Lisey's Story
Stephen King

Lisey Debusher Landon lost her husband, Scott, two years ago, after twenty five years of marriage of the most profound and sometimes frightening intimacy. Scott was an award winning, bestselling novelist and a very complicated man. Early in their relationship, before they married, Lisey had to learn from him about books and blood and bools. Later, she understood that there was a place Scott went - a place that both terrified and healed him, that could eat him alive or give him the ideas he needed in order to live. Now it's Lisey's turn to face Scott's demons, Lisey's turn to go to Boo'ya Moon. What begins as a widow's effort to sort through the papers of her celebrated husband becomes a nearly fatal journey into the darkness he inhabited. Perhaps King's most personal and powerful novel, Lisey's Story is about the wellspring of creativity, the temptations of madness, and the secret language of love.

This is one of King's non-horror novels. While there are elements of the supernatural involved (such as another world that some people can slip over to) and some frightening scenes (Lisey getting attacked by a maniac with a can opener), this is more of a love story than anything else, even though of of the parties is already dead at the start of the novel.

This is about the love between Lisey and her husband and their strange relationship. Through many flashbacks, the depth of their relationship and their secret language is revealed. And even after death, Scott foresaw some things that would come to pass and set things up so that Lisey could handle those issues with ease.

The story of Scott's childhood is heart-wrenching and terrifying all at the same time. The fact that Lisey stayed with him through all the madness is a testament to what love can handle.

While this type of novel is not something I was expecting of King, it was still very good. I'm pretty sure King can tackle any story and any genre and his writing skills would still shine through and make the book fantastic.

I recommend this book to King fans and to those who would be interested in reading a King novel that isn't horror.

My rating: Four out of five snails.