Quizás su nombre me hacía crear otra personalidad en mi mente y no me llamaba mucho la atención este libro.

Pero ahora que lo he leído, tengo que convencer a todos de que este libro es MUY IMPORTANTE por las temáticas que aborda.

Está lleno de realidades que a menudo pasan desapercibidas.

Y que todos deberían leerlo.

No tiene divisiones y, sin embargo, no se me hizo lento ni pesado.

Está escrito a modo de monólogo y de una forma muy entretenida.

Lo tiene todo.

Algo de misterio y algo de humor.

Y da mucha importancia al machismo, para ser de 1993.

También aborda temas como la violencia laboral, doméstica, los abusos, de todo.

Es un libro que te hace reflexionar y que te muestra una parte de la sociedad que a veces preferimos no ver.

Y que, sin embargo, es fundamental conocer para poder hacer cambios y mejorar nuestro mundo.

This book was truly a little gem.

I opted for a combination of reading and listening to the audiobook, and let me tell you, the narrator was absolutely fantastic.

What I believe makes this book stand out is its unique format. The story unfolds as Dolores gives her testimony to the police after her employer dies in her care.

At first, I wasn't entirely sure if I would like the structure of having one long chapter, but it was so incredibly compelling that it worked extremely well.

From the very beginning, I was drawn in by this woman's charming dialect and sharp wit. The question of how she could possibly have been accused of murder lingered in my mind, but she firmly declares that she will tell the whole story, and what follows is utterly riveting.

Although the book touches on a horrifying topic, it is not overly suspenseful or scary - just a little chilling at times. What's more, it is so realistic that it feels more like listening to a true story.

There is a great deal to be learned from Dolores Claiborne, mostly about the importance of being true to oneself.

Stephen King never fails to amaze me with the characters he creates, and I think so far, this may just be my favorite.

I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a captivating read.

I have had the pleasure of reading numerous Stephen King books, and this particular one stands out as one of the absolute best.

What makes it so remarkable is the unique narrative structure. The entire book is presented as a continuous monologue. There are no chapter breaks, no shifts to alternative points of view. It is simply Dolores Claiborne sharing her story and openly confessing her failures.

The two main characters, Dolores herself and Vera, are both self-proclaimed bitches, yet they are wonderfully fascinating individuals. Their complex personalities and the dynamics between them add depth and intrigue to the story.

Of course, the lack of chapters makes it extremely tempting to keep reading, often causing one to be late for everything else that one should be doing. This is especially true towards the end when the anticipation of finding out what will happen to Dolores becomes almost unbearable. Fortunately, there is a great epilogue that ties up all the loose ends and provides a satisfying conclusion.

I truly, truly loved this book. If you are a fan of King and have not yet read Dolores Claiborne, I highly recommend that you give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

Another book by SK figures prominently in my ambitious plan to explore more of his literary works. I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook in Polish. The actress who read the book, Ms Budzisz-Krzyżanowska, is a renowned figure in the Polish theatre. Her narration was so captivating that it made me feel as if I was seated in a theatre, witnessing a masterful performance of a monologue on stage. While listening to her, I couldn't help but think that perhaps Mr King's book was translated into Polish specifically to be brought to life by Ms Budzisz-Krzyżanowska's interpretation.

This book is a classic, with domestic violence and personal tragedy serving as the driving forces behind the characters' actions. It's yet another SK book that I thoroughly enjoyed. The story unfolds in a way that keeps you on the edge of your seat, constantly engaged with the characters and their struggles. SK's ability to create complex and believable characters is truly remarkable, and this book is no exception.

Wow, what an amazing story it is!

In the beginning, I really struggled to figure out what kind of setting it was and what was happening. However, once I managed to understand that, I immediately fell in love with this story.

I simply couldn't put the book down. I am truly glad that I have read it. The character building and development are excellent. It really makes the characters come alive and feel real.

