2025 & 2026 Reading Challenge discussion

This thread is to discuss Insomnia by Stephen King.

Pages: 902 pages

Length: 1 Month (September)

Participants: Bailey, Trisha, Alison, Chantal.

Everyone reads at their own pace during a Buddy Read. Because participants can be at different parts of the book at different times, it is extremely important to mark spoilers so that the book is not ruined for someone who is not as far along as others!!!

Mark spoilers by placing {spoiler} before the text and {/spoiler} after the text but use the < and > instead of the { and }.


Happy Buddy Reading!

Great thank you

Does anybody know when they are starting to read?

I will try to start this one ASAP, y'all! Unfortunately, my library doesn't have the audiobook version of this so my speed will be significantly reduced this month.

Can't wait for another awesome King read and discussion with everyone!!

I bought a big lot of second hand stephen king books a few weeks back. So I have it in my cabinet.

I'll post a quick update for everyone.

@Alison, I can't remember if you said this already but is your husband reading along with us this month?

Through chapter 1, part 2 (approx page 50 in my copy): (view spoiler)[ So Ralph's wife has died and his insomnia problems have begun. I loved the instant connection to DT with Deepenau being in the first few pages of the book. I also love that this is taking place in Derry and we've heard mentions of so many things from It (including Mike Hanlon). This may be controversial but I actually loved It (minus a few scenes, if you know you know). All of this in mind, I am really enjoying the book so far. Not much has happened but the connection to the other stories has already captured my attention. (hide spoiler)]

Question for my DT buddies: (view spoiler)[ Where in the timeline is this book taking place? It has to be before 6/7 I think, at the very least before the end of them, but I can't place where I think it should go. It was in Wolves that they had all the interactions with Deepenau, right? Or does anyone know what year Insomnia is taking place in?

Also, I'm super excited to see what knowledge Roland needs to gain from this book in order to complete his quest!! (hide spoiler)]

I have started last night with the few first pages

@Bailey…No, my husband isn’t “reading” with us (he read the book…or I should say re-read…earlier this year) but we always have discussions while I am reading 😀 I like to ask questions/bounce things off of him and he gives usually gives insights that I haven’t thought about! Then I pass them along…

I am finishing up 2 books and should start this by Tuesday/Wednesday! Whew…I have been reading Stephen King since last October and will end my year-long King Buddy Reads with this! Thank You to My Buddies for helping me enjoy them so much!! ❤️

edited: I am going to start this today :)

@Bailey

(view spoiler)[ It is that you said there were things connected with other books, I didnt notice yet. And I have no clue when it is taking place because of the not seeing the connection before. (hide spoiler)]

@Chantal

(view spoiler)[ No worries! Have you read It or any of The Dark Tower books before? Those are the books I have seen the connections to so it probably is not as apparent to someone who hasn't read those books!

Some of the connections without spoiling anything are:
1. Derry, this is the town that It took place in and is the same town that we are in for Insomnia.
1a. The Derry Public Library was a big part of It and has also been a sizable part of Insomnia (so far).
1b. Mike Hanlon, one of the main characters in It and has been mentioned a few times in Insomnia.

2. Ed Deepenau, a character in Insomnia and a pretty big character in the Dark Tower series towards the end.

3. Secondhand Rose, Secondhand Clothes, I'm pretty sure this store was mentioned in one of the Dark Tower books but I can't remember why or which one.

I'm sure there are lots more connections but I haven't read very far yet!
As for the time this story is taking place, I know it's sometime in the 90s I just haven't figured out which year specifically. (hide spoiler)]

I'm done with chapter 1, hoping to read some more today but we'll see!

P.S. I adopted a cat last week so my days have been filled with kitty cuddles and not much else. She gets mad at me when I pick up my book and ignore her! LOL

Yes I have read It but that was about 2 years back. I was never good in making connections with books LOL. It is funny, my bestfriend loves to read Stephen King aswell. She read more books then me. I asked her today if she noticed the connection and she was like ???. She never saw that one coming too.

Okay I might know when this book is taking place.

(view spoiler)[ In the beginning it was mentioned that Ralph was 70 years old (or around that age). While leaving the pharmacy he thinks back about the war in the summer of 1941 when he was just 18 years old. So that would make it around 1993. (hide spoiler)]

I have started reading this and am on Chapter 2 of Part 1...not very far but hoping to make some progress today :)
I haven't read "It" so don't know the specific connections with that book but recognize the town of Derry!
I read 11/22/63 and the main character spends some time in Derry and meets 2 characters from the novel "It" by the Kissing Bridge in Derry....lots of connections between all of King's novels!!
BTW, My husband is now rereading the book (yet again) with me so this is a great discussion in our house :):)

@Bailey (view spoiler)[ I think that Ed Deepneau (who is a chemist) is a relative, I think, to Aaron Deepneau (who is the lawyer and is a friend of Calvin Tower in the "Dark Tower") and Nancy Deepnau (who is Aaron Deepneau's great Niece (??)...these relationships always mess me up ;)) Anyway...Nancy is the one who gave Roland the copy of "Insomnia" in Book 7 of the Dark Tower. Roland didn't want to read it because he thought it was "thin' and a trick...
(hide spoiler)]

Chantal...you are right about when this book is taking place...I just read that part ;)

Alison wrote: "I have started reading this and am on Chapter 2 of Part 1...not very far but hoping to make some progress today :)
I haven't read "It" so don't know the specific connections with that book but reco..."

