Stephen King Fans discussion

Please discuss Gerald's Game here. Mark all spoilers for those reading alone so they can enjoy the discussion thread. Thanks!

Not really sure how i feel about Gerald's Game. I'm just a little over half way through. The only reason I'm still reading is just to see how it ends. Some of plot is disgusting.

I’ve seen mixed reviews on this. Never read it. Will start it soon.

I actually really like this book. It's a companion to Dolores Claiborne. I find his use of the eclipse to tie them together clever. They are also about two women finding their own inner strength. That's a pretty frequent theme with him, but because this takes place over just a few short days, that seem forever long to Jessie, I found it a quick read.

I enjoyed Gerald's Game. I had to buy it right away after I read Delores Claiborne and learned the two were connected.

This is one of my favorite King novels. It is just so different than all his others.

I'm happy to see the mostly positive feedback for Gerald's Game. This is my 2nd time reading it, and it is still one of my favorites(not including the DT series). There is a certain "realness" that doesn't exist in his other books.

I liked this book a lot... one of my favorite King reads. I'm still polishing off Needful Things, and starting Lovecraft Country, so I may not make it this time through. But I've read it twice and enjoyed it both times. Also agree with Kandice on King's theme of women finding their inner strength (as in Rose Madder and Dolores Claiborne.)

First, I am so bummed that I just found out about this group. However, excited to jump in on GG. Read the book once, listened to the audio (which is good) and I've seen the show. However, I am reading it again. The idea is what Jessie deals with haunts me.

Amy wrote: "First, I am so bummed that I just found out about this group. However, excited to jump in on GG. Read the book once, listened to the audio (which is good) and I've seen the show. However, I am read..."


Welcome Amy, glad you're here. Right quite an ordeal for Jesse, but it showed how strong she really is.

She has such a strong will to live. I don't know if my own will to live would be as strong if faced with a similar situation....

Derrick wrote: "She has such a strong will to live. I don't know if my own will to live would be as strong if faced with a similar situation...."

I am also unsure. I just don't know that I could do that to myself. I think I can handle an extraordinary amount of pain, just not self-inflicted.

What I love about GG, and SK in all of his writing, is the visceral experiences. For example, tbe door banging because it wasn't latched. Not a big deal until you think about that banging sound over and over and then stopping and starting over. You go mad just thinking about it...

Zenda wrote: "This is one of my favorite King novels. It is just so different than all his others."

Yes, it is pretty different compared to his other works. The movie, on Netflix, is also a pretty faithful adaptation to the book.

Erin wrote: "Yes, it is pretty different compared to his other works. The movie, on Netflix, is also a pretty faithful adaptation to the book."

I think the adaptation was excellent. I think Carla Gugino did an excellent job. So much of this book is Jessie learning what she is wiling to do to survive and coming to terms with that and her past. Because so much of the conflict and tension involves her only, the actress had to be on point with her delivery and she delivered.

I'm thinking I have to talk my wife into this one. She basically refuses to watch horror, though we did share Haven and the Mr. Mercedes shows. Both great.

I am also a big fan of the Netflix adaptation. Gugino is fantastic and I think the changes they made were really smart. They took a mostly internal book and made it visual.

Agreed about the Netflix movie. A great adaptation, which is refreshing since some of the movies/shows based on King's work isn't always spot on.

**contains spoilers***
I just finished. This is my 3rd time and I find that the whole Joubert piece does nothing for me. I don't understand why facing him at the end is such a relief. Is it because she connected him to her Dad?

I do like the book and just the whole idea of being trapped like that freaks me out. The use of the different voices is a a great.

I believe the confrontation of Joubert is important as it shows how much stronger Jessie has become after her ordeal. She is now able to confront the things that scare her. The story was never really about whether or not Jessie can remove herself from the metal chains. It's about her facing her demons, discovering inner-strength she never thought she had, and staring into the eclipse.

Sorry forgot to add contains spoilers. I don’t know how to add it. My apologies.

Kellie wrote: "I believe the confrontation of Joubert is important as it shows how much stronger Jessie has become after her ordeal. She is now able to confront the things that scare her. The story was never real..."

I absolutely agree with you, and yet, Joubert is still my least favorite King villain.

Kellie wrote: "Sorry forgot to add contains spoilers. I don’t know how to add it. My apologies."

Kellie:

It's almost impossible to write an instruction about this because showing the notation for spoilers turns it into a "hide spoilers" message. So this goofy comments box won't let me show you, but...


You can klick that note above the comments box that says (some html is ok). there's a pulldown menu there. copy and paste the notation about spoilers and put the spoiler between the two <> notations.

@Kellie The spoiler html doesn't work on the mobile app. If you are using the app, I would recommend just putting a spoiler notice before your post. Unfortunately, you can't go back and edit posts on the app either, so if that's the case, just chalk it up to lesson learned. :)

I access the desktop site of Goodreads from my phone if I need to do something the app can't/won't do....

