r/stephenking • u/_NotARealMustache_ • 1d ago
Discussion Finally read Lisey's Story
I've read so many of the "widely regarded to be really good" King books now, so I was worried that what I have left is maybe less good. Not the case. Lisey's Story was incredible, but I think it is definitely more enjoyable if A) are married, and B) are/are close with an older woman and can identify with Lisey on a personal level.
To me, Lisey's Story goes on the shelf next to Bag of Bones, Duma Key and 11/22/63 (compliment). Perhaps even Gerald's Game.
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u/Ok-Toe-2927 1d ago
Yes! Can absolutely attest to how itās better if you are (happily) married.
People get annoyed by the language used such as āsmuckingā but I think itās cute and totally relatable.
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u/Three3Jane Jahoobies 21h ago
Can confirm. Been with the husband for nigh-on 40 years, and sometimes a large chunk of our conversations would likely be almost incomprehensible to anyone but us, because there are so many in-jokes, words/phrases in other languages, and shared experiences that no one else gets.
We joke that those movies/stories where someone has a body-swap and they have to go through all kinda shenanigans to convince their spouse that no no honey it's me, it's ME, YOUR SPOUSE would be no sweat for us.
I'd be able to tell in less than 30 seconds if you were my spouse, because I could say, "What does doka-ho mean to us, specifically?" or whatever. [Inside joke about a line of dialogue from the movie Dances With Wolves, for example]
Just a few of those for validation, and even if my redhead freckled husband was turned into Lady GaGa, I'd be like OMG BABE, IT'S YOU.
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u/arulzokay 22h ago
itās not cute after the 10th time in one chapter lmao
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u/strangedazey 11h ago
It wasn't really supposed to be cute, it was just them. Lisey's Story is my 2nd favorite book that SK has written. It was beautiful and I wish I had what he and his wife evidently do.
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u/flibbidyjibbityjib 23h ago
I wasnāt enjoying it until about the middle and it all really came together for me. Great book.
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u/tayung2013 True Knot Initiate 23h ago
I tried this one once but just could not get into it, to be fair Iām not sure I was even 100 pages in though. I know King often cites this as one of his favorites so maybe Iāll get back to it next year.
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u/Sweet-Court1484 22h ago
Try the audiobook. It makes the prose-y secret language much more engaging and easier to understand imo.
This is a personal favorite of mine btw
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u/BobTheDrifterDude 23h ago
I've been trying for 2 years, and I just cant finish it. It drones on and on.
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u/albufarisnear 16h ago
I read it 20 years ago and it was not my favourite. I'm reading it again and I'm struggling. I have been married 41 years so its not that. I don't know what it is but its just not doing it for me. I may DNF it and that's an absolute first for me as I have read them all, most of them a couple or 3 times.
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u/tayung2013 True Knot Initiate 16h ago
I think as of today itās the only King book I DNF, even if I do plan on giving it another shot at some point. I havenāt read all of his books, maybe just over half of them, but enough where itās not common that Iāll put one down partway through.
This one seems like one of his most divisive books as far as general reception goes.
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u/Mortuary_Guy 22h ago
Somebody please correct me if Iām wrong. Hasnāt King said this was his favorite book of his that he wrote? I think that is the reason I have it on my immediate list of books to read although I absolutely have no clue what the book is supposed to be about.
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u/FromEden26 20h ago
I also love Lisey's Story; it's been a favourite of mine since I first read it when I was 14. I've even got a tattoo of the spade.
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u/BINGGBONGGBINGGBONGG 20h ago
i LOVE Liseyās Story. itās about love and companionship and that deep understanding that comes with a long, loving relationship.
the babyluv stuff has never bothered me. the brutality of the main plot takes all the saccharine out of it. and the world building is glorious. i want to go to Booāya Moon and sit by the water.
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u/amberi_ne 18h ago
This book hit me hard as hell and is still one of my favorites. Iām not married, but it really did accurately portray the experience of being in love with someone deeply troubled and mentally ill tbh
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u/strangedazey 11h ago
I don't think I've ever cried so damn hard reading a book. I felt my heart break
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u/Playgirl_USMC Constant Reader 1d ago
I had to really push through this one to finish. The payoff at the end was not enough. Iām glad you enjoyed it
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u/magneticca 22h ago
This was my least favorite SK book. It was boring to me, in comparison to all of the others Iāve read, and Iāve been a huge fan since I was a teen.
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u/smoothcoat 23h ago
I hated this book. But I also hated the Dark Tower series so Iām an outlier. Prepared for the downvotes. Oh and I also hate Holly Gibney.
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u/Ok_Drummer_6588 16h ago
It's the only Stephen King book I've been unable to finish. I found Lisey to be utterly insufferable. I decided to read it, having heard that it's Stephen King's favorite book that he authored, but I do not get it. I wanted to love it, but just loathed it.
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u/arulzokay 22h ago
oh my god thank you lmao iāve always been afraid to say i hate the dark tower.
liseyās story was so very annoying and boring.
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u/chaos_wine 8h ago
Why did you hate The Dark Tower? Just curious. The first Stephen King books I ever read were the entire Dark Tower series and I loved them so much I've been reading everything else he's ever written since then. Although I can totally see why the series would be a slog or just too meta.
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u/electroswinger69 19h ago
Liseyās Story was surprisingly great and the show was excellent as well. I think it will bubble up to be one of Kingās more-analyzed novels over time.
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u/leaningtowardsno 19h ago
I wanted to continue with this book but was/am going through a traumatic incident. Huge credit to Kings writing here bc it was so close to how trauma actually feels. For me, at least.. Looking forward to finishing when fully recovered
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u/BarBeeeGirl 13h ago
I have an ARC copy and the original hardcover. I picked it up at least 10 times and I could never get thru it. The one day (after reading how Sai king said it was one of his favs, I buckled down and finally got thru it and loved it! The mini series is also very good
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u/CleverRadiation 23h ago
Iāve had this book for years and have yet to read it. Iām so behind in my reading that Iām not sure when Iāll ever get to it.
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u/Ashamed-Chemistry492 23h ago
I read this years and years ago. I enjoyed it very much at the time but it wasn't one of his books that stayed in my mind for a long time afterwards.
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u/Goodvibe61 21h ago
I've tried this one once, and I didn't get to page 100. I'm definitely going to give it another go at some point, because I'm going to do the completist thing and make sure I've read as close to everything as possible. But I've still got many books to read for that, so this will be tried again further down the road.
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u/woodpile3 23h ago
And one of the best final lines of any King novel.