Lisey's Story

Infobox Book
name = Lisey's Story


image_caption = First edition cover
author = Stephen King
cover_artist =
country = flagicon|USA USA
language = English
series =
genre = Fantasy, horror
publisher = Scribner
release_date = October 24, 2006
media_type = Print (Hardcover)
pages = 528
isbn = 978-0743289412
preceded_by = Cell
followed_by = Duma Key

"Lisey's Story" is a psychological horror novel by Stephen King. It was released on October 24, 2006.

Plot summary

Lisey (pronounced Lee-See) Landon is the widow of an award winning novelist, Scott Landon. In the middle of cleaning out Scott's study, Lisey realizes that there's a great deal about Scott's past (and the past they shared together) that she has blocked out--and with the introduction of a crazy man named Dooley, Lisey must figure out what she's hidden from herself (and what Scott has planned for her) if she's to remain alive. The story is deeply psychological in nature, capturing every essence of the psyche of Lisey as she engages on her quest.

Connections to other works by King

"Lisey's Story", like many of King's novels, takes place in Maine--in this case Castle Rock, a fictional town created by King.

*Derry, Maine: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".

*"Secret Window, Secret Garden":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 Shining":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.

*"Dreamcatcher":While driving to her sister Amanda's house, Lisey crosses Deep Cut Road, a major landmark in King's novel "Dreamcatcher".

*"Bag of Bones":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" series: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.

*"Kingdom Hospital":When discussing treatment at a nearby hospital, the option of "Kingdom" is offered.

*"Needful Things":Lisey calls the police looking for Norris Ridgewick and insteads 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.

Other Information

*King's use of the term 'gomer' is a reference to Samuel Shem's "The House of God". According to a character in "Lisey's Story", a gomer is a catatonic person; in "The House of God", a gomer is used to describe a very ill hospital patient who frustrates the staff by being "too old to die." 'Gomer' is an acronym for Get Out of My Emergency Room.
*A short excerpt from the first chapter, in King's own "handwriting" (actually just a different type font), was included in his previous novel, "Cell".
*King often references musicians and bands in his writing; in Lisey's Story, the pool is widened after his discovery of younger bands (which he has written about in his Entertainment Weekly article, The Pop of King). Here, Bright Eyes and My Chemical Romance are referenced--with Bright Eyes being alluded to as a band preferred by people who take themselves too seriously.

External links

* [http://www.simonsays.com/content/book.cfm?tab=1&pid=521547 Simon & Schuster]
* [http://www.liljas-library.com/section.php?id=4 Lilja's Library Archive]
* [http://stephenking.com/pages/news/liseys_story_book_tour/ Book Tour, Scheduled Dates]
* [http://www.bookpage.com/0610bp/stephen_king.html King's brush with death inspires a surprising new novel]
* [http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/10/05/features/king.php A King Book That Transcends Horror]
* [http://www.abc.net.au/news/arts/articulate/200609/s1742724.htm Publicity machine ramps up for King's 'Lisey's Story']
* [http://washingtontimes.com/upi/20061004-110205-7717.htm New Stephen King novel on the horizon]
* [http://www.amazon.com/dp/0743289412 Guest Review of Lisey's Story by Nora Roberts]