Lisey's Story
Encyclopedia
Lisey's Story is a novel
by Stephen King
combining the elements of psychological horror
and romance. It was released on October 24, 2006, and was nominated for the World Fantasy Award in 2007.
It has been two years since her husband's death, and Lisey is in the process of cleaning out her dead husband's writing area. A series of events occurs that causes Lisey to begin facing certain realities about her husband that she had repressed and forgotten. As Lisey is stalked, terrorized, and then mutilated by an insane fan of her husband's, Lisey begins recalling her husband's past—how he came from a family with a history of horrible mental illness that manifested as either an uncontrollable homicidal mania or as a deep catatonia, how he had a special gift, an ability to transport himself to another world, called by Scott Landon "Boo'ya Moon," how Scott Landon's brother was murdered by his father when his brother manifested an incurable insanity, and finally how Scott Landon murdered his father to save his father from the madness that had finally taken him over.
As the novel progresses we see the complexity of Lisey's marriage to Scott, and their deep and abiding love for each other. The novel takes place over a very short period of time—a matter of days—but the real story is told in Lisey's remembrances of her husband, her ability to harness his special power to save herself (and her sister), and finally to find the gift that her dead husband had left for her in Boo'ya Moon—a story just for Lisey. Lisey's story.
, a fictional town created by King.
Derry Home, the hospital in Derry, and Arcadia Mental Health, the mental hospital in Derry, are both mentioned in Lisey's Story. Derry is a major landmark in several of King's works (including It
, Insomnia
, Dreamcatcher
and Bag of Bones
), and is in close proximity to the main location of Lisey's Story.
In the middle of Lisey's Story, Lisey mentions Tashmore Pond, where Charlie and Andy McGee hide out for a while, during the events of Firestarter.
Near the end of Lisey's Story, the reader discovers that Dooley was born in Shooter's Knob, Tennessee. In King's 1990 story "Secret Window, Secret Garden," Mort Rainey is confronted by a man named Shooter from Mississippi; he was named because of Mort's ex-wife's new lover - also from the South - who grew up in Shooter's Knob.
A poem written in college by Stephen King, quoted by Jack Torrance in Chapter 44 of The Shining ("The arguments against insanity fall through with a soft shurring sound, layer upon layer..."), is also recalled by Lisey Landon in this novel.
While driving to her sister Amanda's house, Lisey crosses Deep Cut Road, a major landmark in King's novel Dreamcatcher.
Lisey's sister Darla waives Lisey's offer of company on the drive back to see Amanda, saying that she has a Michael Noonan novel on audio cassette that she can listen to. Mike Noonan was the lead character of King's 1998 novel, Bag of Bones. Also, a man is mentioned wearing a Dark Score Lake souvenir shirt, Dark Score Lake being the setting of Bag of Bones.
Lisey compares her resurfacing memories to events happening "on some level of time's great tower," and also mentions "Gilead" (a location in the series) as a nearby town. The phrase "Bool! The end!" appears in Wizard and Glass. Lisey's license plate number for her BMW is 5761RD. The numbers in the plate add up to 19, and RD are the initials of Roland Deschain
.
An earlier version of the second chapter was published in McSweeney's Enchanted Chamber of Astonishing Stories in which Scott Landon states "Discordia rises", a reference to the Crimson King
's brand of evil. In the finished novel, however, the reference is absent.
When discussing treatment at a nearby hospital, the option of "Kingdom" is offered.
Lisey calls the police looking for Norris Ridgewick and instead gets Andy Clutterbuck. Both of these characters played supporting roles in Needful Things. This reference is curious, considering that Andy Clutterbuck, an alcoholic widower, is said to have died (by drowning) two years after the events of Needful Things. Needful Things takes place in the early 1990s.
When references to someone passing on are mentioned, one notable phrase is being "lit out for the Territories", the Territories being the magical parallel world in The Talisman.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
combining the elements of psychological horror
Psychological horror
Psychological horror is a subgenre of horror fiction that relies on character fears, guilt, beliefs, eerie sound effects, relevant music and emotional instability to build tension and further the plot...
and romance. It was released on October 24, 2006, and was nominated for the World Fantasy Award in 2007.
