I wouldn't say of it that it is a spectacular adventure, nor would I say that it is surprising. I also wouldn't say that it is the best book I have read in a long time or that it is my best reading of Stephen King. In fact, I wouldn't say anything because I have finished the book and I have been left speechless, and not because the ending has given a brutal twist to the story nor that it has been an open ending.

The truth is that everything commented in the previous paragraph has crossed my mind, but none of these descriptions does justice to this novel, as it is all of this and the complete opposite (that deserves an explanation

Savrseno napeto i s gropom u zelucu, čitajući i isčekivati tko će ovdje izvuci deblji kraj. The anticipation is palpable, like a tightly wound spring ready to release at any moment.

And then there's the paranormal part that twists the whole plot and shatters what was so good in the book. It's like a sudden gust of wind that disrupts the otherwise perfect harmony.

Joj kako bih voljela da tog dijela nije bilo! :P Oh, how I wish that part didn't exist! It's almost as if it's a blemish on an otherwise beautiful canvas. But perhaps that's what makes the story more interesting and unpredictable.

Despite my initial disappointment with that particular aspect, I still find myself drawn into the world of the book, eager to see how the remaining events unfold and how the characters will overcome the challenges that lie ahead.

Who knows, maybe the paranormal element will turn out to be a crucial piece of the puzzle that ties everything together in the end. Only time will tell.

What I Liked:

A raw and real account of the abuse of women, a struggle for survival and the desire for improvement. Mixed with a bit of fantasy and handling one of the cruelest and most believable villains of STEPHEN KING.

It presents a powerful and engaging story that delves deep into the themes of pain, perseverance, and the human spirit. The vivid descriptions and well-developed characters make it easy for the reader to become fully immersed in the narrative.

The combination of the harsh reality of domestic abuse and the added element of fantasy creates a unique and captivating reading experience.

What I Didn't Like:

Mixing an excellent drama with fantasy that slightly disorients the reader. However, it still remains one of the best novels of Stephen King that I have read.

The introduction of the fantasy elements sometimes feels a bit jarring and takes away from the otherwise intense and emotional drama.

Nevertheless, despite this minor flaw, the overall quality of the story and the masterful writing of King make it a must-read for fans of his work and for those interested in exploring complex and thought-provoking themes.

3.0⭐ Tread Lightly In The Temple Of The Bull
**Spoilers**

The story presents a character who is delightfully feminine. She is attired in a dreamy and archaic abstract manner, which gives her an air of mystery and allure. Her appearance seems to transport the reader to another time and place.

As we journey through the narrative with her, we are drawn into a world that is both enchanting and perhaps a bit dangerous. The title "Tread Lightly In The Temple Of The Bull" suggests a sense of caution and respect, as if there are hidden secrets and forces at play within this temple.

Reading this story with Renee Hunter adds an extra layer of enjoyment. Her presence and perspective likely enhance the overall experience, as we can share our thoughts and interpretations with her. It makes the reading process more interactive and engaging.

Overall, "Tread Lightly In The Temple Of The Bull" is a captivating tale that combines elements of femininity, mystery, and the unknown. It invites the reader to step into its world and explore its depths, while also treading carefully to avoid any potential pitfalls.

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A Strange Title for a Stephen King Book

The title of this book might seem strange at first glance, but one must remember that it's a creation of Stephen King. In this story, a battered wife manages to escape from her police husband. Determined to track her down, the husband, like most detectives, attempts to put himself in her shoes and figure out what she would do. The journey gets rather bloody, with a strange ending that leaves readers with a sense of unease. Anyone who crosses his path meets with trouble, and at times, one wonders if he is a schizophrenic. However, it's clear that he is indeed a misanthrope, with a deep-seated hatred for humanity. This book is a thrilling and disturbing read that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

I absolutely adored this book. I had no anticipation of liking it to the extent that I did. I had never even heard of this book until a couple of years ago. Then, several girls informed me about the profound connection they felt with it. This truly piqued my interest to a great extent. It is completely unlike anything by King that I have ever perused. There were a few segments that brought to my mind Brady from Mr. Mercedes, (whom I am extremely fond of) and it made me speculate if King had Norman in his thoughts while penning it. This book was terrifying because, for once, it wasn't the supernatural elements that rendered it eerie. I actually got the heebie-jeebies from this psychopath long before any paranormal occurrence took place, (and he is far more terrifying than Brady!) but the supernatural elements were definitely...strange? This is yet another must-read, simply because it is so distinct, yet still remarkable.

Rose Madder is a remarkable novel by Stephen King that delves deep into the human elements of horror, with a particular emphasis on the fantastical.

The story is driven by the disturbing topic of domestic violence and the plight of a woman, Rosie, to free herself from all forms of mental and physical abuse.

As the protagonist, Rosie approaches new situations with a mix of trepidation and a sense of almost bewildered wonderment as she endeavors to build a life after leaving her abusive cop husband, Norman.

