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What are readers saying about Duma Key?
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Jennifer posted a review at 2009-11-09 03:47:58.
(Language: English)
 
I've always hated it when people said "such and such book is so and so's best work ever!" That being said, I'm going to admit that DUMA KEY is, indeed, one of Stephen King's best books ever. Probably the best he's had in the last few years.The great thing about DUMA KEY is that it's not out-and-out horror that grabs you right away. It's an isidious type of evil that's at work in this story, and it's actually the very real character of Edgar Freemantle who makes it worth reading. The horror, which comes later, advances the plot very well, but watching Edward tumble, soar, and then crash through it all is what makes the book one that's hard to put down. If you like King, if you like stories of horror mixed with the supernatural, and if you want a book you'll read within a matter of days, then DUMA KEY is for you. It's that good! 
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-07-15 09:33:18.
(Language: English)
This is King at his best. I was a little nervous about this one, not really having cared for the last couple, but he's hit it out of the park again! A man suffers a freak accident which changes his life- he loses an arm, has brain injuries, and his wife leaves him- so he decides to "start over" in the Florida Keys. Little does he know that a mysterious presence uses the island's residents to channel its own power. He becomes a master painter, but how does he do it, and what are the pictures telling him? Suspenseful and scary, but the characters are by no means disposable as you come to be concerned about them.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-06-03 07:35:11.
(Language: English)
I honestly and completely believe that this is one of my favorite novels of all time. I mean, it was excessively long and felt, at times, that it should have been over already, but I think that what happens throughout the course of the book and the way that it is finally brought to a close is truly the only way that it could have been brought to a close and should have been brought to a close. In the end, it definitely wasn't excessively long, and, like all great things, it actually didn't really feel long enough. The characters were fantastically vibrant and the plot was amazingly detailed and worked itself out in a way that I never would have thought of myself. But then, I guess that's why Stephen King is a best selling author and I'm not (yet).
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-02-26 04:41:52.
(Language: English)
Based on the large number of 5-star reviews at Amazon and elsewhere, I was a little disappointed by this book. It struck me as an average Stephen King novel, with the same strengths (gripping, ingenious plot) and same weaknesses (wordy and folksy dialog, mostly 1-dimensional characters). I was tempted to give the rating an extra star because a) I appreciate the fact that Stephen King probably revealed quite a bit about his recovery from his own accident in the story of Edgar Freemantle, and b) I'm pleased that he's back in the saddle after considering retirement. But this is not his best work, and I'd be lying if I put it in the same category as other 4-star novels that I've recently read.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-03-27 02:49:37.
(Language: English)
I'd rather read Stephen King's doodle-pad than most books on the market, which is why this is getting an above-avg rating from me. I've loved his writing style since junior-high and reading a King book is like slipping into a pair of sweats to me.The scary stuff is good old fashioned King spooky, but I feel like he's run out of 'monsters'. I won't say any more, but I felt a bit 'been-there-done-that' when it the cause of The Scary Stuff was revealed. I guess there really are just so many types of boogeymen when you get right down to it. Oh, and 'meeting' Wireman is reason enough to read this. What a great character.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-02-08 04:24:39.
(Language: English)
King is all over the map. He has written some mind-blowingly great books (Lisey's Story, The Dark Tower series) and he's written quite a few stinkers (Tommyknockers, Dolores Clayborne).Just my opinions, of course.Then, there are the middlings, the books that aren't quite great but definitely don't suck. Perhaps coming off the high of Lisey's Story I expected more from Duma Key. As it was, I felt it could have been much better. There seemed to be hints of possible DT tie-ins, even a tie-in to Rose Madder perhaps? Dunno. The book was definitely worth reading, but sorry, I don't think it was quite the mind blowing read that so many others felt it was. YMMV.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-06-10 05:27:26.
(Language: English)
From my adolescence onward Stephen King was my pop novelist of choice, and I knew that whenever I got a new book of his life would be on hold until I finished it. But his last couple of books really didn't do it for me--_Cell_ had a good beginning but fizzled quickly, I couldn't get through the first 50 pages of _From a Buick 8_, and I didn't even try _Lisey's Story_. But I'm happy to report that his latest is, as reviewers are wont to say, a triumphant return to form. It starts slowly, but maintains your interest by letting the tension build exquisitely slowly, and as in King's best books, the last hundred or so pages are so scary and thrilling that a revolution down the street would not have dragged me away from the book. I'm hoping he'll be giving us more in the same vein, and that the last few books were only a fluke.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-07-18 08:46:01.
