by Jill Owens, November 22, 2006 4:54 PM
My first Stephen King book was my also first “adult” book ? It, clocking in at over a thousand pages. I read It the way many of King’s young readers do ? under the covers at night with a flashlight, way past my bedtime. Of course, the book scared me to death. But over the years, it has become apparent that frightening readers, though indisputably one of his strengths, is certainly not the only tool in King’s arsenal. His 2000 memoir On Writing is a classic of the genre, filled with pragmatic advice, colorful examples, and a genuine love of language. Novellas such as Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption and short stories like “The Last Rung on the Ladder” have proven that sometimes King’s strongest work isn’t overt horror at all, that he is just as adept at chronicling the universal themes of love, family, and the human condition.Lisey’s Story is a hybrid of the most effective traits of both: while the novel has supernatural elements and truly horrific moments, this deeply involving love story includes some of King’s best prose yet. Lisey is the widow of Scott Landon, a bestselling and award-winning author. Two years after his death, she is beginning the lonely work of going through his unpublished papers. Alternating Lisey’s memories of her life with Scott and some disturbing goings-on in the present, including a mentally troubled sister and a deranged fan after Scott’s legacy, Lisey’s Story is an intimate, playful, and deeply moving tribute to marriage and the art of writing. Kirkus Reviews calls the novel “one of King’s finest works,” and Washington Post Book World applauds, “With Lisey’s Story, King has crashed the exclusive party of literary fiction, and he’ll be no easier to ignore than Carrie at the prom.”
My first Stephen King book was my also first “adult” book ? It, clocking in at over a thousand pages. I read It the way many of King’s young readers do ? under the covers at night with a flashlight, way past my bedtime. Of course, the book scared me to death. But over the years, it has become apparent that frightening readers, though indisputably one of his strengths, is certainly not the only tool in King’s arsenal. His 2000 memoir On Writing is a classic of the genre, filled with pragmatic advice, colorful examples, and a genuine love of language. Novellas such as Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption and short stories like “The Last Rung on the Ladder” have proven that sometimes King’s strongest work isn’t overt horror at all, that he is just as adept at chronicling the universal themes of love, family, and the human condition.Lisey’s Story is a hybrid of the most effective traits of both: while the novel has supernatural elements and truly horrific moments, this deeply involving love story includes some of King’s best prose yet. Lisey is the widow of Scott Landon, a bestselling and award-winning author. Two years after his death, she is beginning the lonely work of going through his unpublished papers. Alternating Lisey’s memories of her life with Scott and some disturbing goings-on in the present, including a mentally troubled sister and a deranged fan after Scott’s legacy, Lisey’s Story is an intimate, playful, and deeply moving tribute to marriage and the art of writing. Kirkus Reviews calls the novel “one of King’s finest works,” and Washington Post Book World applauds, “With Lisey’s Story, King has crashed the exclusive party of literary fiction, and he’ll be no easier to ignore than Carrie at the prom.”
– See more at: http://www.powells.com/post/interviews/the-once-and-future-stephen-king#sthash.GzrNfVbR.dpuf