Duma Key: A Novel
by Stephen King
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Book Reviews of Duma Key: A Novel
Book Review: Every Picture Tells A Story
Summary: 4 Stars
The Florida Keys seems an odd setting for a Stephen King horror-fest. Yet he settles the reader right down amongst the high grasses, conch shells, and old money estates, makes us feel comfy even with the muggy heat, then in typical King fashion, begins slowly to unnerve us. The difference here is in the climax, which for SK is a bit dampened, although to the readers benefit. Lately, perhaps in his post-accident fiction, he's toned the gore down a bit, letting his raw narrative talent seep through. Yes there still are those scary bits, like visions of long missing teenage twins, and a lot of death, but you won't find any tsunamis, earthquakes or conflagration here (OK, maybe a hurricane).
I guess since the plot involves a novice artist who begins to paint bizarre seascapes after a horrendous accident robs him of his arm, we can logically assume that this book is really about divorce, right! Well after the accident, the character does wind up divorcing his wife of many years, and King has said that if Lisey's Story: A Novel was his "Marriage" book, then this is his "Divorce" book. You may read the story on one level as an analogy of a divorce. The protagonist suffers a loss, retreats, reawakens some long buried talents, and in so doing purges and cleanses old wounds, but not without some mishaps along the way.
The main characters in Duma Key jump off the page with King's use of idiom in the dialogs. Though he's curtailed that too, not as many cutesy phrases in this novel, or at least he's limited them to one or two principles. Having said that, many of the supporting characters are wooden and stereotypical. His lawyer, a large African-American man, draws attention with "a voice like James Earl Jones". Elizabeth an octogenarian in a wheelchair looks like "the bride of the godfather". Still, these are minor flaws. Duma Key is a solid effort from an author that I thought had retired a number of years ago.
One larger critique would be the epic length, inappropriate for the not-so-epic story. The editor, Chuck Verrill could have cut it by 150 to 200 pages.
3.5 STARS
Supernatural silliness ruins what might have been a decent, if unremarkable, King novel
Summary: 3 Stars Duma Key is better than recent King efforts, but unfortunately, I'm not sure that that's good enough for me anymore. Based on recent efforts, Steven King is running out of new ideas. His last novel, Lisey's Story, felt like a retread of Rose Madder. Duma Key reminded me of Bag of Bones with shades of The Shining. It's been a long time since King wrote anything that felt very original.
Too many of his novels get off to a promising start, get bogged down in the middle (his novels are almost always 200 pages longer than necessary) and then have disappointing, often silly, endings. Duma Key starts off relatively well (although mostly unremarkable). King's strong suit has always been character development and dialogue. The central characters in this novel are well defined, interesting, and likeable and the dialogue is sharp, entertaining, and authentic sounding.
The novel's conclusion though is silly. I would have much preferred King maintain the tone of the first part of the novel. Inevitably Duma Key becomes another of those stories where an otherworldly creature must be destroyed (or at least contained - presumably so it can come back in a sequel). According to the rules of horror fiction, every monster created must have an Achilles Heel. It may be a stake through the heart, a silver bullet, a sacred dagger driven into the Book of the Dead, the chanting of an ancient curse, or the destruction of whatever inanimate object harbors its evil soul - but there is always some way to kill any monster plaguing the world. Suffice it to say, eventually our heroes discover how to destroy (or at least contain) the supernatural entity that is causing havoc on Duma Key and beyond.
The best I can say about this novel is that it is better than Lisey's Story, The Cell, and From a Buick 8, but frankly that isn't saying much. I enjoyed the first part of the novel. I liked the characters. I liked that the supernatural elements were being revealed gradually and kept mysterious. But then, the novel falls off the rails . The supernatural elements become so ridiculous that any suspense that had been built is lost. While Duma Key isn't the worst Steven King novel I've read (not even close), I'm growing weary with disappointment. I'm not sure if I'll read his next novel or not.
Book Review: Doo Maa Key
Summary: 5 Stars
Love it. From start to finish. I'm not sure why some say that it was boring or others that it was typical of Stephen King.
There was nothing typical about this book at all. In fact it is one of his best and ranks up there with Bag of Bones. Stephen again manages to tell a story like no other in brilliant dialog. Stephen writes and paints a picture with dialog and adds detail only when needed and anyone who has ever read Earnest Hemingway can appreciate this. This is what I enjoy about him, my imagination is free to create the environment based on hints that he gives along the way. I guess that's why I enjoy Stuart Woods so much too.
Edward Freemantle, a successfull building contractor was nearly killed in a work related accident. After suffering the loss of a limb and a difficult recovery he ends up divorced from his wife and left rich but full of anger. On advice from his doctor, Kamen, he decides to move somewhere peaceful so that he can get some rest and learn to cope with his periodic fits of rage. Welcome to Duma Key. Once Edgar arrives, he learns that he enjoys it and begins randomly paiting(but is it really random?) images that call to him. Eventually these paintings begin inducing otherworldly effects some of which are in proportions that he'll later regret. During his stay at Duma Key he makes friends Wireman who cares for an eldery woman name Eliabeth (aka Libbet) Eastlake who has a secret devastating past with Duma Key. Obsessed with her little china figures that's the last she can hold on to as alzheimers has begun its course with her. With periodic times of clarity she warns Edgar of his new found talent on Duma Key's effect on it.
Edgar and Wireman become good friends and together they begin to unravel the mystery of Duma Key. Edgar soon discovers the mysterious bond linking himself and Miss Eastlake together and how to finally end the curse that enshrowds Duma Key.
While I didn't find Duma Key scary I did find it difficult to put down and I'll never look at my grandfathers lawn jockey the same way ever again. I found Duma Key very easy to read inspite of its size, however its ending...well you decide.
- Dan.
Book Review: No apologies
Summary: 2 Stars
I had great hope for this novel through the first 1/3-2/3. It seemed to me that SK finally regained some of his old steps. Keeping in mind that this is the same man who weaved 7 children and a clown so expertly into my imagination, as well as Roland and his band of gunslingers, not to mention countless characters from the Stand and The Talisman...when compared to his earlier works, Duma Key just falls short.
I'm a long time fan and I feel as though SK has lost his voice. Why do so many of his characters now repeat so many of their annoying sayings over and over, becoming cliche over the course a few hundred pages...Maybe Si, Maybe no? And is it just me or is SK's dialogue work getting worse? I re-read It recently, and never once did I think "that seemed forced", but with almost all of his recent novels, I have this thought often.
It seems as though the real horror elements of this novel were tacked on at the end. He has gotten into this habit in the last few years, almost as if he is afraid of making the horror a central element. I always enjoyed the way he would let you get to know a character so intimately, and how this would make their struggle with the supernatural so much more real. In this novel, the evil entity is in no way related to the main character....he could actually just leave Duma Key and save everyone he loves a lot of pain. I can't remember an SK novel before this where a main character could exit stage left so easily. He's not stuck in a hotel in the middle of nowhere, or kidnapped and broken in some crazy fan's house, or possessed by a demonic car, or facing the end of the world, or even just trapped in a car by a vicious dog.
I wanted to give a review from a long time fan who is not afraid to admit that he thinks SK has lost a step or two, or that maybe the well is running dry. That thought makes me incredibly sad, and I hate myself for even typing it, but I think if you're a fan of his early work and you're looking to try some of his newer stuff, I really don't think this is for you. I was fooled by many people calling this vintage King, which it most certainly is not.
I agree with the 3 star review. If you can stop after the exhibition, by all means, do so.
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.