Overall, the suspense building is great. It keeps you on the edge of your seat, constantly wondering what will happen next. It makes the reading experience even more thrilling and engaging.

Dolores finds herself in the spotlight when her long-time employer is discovered dead. In her small island community, there have been persistent rumours that she killed her husband years ago. Now, in a darkly humorous tone, she decides to tell her story for the very first time. She peels back the layers and reveals every dark corner of her marriage, her life, and the events that took place both times someone close to her met a tragic end.

Stephen King, who doesn't often write in the first person, once again delivers a masterpiece. His books are always a unique blend of the dark and the funny, the light and the sad. Here, he is at his best, vividly describing the human condition in all its raw realism, hilarity, and grimness. This short book is a gem, and I can't help but wonder why I didn't pick it up sooner!

Edited to add: I recently watched the film adaptation, which features an impressive cast of great actors. Despite the few changes made to the story, it manages to retain the essential excellence of the book. As Dolores herself might say, "Sometimes being a bitch is all a woman’s got to hold on to.”

4.5 stars

You know what is truly impressive? It's the way Stephen King crafts a story that can truly draw you in, make you empathize with his characters, and manage to do it time and time again in a fresh and novel way.

For those of you who still stubbornly refuse to read Stephen King simply because he writes scary and horrific stories, let me tell you that's not always the case. He writes about people in diverse situations and circumstances that they have to grapple with. This particular work is a 5-star read because it is masterfully executed.

In my experience, reading a book typically involves chapters or parts. However, this particular book lacks any of those. It is one long, continuous narrative. I initially thought that would be terrible. How would you know when to stop reading? Well, I suppose that could be a drawback for many. But for me, I just couldn't handle it. Thankfully, there is such a thing as audiobooks. Let me tell you, the narrator of this story is brilliant. Not only is her voice superb, but her pacing and style are phenomenal. I have really, really enjoyed listening to her over the past week and have truly savored the book because of her.

So, what is the book about? Well, it's about a 65-year-old woman named Dolores Claiborne who lives on Little Tall Island outside of Maine. She is married to a horrible man named Joe St. George. She works as a cleaning lady for Vera Donovan and continues to do so until the day Vera dies. Dolores has three children, and that's what the story is centered around. Those are the main characters. Dolores is being interrogated at the police station regarding a murder. She shares with us her tale of Little Tall. She tells the truth about what she knows and what she has witnessed. That's the gist of it.

With such a brief synopsis, how can I give it 5 stars? Because it is written that brilliantly. It's a character-driven piece, much like most of King's novels, and I really, really enjoyed it. Plus, it ties into Gerald's Game. And if you enjoy uncovering Easter eggs in King's books, you're going to get a real kick out of noticing this connection.

Una lunga chiacchierata si svolge, in cui Dolores Clairbone viene interrogata dallo sceriffo. Lei mette a nudo la sua vita dopo la morte di Vera Donovan, la ricca signora per cui ha lavorato da tantissimi anni. È interessante chiedersi se la volgarità e la sfacciataggine possano essere garanti di verità. In questa storia sentiamo solo la sua voce. Inizialmente, questa voce sembra essere comica, quasi una caricatura. Tuttavia, pagina dopo pagina, assume i toni drammatici di una vita veramente sofferta. Tutto ciò avviene sull’isola di Little Tally Island, davanti alla costa del Maine. Questo nome è emblematico per una storia dura, dove le colpe sono conti che sanno aspettare di essere saldati. Non dirò nulla di più perché questa storia merita di essere scoperta pagina per pagina. «Certe volte fare la carogna è tutto quello che resta a una donna.»

4.5 Stars:

Now that I've finally read it, I'm truly astonished that it took me this long to get my hands on this book. In fact, the title has always seemed so eerily familiar that I was almost certain I had either read the novel or watched the movie before, yet that wasn't the case. Indeed, Kathy Bates played the lead role of Dolores, and Jennifer Jason Leigh played her daughter. I recall there being quite a bit of fanfare around the release of the movie in the mid-90s (it was released in 1995), and both actresses were very well-known to me. But no, for some reason, I had never seen the movie. And now that I've read the book and know the story, considering what I've been through in my most disturbing and all-too-frequent moments of recurring PTSD episodes in the past few years, I can see that there is indeed a strange connection.