The characterization of Rosie is exceptionally well-defined and rich, making her one of the most engaging characters I've had the pleasure of reading. Her kind and considerate nature stands in stark contrast to Norman's violent and manipulative ways.

Initially just a piece of art, 'Rose Madder' takes on a whole new significance as the story unfolds, breathing new life into Rosie and her quest to overcome the beast that is Norman.

What sets this novel apart for me is the humanity it portrays, which captures the imagination even more than the fantasy aspect. It makes me feel every punch, bite, and form of violence endured by Norman's victims.

In conclusion, Rose Madder offers a unique kind of horror that departs from the traditional Stephen King mold. With its tightly woven, multidimensional plot and interesting faraway landscape, it earns a well-deserved 4 stars out of 5. I reread it for the fourth time in January 2019 and was once again captivated by its power.

The only reason I delved into this book was that it was mentioned as being related to the Dark Tower series. However, upon reading, I found that it doesn't truly have a direct connection to the series. Instead, different aspects are merely alluded to within this book, which, for me, was always an interesting discovery as I read on. Surprisingly, I ended up having a great fondness for this book. Initially, I was a bit concerned whether I would actually be able to finish it.

The description states that the story is about a husband who is beating his wife, and she flees from him, constantly fearing that he will hunt her down. I anticipated some challenging situations. The beginning of the book, however, opens with a highly descriptive scene where Norman, the husband, brutally beats his wife Rose to within an inch of her life, causing her to lose their unborn child. As a husband and a father myself, this deeply bothered me, and I worried that if the entire book was going to be like this, I would stop reading right then. Fortunately, it didn't continue in that vein. The thought of a husband raising a hand against his wife is simply unfathomable to me. The story then follows Rosie as she tries to find her way in the world, running from her husband, who is a police officer, and constantly living in fear of him finding her.

I truly enjoyed this story. As always, it was exceptionally well-written. King does an outstanding job of captivating the reader's interest through his remarkable character development. Each character has depth and is engaging enough that I was eager to learn more about each one as the book progressed. Another significant reason I loved this book is that I listened to it in audio format. This audiobook is read by two people. Blair Brown reads from Rosie's point of view, and Stephen King reads from Norman's point of view. I adored the change in the reader as the story shifted because both Ms. Brown and King brought distinct personalities to their respective roles, which really made me look forward to uncovering what each character would do next. I always relish it when Stephen King reads an audiobook because I get to hear the character's voice just as I would assume he imagines it when he writes it. All in all, this was a remarkable story, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. In King's world of the Dark Tower, he says KA is a wheel, and this book is a prime example of that. So, for those who have read the Dark Tower series, you will understand what I mean, and for those who haven't, I would still highly recommend this book because it is simply a great story.

In this book, Stephen King tells us the story of Rosie, a woman who, after being a victim of domestic violence for 14 years, finally decides to leave home and try to escape from her abusive husband. However, her husband is a police detective and will pursue her...

It is a very interesting plot. In my opinion, it has the potential to be an excellent read, perhaps as good as Misery (my favorite book by the author so far). It is a good story with a lot of pace, where we find well-developed characters, among which a psychopath who exceeds all the horrors that can be imagined (of those that Stephen King is a master at creating...).

Unfortunately, although I really liked this book at the beginning, it ended up not being a pleasant reading experience. From a certain point on, it even became painful... The change was mainly due to the fantastic elements that, from a certain point on, assume a great influence on the development of the story. It's not that I don't like magical realism or fantasy, but I think these elements were not necessary. In addition, in my opinion, they are also quite confusing: it is a strange mixture between Greek mythology, magic and fantasy, which results in a forced and hyperbolic amalgamation. It didn't make sense to me.

During my reading, there was even a moment when I was so tired of that "magical-mythological-fantastic confusion" that I almost gave up on the book. I felt sorry, because at the beginning it was a good thriller, with an excellent starting point and good characters, but for me, the inclusion of those elements spoiled everything.

For all the reasons I said above, it is a book that I do not recommend.

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4,5 ⭐

This was a fast-paced read that I thoroughly enjoyed.

"Rose Madder" centers around the themes of violence (a warning for those who are sensitive to this topic) and the strength of women who have endured it and had the courage to break free.

King made the decision to depict the greatest horror, the kind that exists in so many relationships and marriages, and he accomplished this with great success.

He flawlessly captured Rosie's state of mind, allowing the reader to truly feel her stress in numerous situations.

Of course, no Stephen King novel would be complete without the appearance of something paranormal or science fiction-related, and in this case, it takes the form of a painting.

There is something strange happening with that painting, and Rosie will soon discover what it is.

Naturally, there is a love story involved, but I didn't particularly care for it. Jake and Sadie from "11/22/63" had set the bar extremely high for me in terms of love stories.

Overall, "Rose Madder" was an incredibly thrilling book that I highly recommend.

PS - This is my first read of the year, and I'm hopeful that this means I'm going to have an excellent reading year

Stephen King is truly the king (if we may pardon the redundancy) in a certain realm of writing, and that is undoubtedly in the construction of characters. He has the remarkable ability to create incredibly vivid characters, with a brutally deep psychological profile, endowing them with a rich history, background, and personality.

