Stephen King is a renowned author whose novels are designed to scare. And indeed, his works have that effect on me. The abundance of horror literature that fails to even startle a grasshopper makes it a delight when a horror novel truly gets under my skin. Some of King's novels are more terrifying than others. "The Shining", "Misery", and "Pet Sematary" are at the top in terms of inducing fear, while "The Stand" scared me more with its boredom. However, "Rose Madder" scared me in an unexpected way. It was haunting and anxiety-inducing, and I couldn't shake the feeling it gave me. Rosie's terror and paranoia were palpable, and I felt every moment of it.

\\n  Hell was motiveless.\\n

The unyielding dread in "Rose Madder" could have been overwhelming, but the fantastic writing and storytelling saved it from being unpleasant. The great characterization of Rosie made the reading experience a terrifying joy. She was a character easy to sympathize with and root for.

\\n  It’s best to be ruthless with the past.\\n

It's difficult to have a list of favorite horror reads as it's hard to compare different scenarios. But on my subjective scale, "Rose Madder" gets a high rating. It's a pretty fucking good read that combines horror, great writing, and a relatable character to create a memorable reading experience.

Sin deslumbrar, fue una lectura aceptable.

This story would perhaps have been a great disappointment if it didn't have as a co-protagonist a character as dangerously unstable as Norman. He is almost on par with Annie Wilkes when it comes to making me nervous, uneasy, and unsure of how far he is capable of going and getting his way. It's like taking care of a bite that is just about to tear your skin off. As I have already clarified my initial point, I can say that I don't think it's a bad book but I was impossible to sympathize or rather empathize with the protagonist of the story, who mostly narrates the story and her experiences after escaping from the clutches of her husband. Her going out into the world and her interactions with people she didn't know after living practically imprisoned in a cage since her marriage and having punches, humiliations, and psychological manipulations for breakfast from her husband left me feeling very indifferent. In a twisted and abusive environment.

Now, when I read the synopsis I was expecting a book closer to a persecution. That game where the cat chases the mouse, dancing between the limits of suspense and intrigue, perhaps becoming a tense read. But no, in fact towards the end it becomes very predictable how things are going to conclude. And that's if we add that fantastic part that I practically didn't like and that seemed ridiculous to me. The final confrontation and how things are resolved is disappointing to a certain extent. The only thing I liked and got good out of it was a wink/reference to It.

It's clear to me that it hasn't been the most enchanting read of King but I liked it. Although in parts. The three important parts of the book come together and become one knot, and of those, I only liked one: the one that has to do with the crazy, abusive, and controlling husband of the protagonist, who also narrates his dark and rancid side of the story, noticing the twists and turns of his putrid mentality. The interesting thing about his actions, thoughts, traumas, and macho, misogynistic, racist, and homophobic attitudes. I would have preferred that the fantastic part didn't even exist. And the exploration, survival, independence, and even the romantic subplot that the protagonist experiences I liked very little. Almost nothing.

Now, I read the book only because of Norman and I don't know what that says about me but it's clear that it was because I was expecting something else. The portrayal of Rose Madder explores domestic violence, a recurring theme that has been touched on in other King books. And being completely sincere, I will always prefer Dolores Caliborne with all my soul. What that book does is spectacular and it handles the plot in a masterful way with powerful characters; narrated with rage and a cruel sincerity. Here even some of the conversations seemed empty, flat, and not very organic to me but that's another matter and I don't want to go on. I think that without a doubt another of its strong points is the large number of chapters it has, which gives agility and rhythm to the reading. It never becomes heavy. And the very end is very realistic, which is to my taste.

Great suspense fills the pages of this story. A wife, Rose, flees from her abusive husband, Norman, who is now hot on her trail.

Rose has endured fourteen years of marriage to Norman, who has inflicted various forms of harm upon her, including biting, stabbing, and punching. However, much of this abuse is told rather than shown, perhaps to spare the reader some of the pain.

The story then unfolds with Rose leaving Norman and seeking help from an organization that assists abused women on the run. With their support, she manages to survive and even meets someone new. Meanwhile, Norman's search for her intensifies.

The reviewer was on the edge of their seat throughout most of the book, captivated by the suspense. The character of Norman, an ultra-smart and cunning abusive cop, was both terrifying and fascinating. The author's ability to get inside Norman's head and reveal his thoughts, plans, words, and actions added an extra layer of depth to the story.

Rose's transformation from a wimp to a strong and empowered woman was also a highlight. Her anger and rage were palpable, and the reader couldn't help but root for her. Although there is a paranormal element in the story, it is secondary and doesn't overshadow the main plot.

The reviewer was pleased with the story's resolution, which took the reader several years into the future and provided a satisfying and happy ending. However, one area that bothered the reviewer was a long dream-like scene in the middle of the book that felt a bit boring due to excessive description.

It's important to note that the book contains some strong content, including two sex scenes involving men touching men (one of which is torture) and a scene of a woman being rear-door raped.

