Duma Key: A Novel by Stephen King Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of Duma Key: A Novel
Book Review: "The sea has no memory"
Summary: 5 Stars
Stephen King's latest novel, "Duma Key", is first and foremost a character study. You must understand that "Duma Key" is somewhat of a departure from his typified genre work; in one sense, it is a continuation of the psychological terrain he explored in "Lisey's Story" and in another sense it is the story of his own recovery after the accident in 1999. Edgar Freemantle, Duma Key's protagonist, was severely injured in a crane accident at a job site. His marriage ends as a result and he relocates from Minnesota to the Florida keys to heal, both physically and mentally. It is on Duma Key that Edgar begins to develop a long-dormant talent - he is a gifted artist.
Duma's sandy beach and mesmerizing view of the Gulf - and, most importantly, it's burning sunsets - are the backdrop for the majority of the novel. Edgar realizes at some point that the sea (the "caldo largo" as his friend Wireman calls it) has no memory, and that is why someone in his position loves it so much. He can gaze at the "wine-dark waters" (echoes of Homer, and not the only one to be found in "Duma Key") and construct his new life around his rather scattered old memories. As Stephen King writes it, the process of healing is both rehabilitative and also nostalgic. As Edgar's feeling better, he's distancing himself from the reality of his old life.
The first three quarters of "Duma Key" play out, in an easy-to-read and compellingly conversational point of view, Edgar's struggle to rebalance his life. There is not much external action or gross-out horror, but some of Stephen King's most unsettling writing reveals itself as the war raging inside Edgar's head: why can't he remember certain things, why is he uncontrollably angry sometimes, why does Duma Key seem to have a kind of power over him? Supernatural forces show up with a vengeance in the last quarter of the novel, but these can be taken literally and figuratively. The true "horror" of "Duma Key" - and ultimately it's devastating power - comes from the conflict inside a convalescing mind. "Duma Key" is riveting, clearly and concisely written, and will drive you forward to the very end, when all you can remember is that 'caldo' and its wine-dark waters.
Book Review: ... and that's why King is King
Summary: 5 Stars
There is no way to tell you about the story without ruining it, something I wouldn't dare do even if they came to my doorstep with a tray loaded with cheese fries smothered in bacon. Mr. King's latest, Duma Key, is something that I think needs to be experienced with as little knowledge going into it as possible. The book runs about 600 pages give or take and for about the first 300, I read it very slowly. Why, you ask? Think about how you savor a dish that you don't want to end. That's exactly what I was feeling as I read this book. The combination of anticipation and dread as I read on was a feeling I haven't experienced too many times before. The book is frightening indeed and clearly serves to show that the man has not lost his touch, especially when it comes to giving you a clear idea of exactly what it is that lurks in the shadows of your worst nightmares. I didn't want the book to end but at the same time, I absolutely could not wait to see how things would turn out. I love the slow build up and how King just feeds you tiny bits of info here and there, akin to a hand that appears from time to time to lead you out of a dark cave, only to suddenly disappear and leave you fumbling again for awhile before leading you again. I'm sure anyone familiar with King and the accident that nearly claimed his life years ago will sense how personal this story is. There are a lot of things going on underneath the story itself and I'm sure that for King to successfully paint the picture of Edgar Freemantle, the story's protagonist, he didn't have to dig too deep. That's another thing worth mentioning, the characters in this story are wonderfully realized, enough so that I was almost brought to tears on several occasions.
I'll leave off here but not before saying that this is one of King's best books and an absolute must read, especially if you appreciate the man like I do. And read it cold before someone ruins it for you.
Book Review: ...agrees with him!
Summary: 5 Stars
Apparently, a winter home in Florida agrees with Stephen King. Though I'm still in the midst of his latest book, Duma Key, it's a great story that's difficult to put down!Book Review: 150 pages too long - that's what Wireman says
Summary: 3 Stars
What I liked (spoilers, beware):
-The initial pages detailing the accident painted a very interesting character in Edgar Fremantle, and the marriage breakdown was likewise dramatic.
-The scene where the two little girls appeared in Edgar's house and spoke in the 'voice of the shells' was genuinely frightening.
-For a while, Edgar's supernatural abilities really held my interest, but then this was overdone, as the plot hinged so heavily on the paintings and that aspect of things was milked for more than it probably should have been. I mean, towards the end there, hurriedly sketching pictures while they were chasing down Perse ...? Come on.
-Edgar's wife Pam was one of the better characters King's done of late, even though she was pretty much in the background for most of it.
-Those "how to paint a picture" interjections were a really nice touch, a way to weave the haunting backstory into the current picture. Elizabeth's story, and what happened to her sisters, was a real highlight ... sad, scary and haunting.
-King's dialogue may have slipped pretty badly (and his pacing) but he's a better descriptive writer than ever.
What bothered me:
-the habit of echoing little phrases throughout - "It was RED", "that's what Wireman says" and the like - are really starting to grate. Like another reviewer pointed out, by a couple of hundred pages it's like inventing new cliches.
-I'm aware Mr King isn't a fan of George Bush, but I don't come to a horror novel to debate politics - please leave that to the blogging political pundits, where we can go and find it if we want it. It appears disrespectful to a reader to intrusively throw your political beliefs at them - we aren't here to be programmed or manipulated to a certain opinion, I come to fiction, especially speculative fiction, to escape.
-The character Ilse spoke like a 10 year old and acted like a bimbo on some kind of happy-drug. Her dialogue, like Wireman's, was quite forced and artificial. Wireman didn't entirely convince me.
-The whole thing was just too long, dragging out the art-gallery plot line and then lumping all the horror in at the end.
A better effort than most of the past decade's SK novels, but this book has proven to me at long last that the lean, hungry Stephen King who wrote The Shining, Pet Semetary and so on, is never going to write another book. While better than the smucking abomination that was Lisey's Story, Duma just doesn't hold a candle to King's early stuff.
Book Review: 2/3 of the way to being a fine novel
Summary: 3 Stars
Being a fan of King's early novels (The Shining, The Stand, The Dead Zone) through the Green Mile (which I read in serial form), I enjoy his writing. The first 2/3 of this book are a demonstration of everything that is right about King's writing. He writes with the now familiar modern references (to music, culture, etc), interesting and well-developed characters and solid pacing. However, at about this point in the book, when things need to begin to tie together, it (he?) loses me altogether. The plot, the writing, the "horror" and the characters all take a nose-dive. I won't go into a lot of details and include spoilers. Suffice to say that the supernatural and ghostly villains just don't "fit" after the excellent development of Edgar, Wireman, Jack et al and their relationships with Duma Key and each other. A tremendous disappointment with what could have and should have been a fine novel.