Devastated and Not Sure Why - Spoilers

**Danpd66** · January 4th, 2012

Katie, we seem to agree on a lot of things. I never really felt so deeply for a set of characters in any novel before. One of the things that I could have enjoyed at the end was when

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Ugh, I'm getting too sappy in my old age...

**~Ally~** · January 4th, 2012

I have no problem with the ending, I feel it complemented the rest of the story perfectly.

Yes Sadie still experienced the traumatic situation with her husband...but she survived it, and went on to become a productive member of society. That shows she had amazing strength of character, and was capable of functioning without a man to pick up the pieces. In life we become accustomed to what we know so surviving her ordeal alone was probably no big deal to her, since "before" George she was content to be alone. She may have been more accepting of the attack because nobody could blame it on her relationship with George, therefore the attack was completely unprovoked and motiveless. Due to this she may have been less likely to fall into that deep depression since she had no reason to over~analyse her behaviour and blame herself. This time George wasn't the catalyst (or excuse) for her ex's attack, and maybe people--including her parents--would feel more empathy towards her due to the fact she was totally innocent of the original perceived misconduct.

There's many possibilities for what happened in the "real" version of time...you can choose whether Sadie became a miserable old maid, or not. In my version she lived the life she deserved. I doubt she would have such an amazing zest for life, or been as radiantly beautiful at 80-years old, had she not lived well.

**Night Prowler** · January 5th, 2012

Finished reading this book for the first time yesterday, and I was also devastated the whole day

I liked the ending, but I'm not happy that it ended like it did (if you understand what I'm saying).

**Danpd66** · January 5th, 2012

Night Prowler, I'm with you except I was screwed up for a couple of weeks! If I start thinking about it too much now, I still start to get depressed!

**tmac61** · January 6th, 2012

I'm a long time King fan, new to the message board. I too had some sleepless nights thanks to this book. I've read a lot King's works, but have never had his characters get into my head like Jake and Sadie did. Great job Mr King, enjoyed the the book even if it messed me up for a couple of weeks.

**randallFlaggfan1** · January 6th, 2012

Welcome to the Board, Kingslayer!

Sadie's violent past and (dare I say) inevitable end deeply saddened me, as well.
I take the fact Sai King continues to affect so many readers as a great testimony of his utter brilliance as a writer.

("All things serve the Beam")

**sonofcana** · February 10th, 2012

Thanks for starting this thread, kingslayer. Up until now i thought it was just me coming down with a bad case of the Annie Wilkes! I finished the book last night and i was left choked up and teary eyed. Only one other book has had the power to move me the way this one has. I was unable to put it down from the moment i opened the book and i ended up caring more about Jake and Sadie than JFK himself. Jake Epping may not have been a crying man but this wonderful book left me blubbing and wanting more. I dont think this book could have had a more perfect and beautiful ending.

Bravo Stephen, thank you for such a wonerful and touching story.

**~Ally~** · February 10th, 2012

Originally Posted by sonofcana

Only one other book has had the power to move me the way this one has.

Welcome to the board.

Which other book made you feel this way?

**sonofcana** · February 10th, 2012

Auschwitz: The Nazis and the Final Solution, By Laurence Rees. Two radically different books, i know. One a work of Science Fiction, the other a brutally real historical account of the Nazi "Final Solution". But before i read 11/22/63, this superb history of the holocaust was the only book to make me cry and to linger in my memory long after i had finished reading it.

**tulsagal** · February 14th, 2012

Yesterday when I was reading the end of 11/22/63, it was amazing that
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when I was reading the highly emotional and amazingly well-written meeting of Jake and 80-year-old Sadie at the Citizen of the Century party,

the song playing on my cable music happened to be Barbara Mandrell's "Years". I have listened to that song over and over since then. I think in the movie version, that song needs to be playing in the background during that scene. Soooo amazing how the book and the music harmonized perfectly... If you don't know the song, go find it online and think about that scene as you listen to it! Goosebumps!