You are right! I was misremembering Aaron Deepneau's first name LOL.

Small update for up to chapter 3 part 5: (view spoiler)[ I'm getting pretty tired of the 'exposition' piece of this book. It feels like it's dragged on for quite some time and I'm ready to get into the heart of the matter. I was glad to see Helen forgive/thank Ralph for calling 911 for her. I so hope she doesn't go back to Ed but you never know with SK. (hide spoiler)]

I havent been reading much the last days, but there was another connection to IT in the book. It was Adrian Mellon. I dont know if he was also in the book IT, but he was in the movie of it chapter 2.

I do got a little irritated by stephen king. With his "political abortion subject talk" again. I just dont like to read political stuff.

Chantal wrote: "I havent been reading much the last days, but there was another connection to IT in the book. It was Adrian Mellon. I dont know if he was also in the book IT, but he was in the movie of it chapter ..."

Yes, Adrian was in the book as well! I haven't gotten to that part in Insomnia yet but I'm looking forward to it! (view spoiler)[ Was he the partner of the guy that was murdered by Pennywise in It? I'm assuming so because the other guy is definitely deceased by this point in the Steven King Universe. (hide spoiler)]

I also have to agree with you about all the current event stuff in this book. I like to read for the escapism aspect and this book is just like reading current news headlines (which are usually never good) so I'm definitely over it, too. Not that it isn't important to discuss these kinds of things, it's just that I would pick up a nonfiction or something else rather than looking for it in a fiction novel.

Update for through chapter 6, part 1: (view spoiler)[ So we're finally getting to see more of Ralph's auras. Yay!! I'm so excited to finally get into the 'supernatural' aspect of this book because I was getting tired of the set up. I'm also really interested to see where Joe's (the pharmacist) character goes because he seems like he's going to have a big role in this story. But maybe I'm wrong.

I still really hate Ed, for obvious reasons, so I was angry to read that he got out of jail so soon and is back on his 'mouthpiece' BS. UGH. Hopefully Helen's job at the library keeps her away from him. (hide spoiler)]

Can't wait to hear what everyone else thinks!

I am about to start Chapter 6 so here are my thoughts up to there:

(view spoiler)[ OK, I agree with you, Bailey and Chantal, about the current event discussion going on in the beginning of the book...not that these subjects aren't important but I, too, use books for escapism and felt that subjects used in/the set up of this book was wayyy too long! Where is the meat of the supernatural story when we are almost 25% in? Unless the abortion controversy/domestic violence is part of that??

King seems very knowledgeable about the condition of insomnia and I was wondering if he suffers from it or his knowledge was just from research done for the book? I thought he may suffer from it because he sure seems to know how people who have insomnia feel...

I kept saying while I was reading up to Chapter 6..."this is really slow!" My husband had a thought about slowness at the start of the book...maybe King went slow in the set up to show how the Insomnia is slowly creeping in on Ralph's everyday life (it wasn't all of a sudden) and so it is effecting his thoughts and how he views his ability to see auras?!

I agree about wanting to see where Joe (the pharmacist) has a place in the story since he is so knowledgeable about the Insomnia condition. I also hate Ed and hate the fact that he can charm his way out of things. One other character I am interested in is the old man at the park (I forget his name) who was able to see Ralph's hands disappear when he touched Ed in the beginning of the book when Ed was confronting the man he was in a car accident with.

The auras are so interesting to me! I think that the different color auras mean something...definitely 'black' is bad and probably means death. I am not sure about grey and white. I find it interesting that the auras of the mother and child that Ralph watched outside of the pharmacy changed when the mother realized Ralph was watching them! Also interesting that when Ed called Ralph, the aura of the telephone was 'red'...I wonder if that has anything to do with the Crimson King?? Another question: are the auras around the person different from the 'Balloon Strings' coming out of their head or are they connected in some way? I am sure we will find out!
(hide spoiler)]

@Alison Did you mean Dorrance Marstellar?

Since there are to many characters in this book, I had to write them down with some keywords or I wouldnt know who was who anymore.

Chantal wrote: "@Alison Did you mean Dorrance Marstellar?

Since there are to many characters in this book, I had to write them down with some keywords or I wouldnt know who was who anymore."

Yes, Chantal...that was his name!! I just couldn't think of it off the top of my head :)

I am 40% into the book and starting Part 2: The Secret City (Chapter 11)...here are my thoughts:

(view spoiler)[ OK, I have to admit that I am really struggling with this book! I am 40% in and am not really interested at all! I will continue but if it doesn't catch my interest by 50%, I may have to throw in the towel...
The auras around round the people are interesting and I think the balloon strings have to do with the person's life (??)...if the balloon string isn't present, the person is dead or going to die? I am not really sure on that...