In terms of the audiobook, the music introducing the bad guy scenes was great, adding to the overall atmosphere of the story. However, the reviewer did not like Stephen King's narration of the bad guy parts, as his voice did not fit the character. Blair Brown, on the other hand, was excellent as the narrator of the Rose parts.

Overall, this is a thrilling and engaging story that will keep readers hooked from start to finish. Despite its flaws, it offers a unique and captivating look at the lives of abused women and the lengths they will go to in order to escape their abusers.

The movie starts out good, showing promise and capturing the audience's attention.

However, it really runs out of steam as it progresses, especially when the supernatural elements are introduced.

It really feels like King was attempting to cram everything into one story, perhaps overreaching in his ambition.

The addition of the magic painting bits seems forced and detracts from what could have been a more straightforward and engaging narrative.

Maybe if King had focused on telling a simple, linear story without these unnecessary and somewhat confusing supernatural elements, the movie would have been more successful.

As it stands, it leaves the viewer feeling a bit disappointed and wishing for a more cohesive and satisfying experience.

Overall, while the initial concept had potential, the execution falls short, especially when it comes to handling the supernatural aspects of the story.

It's a shame, as with a bit more refinement and a clearer focus, this could have been a great movie.

But as it is, it's just another example of a movie that starts strong but fizzles out in the end.

This is definitely my least favorite of the King books I've read so far.

I simultaneously loved and hated this book. There were no parts that I just liked. Seriously, I was either loving it or hating it. Clearly, since I gave it 3 stars, I loved more parts than I hated.

First, the good stuff. As usual, King's take on a crazy person is always amazing and terrifying. My first King book was Misery, and I just love his crazy villains.

I was actually getting a little bored with the book until Rosie found her painting and the weird stuff, that makes me love King so much, started to happen. I was entranced during Rosie's whole 'adventure' in the painting trying to find the baby. I wish a few things had been explained a little more, but he kind of left me to make up my own mind, which is always bittersweet anyways.

And, of course, I loved the Misery references in this book. It made me feel like I was part of a special group of people who were in the know. *wink wink*

Now, what I did not like. There was an aspect of this book that was so beyond reality and completely fake and phoney that I don't think even King pulled it off. His name was Bill. Rosie's heart of gold, love at first sight, commitment-loving boyfriend. Hello...LAME!

"I've known you for two weeks and spent a total of 3 hours with you, but I'm in love with you and I want to handle all of your baggage as well as your completely insane husband and take you away on my white horse." Total bull shit.

I kept expecting this dewey-eyed chick-lit cliche to turn into a hard core dose of reality, which is usually King's specialty. Something a little more...

"You know what Rosie, you're great and I really like you, but this is a little too much for me." Which would be totally understandable and expected from any normal guy who doesn't want his penis bitten off by Stormin' Norman.

Holy Christ...Nora Roberts fans don't even buy this guy. And I'm pretty sure I heard Nicholas Sparks call him a pussy.

Keep in mind that not all women are waiting around for a white knight to rescue them on his valiant steed. Some of us want realistic relationships with realistic men. This character almost completely ruined the female empowerment in this book...

...almost, until Gertie's scene with Normie in the amusement park. The woman's lib fanatic in me was jumping for joy when she peed all over his face but mostly when she called him a queer boy (I think that was her term) and he couldn't believe a woman was talking to him in that respect. Yep, Normie, it's a woman...standing up for herself and being strong. Suck it!

To jednocześnie typowy King i coś nowego dla mnie.

He is the epitome of a classic king, with all the grandeur and authority that comes with the title. His presence commands respect and his decisions are final.

However, for me, he is also something new. He brings a fresh perspective and a unique set of skills to the table. His innovative ideas and forward-thinking approach have the potential to revolutionize the way things are done.

In him, I see a combination of tradition and modernity, a rare and exciting mix. I am eager to see what he will achieve and how he will shape the future.

He is not just a king, but a source of inspiration and a symbol of hope. I am honored to have the opportunity to witness his reign and be a part of his journey.

Rosie has been living in absolute hell for many years. Ever since she married Norman, she has witnessed how her life is gradually being eroded by the abuse he inflicts on her, and how everything that once was or that she desired has now become just a memory. Rosie spends her days locked inside the house, wondering when the day will come that her husband will kill her, when one of those beatings will go too far.

However, one day, a simple drop of blood awakens a new feeling in her, and she decides that the time has come to flee.

For being a book from the nineties and being handled by a man, I really liked how it tackles the theme of abuse and how it manages to get inside the minds of both the abuser and the victim, and it does so completely, without any half measures. This makes it so that many times your hair stands on end, or you are furious, but it also means that the creation of the characters is incredible. Something in which, for me, King is perfect.

One of the things I like most about King is that ability to mix real terror with the supernatural, mainly because it makes human evil seem more terrifying than the fact that he puts fantastic creatures that lurk around his characters. I think that "Rose Madder" is one of the books by King where that real part weighs the most, and it takes a very long time for the more supernatural part to take off. In fact, for me, the supernatural part detracts a little from the whole work. And it's the first time that this has happened to me with a book by King.