(Language: English)
What sets Duma Key apart from Mr. King's other books is the character development. To those who have read the book, you will agree with me when I say that the different set of characters are the best part of the book. They show the lives of these people behind the real story of the powerful paintings. I giess I can make this short since everyone else has said what is to said. Final note: Duma Key is horrifying, dramatic, mysterious, and full of life. one of Mr. King's best.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-15 06:21:36.
(Language: English)
This was Stephen King at his almost best, drawing obviously from his own life experiences, dragging up the fears from the dark recesses of the human mind and adding a measure of the supernatural just to keep me looking over my shoulder and checking under the bed at night. If the book had ended about 100 pages before it did this would have been a 5-Star review. It went to far in explanation after the art show. My favorite King books are the ones that are a bit far-fetched but believable in some way. This one went a bit too far for my liking.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-02-14 06:04:46.
(Language: English)
I'd give it 3 1/2 if that were possible. The writing was well done, and I feel that King was definitely writing from experience in regards to the shared similarities and recovery of both his and his lead character Edgar Freemantle's injuries. The first chapter was pretty potent, and Edgar's journey through recovery and healing via painting is handled well also. Although I didn't love the book, it is easy enough to recommend, and it is up to King's usual standards. There's just something missing, a small component I can't quite place my finger on... I think it ultimately has to do with the distant nature of the evil presented; it's too far off, the build is too slow, very much a low-boil setting on this one. There's a couple good shivers, but that's about it. Comparing it to his recent works, it's not as emotionally powerful as "Lisey's Story" (but it some areas, and in very different ways, it certainly can be) or as exciting as "Cell." So I liked it, but didn't love it.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-03-21 03:41:28.
(Language: English)
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.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-03-05 05:04:20.
(Language: English)
Yesterday I spent 8 hours finishing it. I hardly ever experience something like this. It was a rush. I couldn't stop. May sound stupid but there actually was a kind of mental undertow... Probably because the first two thirds of Duma Key are rather calm, thoughtful and descriptive and then, suddenly, the last third comes in like a strong, big wave and just takes you away. The action is rushed and intense and the fact that one of the best characters dies when everything is already over just makes me angry and sad. Still it is a very very strong story, one of the best I've ever read. King is at his best and at his DEEPEST in stories like Duma Key, Lisey's Story, The Green Mile, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon and Hearts in Atlantis. No f*ckin' doubt about that with me. He's probably one of the best authors now living. A thing many people who think he's only writing horror stories wouldn't like to hear. But he is. Many congrats to you, Mr. King, you know how to inspire a reader!
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Lee posted a review at 2009-11-09 02:53:15.
(Language: English)
My first Stephen King novel in years! Not bad but it dragged alot and i think it couldve been alot shorter or made into two seperate stories. Edgar Freemantle an owner of a prestigious construction firm survives a horrific onsite accident that leaves him an amputee. The accident not only costs him a limb but also his marriage to his wife Pam. Apon a recomendation from his doctor he moves out to a beach flat on the Florida Keys a place called Duma Key. He soon discovers he has had a hidden talent of painting, impressing all the townsfolks and art dealers an an overnite sensation. Little does he and everyone else know but the paintings behold much more to them then eye candy. This book did drag a little right until the end. I found that it wouldve been better if King left it as a cinderella story of a overnite artist then last minute turning it into a horror novel. I have always enjoyed King's charectors he comes up with and the dialogue he chooses them to have in all his novels, however I only gave this one a 3/5 it couldve been alot better and alot shorter then it was. My first Stephen King book read in years and i have missed his writing, i love his charectors and the pull no punches dialogue however i found this novel seriously dragged. It wasnt at all scary, then again i dont quite know if thats what King was going for in the first place. The last 1/4 of the book was the best. Edgar Freemantle is a has his own construction company and after surviving a severe on site acciden
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-07-17 02:55:17.
(Language: English)
As usual, Stephen King creates a thrilling work that you wouldn't contemplate leaving unfinished, yet the same work makes your skin crawl and resist the temptation of knowing what is to come in the novel.It can be said that King has found his niche, his flow, in story writing, as his more latter releases have a similar tone to their voice. They all share an experience, and Stephen King knows that this way that he does it by works, well.On the story of Duma Key, it's rather haunting, more haunting then Lisey's story, and just as thrilling as any of his other work.As a trip back in memory lane, the only thing King doesn't keep as a secret is that our protagonist of such a story is alive, and that aside, he hides everything else as well as the secrets of Duma Key.This novel has the type of thrills you'd find in King's the Mist, and that twang of adventure one is accustomed to in his Dark Tower series. This story is not suitable if you're paranoid in the night.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-05-18 04:52:42.