Plot
Lisey's Story is the story of Lisey Landon, who is the widow of a famous and wildly successful novelist, Scott Landon. The book tells two stories—Lisey's story in the present, and the story of her dead husband's life, as remembered by Lisey during the course of the novel.It has been two years since her husband's death, and Lisey is in the process of cleaning out her dead husband's writing area. A series of events occurs that causes Lisey to begin facing certain realities about her husband that she had repressed and forgotten. As Lisey is stalked, terrorized, and then mutilated by an insane fan of her husband's, Lisey begins recalling her husband's past—how he came from a family with a history of horrible mental illness that manifested as either an uncontrollable homicidal mania or as a deep catatonia, how he had a special gift, an ability to transport himself to another world, called by Scott Landon "Boo'ya Moon," how Scott Landon's brother was murdered by his father when his brother manifested an incurable insanity, and finally how Scott Landon murdered his father to save his father from the madness that had finally taken him over.
As the novel progresses we see the complexity of Lisey's marriage to Scott, and their deep and abiding love for each other. The novel takes place over a very short period of time—a matter of days—but the real story is told in Lisey's remembrances of her husband, her ability to harness his special power to save herself (and her sister), and finally to find the gift that her dead husband had left for her in Boo'ya Moon—a story just for Lisey. Lisey's story.
Connections to other works by King
Lisey's Story, like many of King's novels, takes place in Maine—in this case Castle RockCastle Rock (Stephen King)
Castle Rock, Maine is part of Stephen King’s fictional Maine topography and provides the setting for a number of his novels, novellas, and short stories...
, a fictional town created by King.
- Derry, MaineDerry (Stephen King)Derry, Maine is a fictional town and a part of Stephen King's fictional Maine topography, and, like Castle Rock, it has served as the setting for a number of his novels, novellas, and short stories. It first appeared in the short story "The Bird and the Album" and was expanded on in both It and...
:
Derry Home, the hospital in Derry, and Arcadia Mental Health, the mental hospital in Derry, are both mentioned in Lisey's Story. Derry is a major landmark in several of King's works (including It
It (novel)
It is a 1986 horror novel by American author Stephen King. The story follows the exploits of seven children as they are terrorized by the eponymous inter-dimensional predatory life-form that exploits the fears and phobias of its victims in order to disguise itself while hunting its prey. "It"...
, Insomnia
Insomnia (novel)
Insomnia is a novel written by Stephen King and first published in 1994. Like It and Dreamcatcher, its setting is the fictional town of Derry, Maine. The original hardcover edition was issued with dust jackets in two complementary designs...
, Dreamcatcher
Dreamcatcher (novel)
Dreamcatcher is a horror novel written by Stephen King. It was adapted into a 2003 movie of the same name. The book, written longhand, was the author's tool for recuperation from a 1999 car accident, and was completed in half a year...
and Bag of Bones
Bag of Bones
Bag of Bones is a 1998 novel by Stephen King. It focuses on an author who suffers severe writer's block and delusions at an isolated lake house four years after the death of his wife...
), and is in close proximity to the main location of Lisey's Story.
- FirestarterFirestarterFirestarter is a novel by Stephen King first published in 1980. It was nominated for a British Fantasy Award in 1981.The book is dedicated to the author Shirley Jackson: "In Memory of Shirley Jackson, who never needed to raise her voice."...
In the middle of Lisey's Story, Lisey mentions Tashmore Pond, where Charlie and Andy McGee hide out for a while, during the events of Firestarter.
- "Secret Window, Secret GardenSecret Window, Secret GardenSecret Window, Secret Garden is one of four novellas published in the Stephen King book Four Past Midnight in 1990. It is similar to King's earlier novel The Dark Half...
":
Near the end of Lisey's Story, the reader discovers that Dooley was born in Shooter's Knob, Tennessee. In King's 1990 story "Secret Window, Secret Garden," Mort Rainey is confronted by a man named Shooter from Mississippi; he was named because of Mort's ex-wife's new lover - also from the South - who grew up in Shooter's Knob.
