I really want to read this entire thread before making any comments as this is my favorite book by Stephen King.
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I really want to read this entire thread before making any comments as this is my favorite book by Stephen King.
I can see the faults with this book (King himself referred to it as a "trying-too-hard book" I think and didn't like it much?) but I still like it a lot. It's not in my top 5 but I think it has a lot to offer. I have vivid nostalgic memories of reading the UK hardback as a teenager (the one with the Norman masks/bulls on the cover and the rose with the drop of blood on it inside the endpapers). I re-read it a year or two ago and still found it very intriguing. The mythology bits are a bit undercooked but the pursuit parts are great and I loved the ending (epilogue) where she's staring at the fox, it has some very haunting lines about mortality and motherhood if I remember right.
I really need to re-read this one. I remember enjoying it, but it's been years since I read it, so I can't remember everything clearly.
I do, however, remember my immense hatred for Norman. Can't forget that. :lol:
I always felt that the biggest flaw in Rose Madder was the introduction of the supernatural aspect. Continuing the story as a thriller/suspense novel would have been great. Just my opinion.
John
Totally agree with you there John. I was initially intrigued by the painting and the other world but the suspense/pursuit parts are the strongest in that book imo. I'm looking forward to reading "Mr Mercedes" as it's supposed to be straight suspense, no supernatural.
I don't know if I agree. The supernatural part sure isn't the book's forte, but it somehow sets off the thriller/suspense component, which by itself might have seem rather trivial. I wasn't crazy about the book, but it seemed to me that it's exactly the combining - however (maybe intentionally) clumsy - of the two parts either of which is nothing much by itself that makes this novel so strangely beautiful and distressing. I got to reread it, though.
The Losers Club episode on the novel, one of my all-time favorites! Exciting!
https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/con...t/e/78012847#/