(Language: English)
Duma Key, the first ever King novel I've ever read (believe it or not), among other things, is a marvelous story of friendship and standing up for each other in the face of danger; supernatural or otherwise. The characters are very likable and very realistic; the story itself is cleverly woven and developed. The style is awesome; with flashback paragraphs in between scattered at all the right places. I think any reader who is not a follower of the genre or King himself, like myself, would enjoy the story and the characters of this book. I also guarantee that you will be spooked!! Very good read, strongly recommended.
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-02-09 01:29:34.
(Language: English)
This is a surprisingly good book. It's about a 50-ish man (Edgar) who gets into a terrible accident(?) causing him to lose his right arm. After some anger management therapy and his marriage ends, he makes a change,moves to Duma Key in Florida and regains his passion for drawing and painting. He befriends a man named Wireman who is taking care of a rich, elderly lady. During all this, Edgar discovers the paintings he creates can change events of people,places once they are created. Is this a given special talent since his accident(?), or is someone/thing else involved? have a read and find out. Recommended!
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-12-17 08:37:10.
(Language: English)
689 pages. That's what I think about it. It has it's good points. There was one sentence that was so beautiful that I wanted to underline it. I can't find it now. But there was only one or two moments like that in the whole thing. The buildup story doesn't feel like a buildup, it feels like a natural progression. But still, I wonder if Stephen King has been given a free license and no editor. In the notes he thanks his editor. But 689 pages? I think his editor is just some "yes man" who just gives Stephen King blow jobs while he works and tells him everything he does is brilliant. I think this story could have trimmed some fat, but I enjoyed the read. A successful buisnessman loses a limb in a accident and gets PTSD. He starts a new life in Florida and starts to experience strange new talents, abilities and all the ghostly problems they stir up. It's a good story. I'm glad I read it. It's not a hefty read, it's just an investment in time.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-04-03 07:30:36.
(Language: English)
Finished Duma Key last night. Missing it already. One of the best I have read. The characters and how Edgar told the story was what I enjoyed most. I felt involved. All of a sudden there is a one line that is enough to chill you and you know more is to come. It was the story behind the horror that kept me turning the pages. A lot of people are comparing it with Lisey's story but I found Edgar much more likable and his friendship with Wireman was a delight as it developed though the story. I am about halfway through Duma Key, This is the SK, that I know and love, the slow but interesting story the drop in line that makes you begin to worry. Then the slow creeping horror....I had to put the book down last night as I was scared by the visual picture he put into my mind!
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-01-23 10:35:17.
(Language: English)
Just bought it today...first day on the shelf. I'm bringing it to Puerto Rico on Friday. Should be a perfect place for this particular King book.EDIT: Finally finished "Duma Key". It was really terrific!! King spends a lot of time developing each and every character. The relationship between Edgar and Wireman is riveting. This is the first King book in a long time that had me in tears in several places. The stuff that's supposed to be scary is more creepy than anything else. It's the emotional and mental disturbances that are much more terrifying because they are so much more likely to happen to any one of us. Definitely comparisons can be drawn between "Duma Key" and "The Shining", another King classic. And, there are the usual insider lines to keep the true King fanatics happy throughout. A must read for both longtime King lovers and newbies alike! In fact, if you've been trying to convince your friends to read King, this might be an excellent place to start.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-02-02 11:42:55.
(Language: English)
Stephen King has a gift that only gets better as he gets older. His ability to get into yur head and elevate the ordinary into either awe or horror is truly amazing. Duma Key takes the best of his story telling that was evident in stories like Shawshank Redemption to his explorations in the supernatural throughout his career. He has also obviously transformed his own personal trauma from his accident into his art and we get a glimpse of what he experienced through the protoganist in this story Edgar who has suffered a similar experience. King's gift for the art of sorytelling shows through as he grasps the reader from their reality into King's world where art could become both salvation and a gateway into horror and back again. This is why I am going to be a fan of this writer for life. He is a sorcerer and one (thank the Creator) that has a heart.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-14 07:32:55.
