing, I expected people to rush to my defense and bombard me with likes! Wow, I must be more optimistic than I thought.
 
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grin willard

"Keep the change, you filthy animal!"
Feb 21, 2017
1,144
6,024
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My post really was a great deal sweeter before it got castrated, with all the spoilers removed. If you could have read it in it's entirety, you'd see that I was actually being quite gallant. Yeah. Mostly. Me and to a lessor degree the moderators apologize Connie! Dixie! Shirley! Ethel! Chaka! Fran! Mike! Claudine! Tammy!
 
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ghost19

"Have I run too far to get home?"
Sep 25, 2011
8,926
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Arkansas
Yeah. Sorry. I'm swiftly approaching middle-age and work in the dog eat dog world of insurance! I try to get all my aggression out on the highways, but apparently there's some still lurking deep in my subconscious. Sorry "person that doesn't remember the black lady from Duma key". The thing that is really gonna keep me up nights, is that I called her "Nadine" and her name is "not Nadine"! Really? Really?!! How stupid am I? I could have used any other name and it might have been exceptable. Again, I'm sorry Pam! Gladys! Trudy! Hannah! Beyoncé! Carol! Janet! Rhiannon! Tammy!

The funny thing, I expected people to rush to my defense and bombard me with likes! Wow, I must be more optimistic than I thought.

Sir, welcome to the board. Duma Key was a very good novel, most definitely. We all try to treat each other with respect here on the SKMB. The mods do a wonderful job of keeping this forum fair and respectful while still letting everyone have their say. As a fellow member, I'd just like to see a new member start off by showing respect and fairness toward existing SKMB guests and mods. Just a thought sir. Have a good night.
 

grin willard

"Keep the change, you filthy animal!"
Feb 21, 2017
1,144
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Loved it, didn't like the ending though. not happy

I don't know. There were two deaths of major characters in the novel. The first moved the story, and the second at the end, it seemed to me, was sort of a reminder that you need to appreciate people while they're still around. If I'm not mistaken I think King lost someone in his circle of friends involved in his publishing at that time. This may have been a response to that. I didn't like either death when reading the book, but came away at the end seeing they were largely necessary, and made the novel as a whole stronger.
 

FlakeNoir

Original Kiwi© SKMB®
Moderator
Apr 11, 2006
44,082
175,641
New Zealand
My post really was a great deal sweeter before it got castrated, with all the spoilers removed. If you could have read it in it's entirety, you'd see that I was actually being quite gallant. Yeah. Mostly. Me and to a lessor degree the moderators apologize Connie! Dixie! Shirley! Ethel! Chaka! Fran! Mike! Claudine! Tammy!
:biggrin2: I didn't remove a word, everything you said is still there just sitting behind a spoiler button.