I should perhaps backtrack a little. I want to keep this as concise as possible and not delve too deeply into personal matters here. By now, plenty has been said about this 1992 novel, but I'll offer my own take on it. Dolores is a housekeeper who has worked for a very wealthy woman named Vera Donovan. Eventually, when Vera became incontinent due to age, Dolores was promoted to her personal companion. That is, since the day before the story begins in the book. Now, Dolores has been accused of Vera Donovan's murder. Vera was found half-tumbled down the stairs in her grand mansion, all broken and dead, and things look very much as if Dolores is guilty of the crime, with an eyewitness placing her right over the body, and a rolling pin nearby. The book is told in a monologue, as Dolores is taken into the police station and decides she must come clean about an old crime to prove her innocence in this recent death.

She goes all the way back to her teenage years, when she met her husband in high school and their early courtship (she liked how smooth his forehead was—in retrospect, that was the only thing she found appealing about him...). She describes how, after they married and had a child, she came to work for Mrs. Donovan when she was pregnant with her daughter Selena. The crux of the action takes place on the 20th of July 1963, the day of a total solar eclipse, which is when she planned and executed the murder of her abusive alcoholic husband by luring him to fall into a disused old well. But that is only a small part of the overall story, which is her narrative about working for Vera Donovan, who was dedicated to being a bitch—“Sometimes being a bitch is all a woman's got to hold on to.” She also describes her husband Joe, what drove her to her decision to kill him, and how her employer and the eclipse all fit together into this puzzle.

Stephen King has always left a lasting impression on me as a writer. I may not have read a vast number of his titles, but I've been reading his works since I was a teenager, picking up a book here and there with gaps of many years in between. I haven't delved too deeply into the real horror genre. I read Carrie as a teenager, but otherwise, I've tended to prefer his psychological dramas, which I think everyone will agree is his great strength in all his books. However, he introduced a terribly intriguing element in this story that was mentioned a couple of times and then left hanging with no follow-up at all. Dolores has a clear vision of a girl who has suffered abuse and is certain the girl exists in real life somewhere. But the subject is dropped and never mentioned again. It makes me wonder. Is this meant to be just a strange recurring interlude, a sideshow? Is this something he does often? Was it simply a flaw in this one book? Or is it an idea he meant to develop further in a follow-up to Dolores Claiborne that didn't make it past the first draft? I mention it here because that is the one thing that keeps this book from being a five-star experience for me. The lack of development felt like something that had been forgotten and left unfinished more than anything else, while in every other way, the novel is a memorable experience and touches on subjects that I am very much attuned to and have personal experience with. Such as the lengths a mother will go to in order to protect her children from a bad father. About the estrangement that sometimes follows. About various forms of abuse. About ghosts, which are basically projections of our worst fears that we somehow manage to give "real" dimension to, mostly from sheer terror that must become concentrated bundles of energy, perhaps because projected from our broken psyches.

Stephen King understands so much about human beings. He writes about people in Maine and their way of life almost exclusively, yet his stories are somehow universal. He writes with emotional intelligence, and when he gets a good story going, even if it's coming from a single voice sitting in a police station delivering one practically uninterrupted monologue, you can't do anything but pay attention and stay awake, missing out on sleep if necessary, just so you can reach the end. Because how are you going to possibly put this book down and catch any z's if you keep wondering what happens next?!

The audiobook version was excellent. The narrator is very convincing as Dolores. It's almost five stars. Just a hair short. Just that unfinished business. It'll keep niggling at me. If anyone has any ideas about it, please PM me.