(Language: English)
Typically another king novel, fun to read, well written, but am i the only one getting tired of king's weird fear and love of paintings. It seems every story there is another story popping out from a painting, then the two worlds collide. I think this is what he does when a dead line is approaching. He sits in his gallery and writes another book about a painting that kills, a dog that kills, a car that kills, or no, it's the book this time, or the actual characters. I wish king would create another truly amazing collection like the Dark Tower series, or the Stand. So much more creative.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-05-27 01:16:53.
(Language: English)
Edgar Freemantle is rebuilding his life after a horrific accident in which he lost his arm. Wealthy and newly divorced from his wife, he seeks the isolation of Florida's Duma Key. There he discovers a talent for drawing and painting that astonishes him. But when his paintings start foretelling dark events that come true, he begins to discover that Duma Key has secrets that he must sacrifice everything to uncover.This is King on top form. It is overlong and may seem familiar to those who have read, say, Black House, but it remains a superb character piece and grips throughout.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-12-15 07:31:23.
(Language: English)
"Like being a glider and rising on a gust of wind above a low-lying groundmist. For a little while one can see everything so clearly...and at the same time one knows the wind will die and ones glider will sink back into the mist again. Do you see?" "One progresses beyond that state, but afterward one never quite loses the conviction that reality is gossamer. Behind its webwork? Chaos. Madness. The real truth, maybe, and the real truth is red." One misstep leads to another. "Abyssus abyssum invocat." (Hell invokes Hell.) God punishes us for what we can't imagine.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-05-17 06:26:29.
(Language: English)
"Duma Key" is one of the latest offerings from Stephen King. For those who have followed King throughout his writing career, you can notice a very definite shift in his writing. His earlier novels are much more supernatural driven whereas his later stuff is much more (to me, anyway) human driven. Don't get me wrong, there are still aspects of the creepy and supernatural found in "Duma Key" but one gets the impression that much of the this is put in place to show how the characters change and evolve as a result of their experiences in Duma Key. There's nothing wrong with that - simply a shift in story priority - and it's done amazingly well in this case. The story achieves just the right balance between story and character which has not always been the case ("Gerald's Game" is one example where the focus on character leaves the story plodding). While the less horrific story may not appeal to some, writing-wise, it's still King at the top of his game. Worth checking out.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-07-25 02:49:05.
(Language: English)
Once a year or once every few years I pick up the latest Stephen King book and try to see if I can get through it. The results are usually painful as his writing has become quite bad of late (mostly since his car accident). Recent exceptions include "Cell" which I thought wasn't as bad as his attempts at more mainstream fiction with supernatural elements. Those books are usually awful.Duma Key is one of those books and it really is dreadful. At 600 pages this book is probably 550 pages too long. It could have easily been a short story -- instead it's a boring self-indulgent book about a man using art to overcome a tragic accident that nearly killed him. Yes, Stephen King is again writing about his car accident which at this point he probably considers a blessing because he was very close to running out of material before it happened.The story meanders without going anywhere for about 300-400 pages before a dreadful ending that I can't even remember at this point because I just wanted to finish the book and pick up something else to read. The characters are the usual cheeky King characters who utter pop culture phrases over and over again until you want to grab them by the neck and strangle him. Mind you this is more of a recent element of King's fiction. I think it started in the similarly awful "Dreamcatcher" which repeated "Same Shit Different Day" and \"No Bounce No Play\" over and over. I remember these quips because of how annoying they were.The best King stories are ones where he goes all out and takes no prisoners and kills everyone in sight including cute little girls and big friendly dogs. Sadly, this isn't one of those books. This is one of King's novels where there are elements of the supernatural in an otherwise normal world. Try to remember "Rose Madder" or don't. It's probably better you don't. This is quite similar to \"Rose Madder\" in the way pictures -- drawings and paintings have a supernatural effect on the world or can predict the future or actually cause events. It's even more boring that it sounds.Stephen King at his worst is when he takes himself too seriously and believes he's a real author of mainstream fiction -- he isn't. I'm convinced at this point that he can't write anything outside of books about supernatural black men and "evil" cars. Even King's attempts at this supernatural fiction is bad. "Bag of Bones" was similarly bad. It was about an artist being haunted by his dead wife and was very similar to "Duma Key". I don't think anyone remembers what happened in "Bag of Bones" because it didn't have zombies biting into human flesh or killer cars or an evil alien clown that disemboweled children.I was reading other reviews after I finished the book and noticed other people were annoyed by his outdated cheeky dialogue as well. They pointed out that King can't write characters that are under 30. It's true. He also can't write anything that isn't generic horror fiction.
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