NOVEL: Rose Madder
AUTHOR: Stephen King
YEAR OF PUBLICATION: 1995
REVIEW:
You have to leave an abusive lover no matter the cost.
In Stephen King’s “Rose Madder,” the character of Rose McClendon Daniels does just that, fleeing the brutality of her sadistic police detective husband, Norman, after 14 years of a miserable marriage.
For a while, Rose is like a carefree kite flown off a snapped string. She finds a new identity, a new career, a new life.
But Rose left a trail, a mistake that Norman meticulously exploits in his determined pursuit to get her back.
“Rose Madder” is cruel and heart-breaking, a tale not intended for the weak of stomach.
And while the story should be avoided as a causal bed-time read, it offers some serious reflection on a pervasive social ill and gives the reader a chance to root for a woman who deserves a hell of a lot better.
RATING (one to five whistles, with five being the best): Three Whistles
ALSO ON OUR BOOKSHELVES:
Bonjour Tristesse, Francoise Sagan
The Dancer of Izu, Kawabata Yasunari
***
Art Courtesy of Michele Paccione / Shutterstock.com
