Duma Key by Stephen King

I'm on CD 13 or so (of 18), and enjoying it very much.

It's on the shelf, next in line. And you hair has gotten longer! Kristie, not, um, Dale.

[Itty bitty spoilers]

I wasn't absolutely crazy about the earlier parts of Lisey's Story, but I thought the imagery at the end (the thing he saw in the glass) was some of the best he's ever put together.

I'm having a hard time getting into Duma Key. I hate to say it, but it feels pretty clumsy to me. I get it that he's trying to clue us in that something big is going to happen later with lines like "I remember most of my time at Duma Key a lot more clearly than I'd like" but I'd very much like something at least medium sized to happen now. This is the first King novel I've ever been bored by.

The first chapter was great, but everything from the time he got down to Florida leaves me going "Cripes, get ON with it, will ya?"

I have it on my shelf. Guess this reminds me that I need to start reading it. I will keep you posted on my thoughts.

I read it and I liked it. Though I admit to skimming the "How to Draw A Picture" vignettes unless they seemed interesting. *blush*

let me preface this by saying I adore him and criticizing him hurts me. Just cuts me to the quick.

that being said. and beware itty spoiler--

sadly, the ending, the whole can the hero save the day thing scenes, ohhhhh Mr. King. why. just WHY. WHY that puppet thing. where did your cojones go, that's all I ask.

*sniff*

I felt a smidge let down, that's all.

Did that one on Audible.com.

I enjoyed it much more than Lisey, not as much as some others.

Really good characterization in Duma, IMO.

kristie911 said:

When I'm finished, I think I'll try reading Lisey's Story again...but, good God, could the beginning be any worse?

Click to expand...

No. Really tough book.

Someone told me this weekend that she thought Bag of Bones was the best King novel. It's one I've never read. Gonna have to try it when I get a chance to get back to my parents' and search for it on the shelves.

I'm at Chapter six now. Enjoying it, waiting to meet the Bride of the Godfather again.

I started Duma Key a couple of months ago and I didn't like it, quit after about seventy pages. I didn't like the main character, he wasn't very likable or interesting and I don't feel like King had a good grasp of him. Also, I gotta question the idea of writing a book that centers around painting. I think King's best period was from Carrie through about Christine and Cujo (I think that was when he was hooked on alcohol and drugs, interesting). I loved those books. I thought The Green Mile was great, too. I'm afraid that accident may have taken something out of him. I didn't like The Cell and I didn't finish From a Buick 8, which seemed to be designed to be suspense-free.

Duma Key was a sleeping pill for me. I never quite finished it.

So whats it about? A key that lets you get into the Russian Parlimentary chambers?

I liked it--I thought that you could really tell that King pulled his personal recovery process of the hit and run into the pages because the MC's pain (physical and mental) was very real. The one thing that felt a little hokey was the 'sudden *spoiler* talent of ventriloquism and the resulting doll speaking thing. That was a bit deus machina.

It's about a man who gets run over by a crane and moves to the Florida Keys and paints.

Okay, it's really making me want to draw.

kristie911 said:

Maybe we should put a spoiler warning on this????

Click to expand...

Yes, dagnabbit! I'm still 2.5 CDs from the end!

Grrrrr.

Dale

kristie911 said:

Sorry Dale.

Click to expand...

;-) I'll probably find some way to cope...

I've had dreams about this book, even though I haven't read it and don't think I will until paperback, if then.
Weird, huh?

I was lucky--I read the book while in Mexico, so I could listen to the waves crash as I read...nice sensory environment to really get into it.