I think that the fantastic part is not very solid and not at all clear, and it opens more unknowns than it closes. Perhaps I would have liked the story to follow the realistic path and that the ending maintained that course, and not that it was mixed with that fantastic part, which I know is a sign of King, and normally I love it, but on this occasion I haven't quite seen the point. Moreover, there are several very long chapters that focus quite a bit on this more fantastic part of the plot, which bored me quite a bit.

Despite everything, I liked it, I enjoyed it (or rather suffered it) and I think that King is a genius when it comes to creating villains, he does it even better than with his heroines or heroes. Norman is one of those characters that you deeply hate and that if you could, you would take out of the pages to do politically incorrect things to him. It's a raw story, very well created and with great characters, but that loses some of its strength because of its fantastic part.

I'm glad that I read it (or rather, listened to it, actually). However, I wasn't as completely hooked as I usually am with most of the other novels by King that I have read.

There was something about this particular work that didn't quite have the same hold on me. Maybe it was the pacing, or perhaps the story didn't develop in a way that kept my interest piqued throughout.

Nonetheless, I still appreciate the opportunity to have experienced it. And I must give a shoutout to OverDrive. Thank you! They provided me with the means to access this piece of literature and explore it at my own pace.

Even though it wasn't my favorite King novel, it's still a part of his body of work, and I'm sure there are many others who will find it engaging and enjoyable.

I listened to the audiobook.

First things first: the music was truly awful, horrendous even. It added absolutely nothing to this audiobook and instead detracted significantly from the story.

Also, it seems I'm at least part canine because some of the higher-pitched screeches passing for music set my teeth on edge and made me want to scream.

I docked the whole thing 1 star just for the terrible music.

The narration, by Blair Brown, was fantastic! Five stars for her narration. Her voice needed no extraneous music.

Okay, that's out of the way, I'll move on.

A wonderfully weighted book, the first two acts of which are truly remarkable. King delves deep into the underbelly of a domestic abuse survivor,描绘了从受害者的存在到逃脱者，再到生活重建者的整个过程。

At times, it can be a hard read, but it is also filled with so much positivity. It especially showcases the day-to-day impact and power of empathy, understanding, and human kindness.

However, the third act ruins the book for me. It seems to veer into all-out horror, but feels more like magical realism, believe it or not! When I was younger and first read this, I was extremely annoyed.

As I got older and re-read and reappraised this work, I came to tolerate and better understand King's rationale.

My re-read and reappraisal of this book led me to rate it 8 out of 12. The love and appreciation for the first two halves of the book outweighed the attempted mystical realist finale, which is still not very good, by the way!

Overall, it's a complex and thought-provoking book that leaves a lasting impression.

Continuing on my journey of reading/re-reading SK's books in publishing order, Rose Madder was next on the list, and it was a re-read I was truly looking forward to. From the very first page, it is horrifying. SK doesn't hold back at all from the offset, and it is gut-wrenching. This is a SK book that really showcases his beautiful writing as well. King never fails to create the most despicable characters, and this book is no exception.

Misery is mentioned a couple of times throughout this book. Norman is one of the worst characters Stephen King has ever created. I think it's because he could be living right next door. He is really easy to hate. The line 'you can have another one' made me want to scream. All you can think when reading this book is how much you want Norman to get what's coming to him.

Something I really love about this book in particular is Rose's internal monologue. It's so interesting to read and so believable. We all talk to ourselves a little, and Rose is no different. Rose's practical-sensible side is that little voice in our head that tells us to stay comfortable and safe, even if it's really keeping us trapped and miserable. Freedom is out there, and we just need to open our minds to see it. For such a dark book, it had some witty lines that managed to make me smile. 'When I need something uplifting, I'll buy a support bra' - what a line!

SK creates such suspense that it had me reading faster than my brain could keep up at times. My hands were sweating, and my mind was racing, even though I have read this before. Flicking between Rose and Norman and how close they always were to bumping into each other was genius. It never got confusing, and the short chapters made me want to read on through the night.

I enjoyed the nod to The Dark Tower with the mention of KA, and I'm glad I'm reading these in order now. Gert is such a great character, a strong badass female character who isn't small and doesn't look strong for her size but is actually big physically and powerful, something we don't read enough of in books.

I think the only reason this doesn't get the full five stars for me is because I find some of the moments in the painting a little slow and strange. I do feel like SK could have skipped the more fantastical elements in this one and just gone for real life horror/thriller. Having said that, would it really be a King book without a little nonsense?

I discovered this particular piece on Libby. Initially, I delved into it without any preconceived notions or expectations. However, to my great surprise, it turned out to be an absolute gem. King is truly the maestro when it comes to crafting stories about human monsters. And the antagonist in Rose Madder is no exception. The characters in this story are nothing short of fantastic. They are vividly drawn and each has their own unique charm and quirks. The plot is filled with the most unexpected and weird twists that keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. It's not just a story, it's a thrilling adventure that is a ton of fun to experience. Whether you're a die-hard King fan or just someone looking for a good read, Rose Madder is definitely worth checking out.