Games are supposed to bring joy and entertainment. However, the game that Gerald has created for himself and Jessie has taken a rather unpleasant turn.

Jessie is clearly not enjoying herself at all. In fact, she is having a really bad time. But for Gerald, it doesn't seem to matter much either way.

The voices in Jessie's head are making matters even more complicated. They are constantly advising her, criticizing her actions, and chastising her. It's as if she is being bombarded with a never-ending stream of thoughts and opinions.

Jessie finds herself reliving an eclipse, a moment that she had hoped to forget. The memory of it is so vivid that it feels as if it is happening all over again. She is dreading the darkness that comes with it, both literally and figuratively.

With her very sanity at stake, Jessie knows that she has to take matters into her own hands. She has to do whatever it takes to free herself from this nightmare. It won't be easy, but she is determined to find a way out.

You know how a typical writer would handle the topic of domestic or child abuse or any other form of mistreatment?

He would begin by presenting the subject matter. Then, he might send the character to a psychologist to confront her inner demons and ultimately achieve healing.

Alternatively, he could introduce her to another character, let her fall in love, and thereby find healing.

Or perhaps he would have her travel to an exotic location to discover her true self, and so on.

That is the approach of an ordinary author.

However, what he would not do is handcuff her to a bed, abandon her in the middle of nowhere, and torture her with voices from her past and hallucinations that might, just might, be real.

This kind of extreme and unorthodox treatment of the character is not the norm in typical writing.

It challenges the reader's expectations and takes the story in a completely different and perhaps more disturbing direction.

By doing so, the writer can explore the depths of the character's trauma and the potential for recovery in a more intense and unique way.

It forces the reader to confront the harsh realities of abuse and the psychological impact it can have on a person.

This departure from the traditional approach can make for a more engaging and thought-provoking read.

Full video review here: https://youtu.be/x3N9uyaabZo

My re-read of all the Stephen King novels from my teenage years continued, and Gerald's Game was read earlier than anticipated due to the Netflix movie's release in a couple of weeks. The first time I read it at 16, some of the subject matter left me quite confused. Now, in my late-30's, reading King's books has been an eye-opening experience. While most of the content that went over my head as a youngster now makes sense, the "Space Cowboy" remains just as freaky as it was the first time. For anyone who has ever been afraid of the dark, had night terrors, or been certain that someone or something was lurking in the dark corner of their bedroom at night, the chapters with this apparition will still send shivers down your spine. I must add that the flashback to Jessie's childhood trauma can be a bit uncomfortable to read. But that's what King does; he makes us squirm. It's an excellent book that departs from his usual formula and comes highly recommended. I still believe this book is unfilmable, so I'm eager to see how Mike Flanagan manages to bring it to the big screen on 9/29.

**"A Disappointing Read: Gerald's Game"**

UTTERLY PAINFULLLLLLL



This experience of reading Gerald's Game was truly excruciating. It was like being stuck on the tarmac for 3 hours in the sweltering desert summer heat with no AC, and the flight attendant refusing to let you get up to pee! Yes, this book was that bad. It was as if one had to hold their pee for 3 hours. And I'm bolding a lot here because of the intense emotions it evoked.



Now, I'm no stranger to Stephen King. I know his penchant for detailed descriptions. But I kid you not, he spent a whopping 12 pages describing a small container of Nivea hand cream. It was just too much. At first, the story wasn't so irritating. It was gruesome yet interesting. A wife and husband were getting kinky, with bondage involved. But then he had a heart attack during "playtime" and she was left handcuffed to the bed with no key.



Jessie, the main character, then starts freaking out and having a psychotic breakdown, rehashing a lot of trauma. This is where it got really cringy. There are some plot "twists" that should never be fictionalized as they are just too horrific. And above all, the book was extremely circular. Jessie's thoughts were redundant, and at some point, you just want to shout "OMG MOVE ON!" SK had a chance to make a profound statement about childhood traumas, but he failed to seize it and gave a very unsatisfactory ending. So, unfortunately, this book only gets 2 stars from me.