Yes I tried to edit after but it wouldn’t let me as I am using the app. I had thought I typed **spoilers below** and found once it was posted, it was not there. So in my panic all I could think to do was apologise. Lesson learned. Thanks everyone for your understanding.

Hey, Kellie, No problem. We've all been there.

spoiler: (view spoiler)[
Watched the movie today. I forgot how they did the voices and that was GREAT. Carla Gugino and Bruce Greenwood were amazing. I also have to say that I appreciated Joubert ending more in the movie. I think what bothered me (and this is so trivial, I know) but it was the fact that she spits on him. It harkens back to when Gerald drops saliva on her stomach which reminds her of the "spunk". I feel like she stoops to that level by spitting. Tedious, I know! .. (hide spoiler)]

My review for Gerald's Game has been posted. I don't know how to link it here, but it's there if anyone is interested.

Charles wrote: "My review for Gerald's Game has been posted. I don't know how to link it here, but it's there if anyone is interested."

Here's the link to your review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

When you are looking at a review, bottom left, click "see review" then copy the web address and paste into a post.

I dont see that on the app, is it only available on a compter? Thank you for posting it for me!

Charles wrote: "I dont see that on the app, is it only available on a compter? Thank you for posting it for me!"

I'm not sure. I tried to use the app a very long time ago, hated it, and haven't tried since! No problem.

getting excited for Nov 1st and Delores Claiborne!

Me too. Just bought the audio and the e-book, to go with the paperback I already read. BTW: According to some reviewers, this is one of the best movies ever made from a Stephen King novel.

Nick wrote: "Me too. Just bought the audio and the e-book, to go with the paperback I already read. BTW: According to some reviewers, this is one of the best movies ever made from a Stephen King novel."

It's certainly up there. There's nothing supernatural about it, which makes the adaptation easier, but then it's made harder by the fact that it's basically Jesse in a room alone, and almost everything that happens is internal. I think the director/screen writer did a phenomenal job adapting it keeping those issues in mind.

Gerald’s Game is my favorite Stephen King novel! For me, the ending of a book is very importand and I really liked the ending of this one. I gave it to my bf and his opinion was that the action developed too slowly, but the ending was satisfying. Overall, I think Gerald’s Game shares a lot of similarities with the rest of King’s books, but also has its uniqueness. I didn’t know it was related to another novel. I will make sure to add it to my TBR.

Dolores Claiborne is the next book on our reading list. So, please join in. It's quite a book, too though I'll admit I do prefer Gerald's Game.

Took me wayyy too long to finish Gerald's Game. I was mostly bored for 2/3rds of the book. I didn't exactly enjoy the constant inner dialogue she was having with herself and her personalities, nor did I enjoy reading about the (view spoiler)[incestual stuff with her father, being the father of two girls myself. (hide spoiler)].

My interest piqued a little bit with (view spoiler)[the mysterious character in the room and King did a great job balancing on whether it was it real or was she imagining it (hide spoiler)]. Then he ties it all back in during the last 1/4 of the book.

I enjoyed how the style of writing changed entirely towards the end of the book as well, it certainly felt like King wrote the whole first part, stopped for a while, then came back and finished it. But it worked and kept me riveted. It took me 3 weeks to read the first 250 or so pages then I slammed the last 100 pages in one day to finish. So, another slow burn by King in my view and the pay off made it worth it.

Now I'm off to go watch the movie on Netflix.

Mark wrote: "Took me wayyy too long to finish Gerald's Game. I was mostly bored for 2/3rds of the book. I didn't exactly enjoy the constant inner dialogue she was having with herself and her personalities, nor ..."

I hope you like the movie. Reading your thoughts on the book, I think you may enjoy it even more than the book itself.

Hi fellow King readers,

Due to heavy work deadlines, I have found myself grossly behind in my monthly King reread schedule. I am planning to do my best to get caught up by the end of December or mid-January. At least that is the plan.

Here is the link to my review of "Gerald's Game" if anyone is interested at looking at it:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

To great reading and best wishes in a wonderful holiday season to all!

Scott.

Great review Scott. It's been a long time since I read the book, and I didn't do this re-read. For some reason, I didn't feel the same revulsion that you did even though I certainly recognized how truly gross some of these scenes were. But I do feel that the villain that King came up with, was one of his biggest monsters.

I agree with you about the villain. That was one strange dude. I kept thinking about how did this man get so extreme in his behavior. But maybe I am better off not knowing the details that made him who he was.

And to be completely honest, as revolting as some of those scenes were, it didn't stop me from reading them. Like the roadside accident, I couldn't help but looking. King certainly does that to me. I am not going to look... I am not going to look... And yet I do. That is the power of a strong writer who can demand our attention and make us participate.

To great reading!