Title: Misery
Author: Stephen King
Published Year: 1987
Pages: 338
I saw the screen adaptation of this book before I ever even realized there was a book by the same name. I knew Stephen King had written books, but I also thought that he just had some stand alone movies at the same time. Thank goodness I am learning my mistake and I am taking the time to read his works that I have not gotten to yet. One of the best things about watching the movie first in this case for me is that while reading it, I kept visioning Kathy Bates saying the lines of her character from the movie. It made the book move quicker and more enjoyable for me. Now I want to go back and find my own copy of "Misery" on dvd and watch it for a little bit of comparison work.
I just also have to say that I love King when he writes a book from the point of view of a writer, it is what he knows best about after all. In Misery he doesn't rely on supernatural elements to terrify the reader. He relies on the psychotic tenancies of an overzealous fan that needs to be checking into a mental hospital. This overzealous fan in this book takes hostage a writer that she swears she is his absolute number one fan of. When she gets a hold of the latest edition of the book series that stars her favorite character and the ending of the book does not as she wanted to, she holds the author hostage. Misery is his tale of living in her prison where any one move could be the wrong one and could end his life.