Just as he can create characters that we love with all our hearts, he is also capable of crafting characters that we despise with every fiber of our being, and this novel is a clear testament to that. I have come across one of the most loathsome characters I have ever read. On the other hand, the protagonist has been a character that I have really liked. Well-developed and with a brutally impressive evolution from start to finish.

The plot is intense, one of the hardest I have read from King. Some passages were difficult for me to read due to their explicitness or the content they conveyed. However, the plot also has a "dreamlike" part that I really liked, as well as the way King presents it and weaves it into the story.

The ending was to my liking, although it is true that it feels a bit rushed and there were some things that I expected to be detailed more thoroughly rather than just in passing. But still, the ending left a good taste in my mouth.

From what I have researched, the novel is rich in symbolism and references to the legends of Greek mythology. I believe that by analyzing the work in-depth and comparing it with the respective legends, more details would be revealed and the work as a whole would be more rounded.

Stephen King has said that this novel is one of his most laboriously crafted, and it really shows, not only in the depth of the characters but also in the plot and all the symbolism it contains.

It has been an incredible read, and I would love to reread it in the future with sufficient knowledge of Greek mythology to try and decipher all the symbolism.

Rating: 4/5.

In "Rose Madder", the protagonist, whose name is Rose for a reason and is called Rosie by everyone, is a woman who has been a victim of domestic violence. She has been married to a monster for fourteen years. Even after an abortion that occurred precisely because of that monster, Rose does not decide to leave. The straw that breaks the camel's back is literally a drop. A drop of blood. A small stain that Rose finds one morning on the sheets. A small stain that came out of her nose during the night, because these are things that happen when your husband does nothing but hit you. Rose sees that small stain and decides that it is one drop of blood too many.

The pain is too intense for her to worry about marginal issues such as breathing or the fact that there seems to be no air in the air she breathes.

"Rose Madder", the title of a painting that Rose will fall in love with when she starts over in an unknown city, has several meanings. As I said above, it has her own name. But literally, "rose madder" indicates a particular shade of red, which characterizes the dress worn by the woman depicted in the painting. And that same woman depicted is Rose Madder. And our Rosie will resemble her more and more every day, in appearance and in spirit.

And when the monster who has mistreated and violated her for years discovers her in that new city where Rosie has started to rebuild her life, he will find himself with a very different woman in his hands, no longer submissive, no longer a victim.

It is not the blows that have been inflicted on us that count, but those that we have survived.

As I often tell you, Stephen King manages to give a wide voice to women and does it well, without falling into vulgarities and stereotypes. It is not even the first time that King has talked about domestic violence suffered by a woman. It is not even the first time that King has talked about strong, fighting women who have suffered for so long and who no longer intend to do so.

However, it is the first time that Stephen King inserts elements of Greek mythology into one of his novels. In particular, in "Rose Madder", King dwells on the Erinnyes, the female personifications of vengeance, especially against those who harm their own family, and on the Minotaur, a monstrous and fierce being with the body of a man and the head of a bull.

On the fourth cover, it was written "the most intense female character that King has ever created". I don't entirely agree. The comparison that immediately came to my mind was with Dolores Claiborne. And I must say that I find Dolores much stronger than Rose. In fact, they are both strong women, women who have suffered and who have decided not to suffer anymore, just as I wrote above. However, I think that Dolores Claiborne is stronger, both as a woman-character and as a book, because she did not need an external help, a painting or a bracelet. Dolores Claiborne managed on her own from beginning to end. For Rosie, things went differently, and putting that fantastic aspect in there made me appreciate "Rose Madder" slightly less.

Regarding the citations, a book is named, "The Journey of Misery", referring to the novel "Misery", and the creator of the Misery character, Paul Sheldon, is also named. The concept of ka is mentioned more than once, which the lovers of the Dark Tower saga know very well. And finally, Susan Day, the controversial pro-abortion feminist in "Insomnia", is named.

Regarding citations to other works, King in this book refers to "The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come" which had indicated a particular tombstone to Ebenezer Scrooge, so "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. There was no need for clarifications, but King specified it anyway: Rosie literally enters the painting that had attracted her, just like in "Alice Through the Looking Glass" by Lewis Carroll.

Undoubtedly, "Rose Madder" is a nice novel, but then again when Stephen King starts to talk about women, to dedicate an entire novel to a woman (or more than one), it is rare that unreadable books come out of his pen. As much as I love mythology, and as much as Greek mythology is among my favorites, I think that "Rose Madder" could have pleased me more if that touch of the fantastic had not been there. But perhaps there was a risk of having a story too similar to that of Dolores Claiborne? Perhaps.

As he was hugging her, she wondered how much the human race understood of that gesture, how much it knew how to appreciate its goodness, and how much a person could desire to perform it for hours on end. Some people surely understood, but she doubted that it was the majority. To fully understand the deep meaning of a hug, perhaps it was necessary to be deprived of it for a long time.