“Sometimes being a bitch is all a woman's got to hold on to.” This powerful statement sets the tone for the complex and captivating character of Dolores Claiborne. One of King's greatest talents lies in his remarkable ability to bring characters to life on the page. In this case, Dolores is not your typical heroine. She's an average woman with an ordinary life, but she rises above by showing extraordinary strength in the face of life's brutal challenges.

It's easy to empathize with Dolores as she endures the consequences of marrying the wrong man at a young age. Her story is believable and relatable, as she works hard and puts up with the hardships thrown her way. Despite her flaws, such as being crass and bitter, she is also bold, courageous, and intelligent. King's writing of drama is on full display here, as he delves into the heart and hope of a woman who has been pulled under by life's circumstances.

The book is a little strange, as most of it is in dialogue, and the island dialect can be a bit challenging at times. However, once you get into the story, it flows smoothly, and you become completely engrossed in Dolores' tale. While there may be some slow moments in the storyline, they are hardly noticeable, as the pacing is excellent. Overall, this is one of King's greatest works, and I highly recommend it to fans of any kind of fiction.

Why four stars instead of five?

While I try to judge a book on its own merits, I couldn't help but compare it to the movie. The movie is a favorite of mine, and some of the plot changes added to the story in a magical way. I found myself missing those touches in the written version. However, both the book and the movie convey the same powerful themes of friendship and a mother's love.

Maravillosa novela sobre cómo sobrevivir, seguir adelante y superarse por los hijos.

It is a truly wonderful novel that explores the themes of survival, perseverance, and self-improvement through the eyes of the children.

The story is filled with heart-pounding moments and emotional depth, all masterfully crafted by the great Stephen King.

His writing style is engaging and captivating, drawing the reader in from the very first page and keeping them on the edge of their seat until the very end.

I have been completely enchanted by this novel and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a thrilling and thought-provoking read.

It is a testament to King's talent as a writer and his ability to create characters and stories that resonate with readers on a deep level.

Whether you are a fan of horror, drama, or simply a good story, this novel is sure to satisfy.

So, pick up a copy today and prepare to be taken on an unforgettable journey.

Sometimes you have to be a high riding bitch to survive. Sometimes, being a bitch is all a woman has to hang on to.

Dolores Claiborne, suspected of being involved in the death of her rich employer, Vera Donovan, tells the story of her life to the police. It's a tale that spans from the disintegration of her marriage and the suspicious death of her husband to her complex relationship with Vera.

This book is truly unique. It's presented as a continuous monologue by Dolores, detailing the events leading up to her husband's death years ago and the more recent passing of Vera. There are no chapters, no breaks, just her unfiltered narration. Amazingly, I never once felt like I was reading King's writing. Instead, it was as if I was reading Dolores' own confession. King's ability to inhabit the mind of a middle-aged woman so perfectly is astonishing. Her voice is strong and entirely believable. Kudos to King.

Dolores had me laughing out loud with her stories about Vera's bowel movements, and she also made me tear up. I found myself cheering her on every step of the way. She's a kick-ass character, a strong female and one of King's best. She beautifully showcases the power of a mother's love, even though it may raise moral questions about how far we should go to protect those we love. It took me a while to warm up to Vera, but I ended up loving her too. It's great to read about two women who, despite their issues, had each other's backs.

While this book has its fair share of funny moments and hilarious quotes from Dolores, it also delves into dark themes like domestic violence, alcoholism, and sexual abuse. It's not a horror book, but certain parts left me on edge. I liked the unique narration, but I wasn't a fan of the lack of chapters or section breaks. That's just a personal preference, though. Some people on Instagram said they preferred it as it helped them breeze through the book. It just wasn't for me.

I almost tried to find things I didn't like about this book because I've been on a great streak of awesome reads lately and sometimes I feel self-conscious about giving so many books a high rating in a row. But who cares? I loved it, and that's that! I'm not going to apologize for choosing such great reads (or in this case, for Abbie choosing a great read for me). Five stars!