Dorrance Marstellar to the rescue!! He was the one who put the mace in Ralph's jacket pocket and that ended up saving Ralph when he was attacked in the library. I believe that Dorrance can see auras too (he seems to be always staring at the airplanes) even though a lot of people think he is out of it).

The 2 little bald men seen outside of May Locher's house had scissors...and May Locher wound up dead....so did the little men go in and cut her balloon string?? These 2 men seemed to have a purpose and seemed to be very matter of fact in comparison to the third little bald man jumping rope Ralph sees at the end of Part 1...that one seems crazy and also seemed to have seen Ralph and pointed at him! That doesn't seem good for Ralph.

Part 1 ends with Ralph seeing this third little man and also with Ralph having a conversation with Bill McGovern about what he has been experiencing. OK, I officially don't like Bill McGovern...he seems to be sitting on his high horse!! I think that was the wrong person for Ralph to confide in!! Ralph got angry and went for a walk at the end of this section....with McGovern yelling after him that he needed to see a doctor...UGH!
(hide spoiler)]

I have now reached Part 3 (Chapter 20...about 65%) and here are my thoughts:

(view spoiler)[ OK, the book has picked up a bit halfway through Part 2 but I found getting to halfway through Part 2 was still SLOW!! Even my husband has commented that he feels like he is "slogging" through the book!

I do love the character of Ralph Roberts and I also love that he now has a connection with Lois (they both have insomnia and have developed feelings for one another). I suppose I am having a love/hate relationship with this book :) I think it probably could have been about 300 or so pages shorter...

I do have to say that I would never want to visit the town of Derry! Even Ralph said "the town of Derry has a mean streak in it"! I haven't read It but I think that is probably what he was referring to ;)

Ralph has figured out the connection between the 2 "normal" white doctors (the ones with Purpose named Clothos and Lachethis) and the crazy one (the one who acts at Random and is named Atropos). Ralph and Lois go to the hospital to confront the Purposeful doctors and somehow, wham, bam, they are taken to "the next Level" of existence/time/plane of life (??) where time runs faster and the auras are everywhere! How did this happen?? I liked reading the whole confrontation in the hospital between them and suppose this is supposed to be a mystical experience...or is this some kind of "thinny'/thin place between worlds?? That was never clear to me. There is a description between"Short Timers" (normal people like Ralph and Lois) and "Long Timers" (the Doctors) and apparently there are other levels of existence but the Doctors didn't want to talk too much about them.

The way that Ralph and Lois observed the Purposeful Doctors cutting Jimmy V's balloon string (it was his time to die...this was not a Random act) was very poignant to read! BUT, Rosalie's balloon string being cut Randomly by Atropos and then her death really made me upset! I guess that was the intention of writing those 2 scenes...

Poor Bill McGovern had his balloon string cut by the Random doctor and died...I wonder if his personality changed a bit because the Random doctor got ahold of him?

Ralph and Lois find out their Insomnia has been manipulated/brought on by the Purposeful Doctors so that they will be able to thwart whatever plan Ed Deepneau has to take out the Civic Center where Susan Day is going to talk. We get a hint how he is going to do this at the very end of Part 2...the word 'Kamikaze"! No wonder Ed was at the airport in the beginning of the book...he was flight training!!

We find out Ed had his cord cut by Random Guy also but has been taken over by other forces...the Crimson King! I think I understand that the Crimson King made Atropos cut Ed's balloon string so that he (the Crimson King) could take over Ed. So there has to be some connection with the Dark Tower! I feel like the discussion about Purpose vs Random and the mentioning of 'Ka" (the Purposeful Doctors are "ka") ties into the Dark Tower.

@Bailey...I think that this book was written in 1994 and the 7th book of the Dark Tower series was written in 2004 so somehow whatever connections this book has with the Dark Tower was in King's head way before the 6th/7th book of the Dark Tower series was written!
(hide spoiler)]

Alison wrote: "I am 40% into the book and starting Part 2: The Secret City (Chapter 11)...here are my thoughts:

OK, I have to admit that I am really struggling with this book! I am 40% in and am not really inte..."

Finally made it to this point in the book: (view spoiler)[ I’m also struggling to get into it with everything that’s happened so far. The interesting parts are keeping me somewhat entertained but most of it is just blah. I’m trying to skim the more boring parts but it’s not helping too much.

That’s a really cool thought that the bald guys cut May’s balloon string! I didn’t think of that at first but it makes sense.

I also agree that Bill was the wrong person to confide in. The police man even said not to tell Jim anything which I think was foreshadowing. I was also annoyed by how Bill wanted to talk more about his friend that’s dying. It took away from what Ralph was trying to talk about but it’s a very realistic situation.

I’m also interested by how Ralph didn’t realize 45 minutes had passed while he was sitting on Bill’s porch! That scene with doc 3 really creeped me out!! That was like some IT level creepy. (hide spoiler)]

Might not finish this before September ends but I’m not giving up on it (at least yet).