Mi$ery

📕 MY TAKE 📕⁠⁠⁠⁠

This novel is unconventional. It's told from the perspective of Dolores, completely out of order. There are no additional POVs, or all-knowing descriptions and chapter breaks. I've seen a couple of reviews where people mentioned that because of all this, it felt like the story dragged on and it wasn't for them.

Listen to the audiobook!! I used to avoid them because I'd fall asleep to them sometimes, but I'm a fan now.

I think King wanted the book to feel like a live confession and this is where the audiobook succeeds. It's like hearing a snippet from a true-crime doc or evidence in an ongoing court case. I felt like I was an officer in the room with her, trying to figure out if she's telling the truth. I felt like I was on a jury deciding whether or not to convict her. It impacted my experience with this book and I can't recommend it enough to everyone!

I also love how King was able to capture the mind of a tired but resilient middle-aged woman. Dolores was so fleshed out, and her humor, bitterness, and bravery made me cycle through all kinds of emotions. She might be my fave female character to come out of a King novel so far!

I don't hear about this book enough, and I think it should be considered one of King's best! It's great for people who aren't into supernatural horror, and instead want a thriller mixed with family drama. Fair warning, it does heavily discuss domestic violence, alcoholism, and sexual abuse.