- The ShiningThe Shining (novel)The Shining is a 1977 horror novel by American author Stephen King. The title was inspired by the John Lennon song "Instant Karma!", which contained the line "We all shine on…". It was King's third published novel, and first hardback bestseller, and the success of the book firmly established King...
:
A poem written in college by Stephen King, quoted by Jack Torrance in Chapter 44 of The Shining ("The arguments against insanity fall through with a soft shurring sound, layer upon layer..."), is also recalled by Lisey Landon in this novel.
- DreamcatcherDreamcatcher (novel)Dreamcatcher is a horror novel written by Stephen King. It was adapted into a 2003 movie of the same name. The book, written longhand, was the author's tool for recuperation from a 1999 car accident, and was completed in half a year...
:
While driving to her sister Amanda's house, Lisey crosses Deep Cut Road, a major landmark in King's novel Dreamcatcher.
- Bag of BonesBag of BonesBag of Bones is a 1998 novel by Stephen King. It focuses on an author who suffers severe writer's block and delusions at an isolated lake house four years after the death of his wife...
:
Lisey's sister Darla waives Lisey's offer of company on the drive back to see Amanda, saying that she has a Michael Noonan novel on audio cassette that she can listen to. Mike Noonan was the lead character of King's 1998 novel, Bag of Bones. Also, a man is mentioned wearing a Dark Score Lake souvenir shirt, Dark Score Lake being the setting of Bag of Bones.
- The Dark Tower seriesThe Dark Tower (series)The Dark Tower is a series of books written by American author Stephen King, which incorporates themes from multiple genres, including fantasy, science fantasy, horror and western. It describes a "Gunslinger" and his quest toward a tower, the nature of which is both physical and metaphorical. King...
:
Lisey compares her resurfacing memories to events happening "on some level of time's great tower," and also mentions "Gilead" (a location in the series) as a nearby town. The phrase "Bool! The end!" appears in Wizard and Glass. Lisey's license plate number for her BMW is 5761RD. The numbers in the plate add up to 19, and RD are the initials of Roland Deschain
Roland Deschain
Roland Deschain of Gilead is a fictional character, the protagonist and antihero of Stephen King's The Dark Tower series. He is the son of Steven and Gabrielle Deschain and is descended from a long line of "gunslingers", peacekeepers and diplomats of Roland's society...
.
An earlier version of the second chapter was published in McSweeney's Enchanted Chamber of Astonishing Stories in which Scott Landon states "Discordia rises", a reference to the Crimson King
Crimson King
The Crimson King, also commonly known as Los', is a fictional character created by Stephen King. He is the antagonist in the novel Insomnia the main villain due to a plot twist in Black House and one of the main villains in the latter half of Stephen King's Dark Tower series.-Fictional...
's brand of evil. In the finished novel, however, the reference is absent.
- Kingdom HospitalKingdom HospitalKingdom Hospital is a thirteen-episode television miniseries based on Lars von Trier's The Kingdom , which was developed by horror writer Stephen King in 2004 for American television...
:
When discussing treatment at a nearby hospital, the option of "Kingdom" is offered.
- Needful ThingsNeedful ThingsNeedful Things is a 1991 horror novel by American author Stephen King. According to the cover, it is "The Last Castle Rock Story." However, the town later served as the setting for the short story "It Grows on You," published in King's 1993 collection Nightmares and Dreamscapes which, according to...
:
Lisey calls the police looking for Norris Ridgewick and instead gets Andy Clutterbuck. Both of these characters played supporting roles in Needful Things. This reference is curious, considering that Andy Clutterbuck, an alcoholic widower, is said to have died (by drowning) two years after the events of Needful Things. Needful Things takes place in the early 1990s.
- The Talisman:
When references to someone passing on are mentioned, one notable phrase is being "lit out for the Territories", the Territories being the magical parallel world in The Talisman.
External links
- Simon & Schuster
- Lilja's Library Archive
- Book Tour, Scheduled Dates
- King's brush with death inspires a surprising new novel
- A King Book That Transcends Horror
- Publicity machine ramps up for King's 'Lisey's Story'
- New Stephen King novel on the horizon
- Guest Review of Lisey's Story by Nora Roberts
- Lisey's Story at Worlds Without End