Gerald's Game

[3.5]

Not counting short stories, I'd place Gerald's Game as my third fave King book, behind Mr. Mercedes and The Gunslinger. As some of you may know, I've been only now diving into Stephen King, but I also wanted to see this book's supposedly very good film adaptation from familial trauma expert, Mike Flanagan. I can now officially say that the Netflix released Gerald's Game might be one of if not the most accurate adaptation of a King work. I wouldn't have called this book “unfilmable,” but I guess I could understand elements of the book that would make some lesser travelled readers a bit queasy and uncomfortable. Of course there are some changes in the film, but nothing that ruins the experience nor anything added for no good reason.

Want to write a sympathetic female character? Why not give her a backstory of child abuse? I think King is a great writer of dialogue, characters and world building but as I read more of his books I read the more annoyed I get that child abuse is almost a Stephen King trope. Drinking game, pick a random King novel and if it has child abuse take a shot! Hey why you lying on the floor already?

Geralds Game made me more angry than annoyed because it's almost written as if the girl wanted it and it's not a big deal. Almost like the scene was written more like a power fantasy than a horrific psychological scar. Maybe I've read it completely wrong but especially between this and the satnav scene in “It” I'm making bad assumptions of the writer.

Worst of all it didn't even have any real bearing on the plot or outcome. Just an easy trope so you would feel for the main character.

Also the final 20% should have been left on the editing floor. It would have made a better novella.