Rose Madder

This is the first Stephen King book I´ve read. I don´t usually read horror and tend to only read realistic fiction. My husband recommended I read this book and I was skeptical but I´m very glad I did. This story is amazing and I tore through it. He took an idea that is very real for a lot of people, being trapped in an abusive relationship, and he crafted that idea into something that you don´t just read but absorb. This story isn´t just a story, it is something to mentally chew on. It is full of symbolism and interesting little connections. It does have a lot of bad language so this book isn´t for everyone.

The story is told from two different points of view, Rosie´s and his. As the book goes on he becomes obsessed with finding her and slips more and more away from reality becoming a murderous monster.

The story is told from two different points of view, Rosie´s and Norman. As the book goes on he becomes obsessed with finding her and slips more and more away from reality, becoming a murderous monster.

The story starts with Rosie sitting on the floor in the corner of their living room losing her baby. Her abusive husband (understatement of the year) has beaten her, punching her in the stomach several times. He calls 911 but then he moves her to the bottom of the stairs and tells her what to say when they arrive. If she doesn´t say what she is supposed to he will kill her. She does not doubt that for a minute either. She can´t tell anyone what really happened anyway because they wouldn´t believe her. Her husband is a cop and cops back each other up. He´s part of a brotherhood and he´s a detective. Finding people is what he does.

Rosie stays with him several more years until one day she notices a single drop of blood on the sheet by her pillow. He punched her in the nose the night before and although she thought the bleeding had stopped that one drop had seeped out during the night. She had gone numb and was just living from moment to moment but this single drop of blood was pulling her back. She finally got the nerve up to run out the door. She takes his ATM card and uses it to get some money to help her get away. She is terrified because she knows he will come for her and he will kill her.