Rose Madder

**poisonbat** · July 2nd, 2009

Originally Posted by King Jacob

I just finished this book. I've been meaning to read since I bought it a year ago and I finally got around to it. I'm glad I picked it up. I loved the characters (except for Norman) and the fact that the novel was tied in to the Dark Tower a little bit.

I tried years ago to read this, but it hit too close to home for me after just a few pages. It went back on the shelf. But I am almost done with it now, and I do love the ties to the Dark Tower. For some reason that just makes me grin.

I am not quite done, but I can not seem to put it down. Loving it !

**Phil H** · July 28th, 2009

I've just finished this book, and I mostly really enjoyed it.

There were times when I thought he over described things which dragged the pace, but then I perhaps the heavy descriptions (of exactly what people were thinking and doing) added to the eerie quality.

Some of the characters though seemed a bit film-cliche, like the angry woman she asked for directions when she was lost of the way to D & S for the first time and the guy leaning out of the sex shop, so unlikely in real life I think.

I'm probably just being thick but I'm a bit confused about what exactly was going on at the end! I guess we are supposed to be left with a certain feeling of mystery about the whole thing and in reality what happened to rose but it all seemed a bit of a mess. Why did she start to become angry at the end (was she being repaid and what for?) what was it with this tree? what had the fox really got to do with anything? was it all just female symbolism for her? is it supposed to be just what we make of it?

I found it an exciting read in all however and I thought an extremely good and imaginative story with many well thought out and devious knife edges.

**Moderator** · July 28th, 2009

This is from a response Steve gave years ago about some of your questions:

"Rosie discovers that rage doesn't go away just because a person no longer needs it. By planting the tree from the poison seed, she is making an effort to externalize her anger and neutralize it. Think of it as symbolic of therapy, or confession."

Hope that helps.

**Nutty Bavarian** · September 7th, 2009

I finished re-reading Rose Madder last week and while I was reading I remembered a creepy idea I'd had a few years ago when I first read it. Ms. Mod if they do make a mini series this would be perfect I think. I was listening to my mp3 player and on came Kentucky Rain by Elvis came on. This would be uber creepy for a bloody Norman to be singing.

Seven lonely days
And a dozen towns ago
I reached out one night
And you were gone
Don't know why you'd run,
What you're running to or from
All I know is I want to bring you home

So I'm walking in the rain,
Thumbing for a ride
On this lonely Kentucky backroad
I've loved you much too long
And my love's too strong
To let you go, never knowing
What went wrong

Kentucky rain keeps pouring down
And up ahead's another town
That I'll go walking thru
With the rain in my shoes,
Searchin for you
In the cold Kentucky rain,
In the cold Kentucky rain

Showed your photograph
To some old gray bearded man
Sitting on a bench
Outside a gen'ral store
They said "Yes, she's been here"
But their memory wasn't clear
Was it yesterday,
No, wait the day before

So I fin'ly got a ride
With a preacher man who asked
"Where you bound on such a dark afternoon?"
As we drove on thru the rain
As he listened I explained
And he left me with a prayer
That I'd find you

**SereneShadow** · September 9th, 2009

I don't think it's King's best novel, but it's definitely one of my favorites. I re-read it every few months. For me, it's very empowering, and there's so much symbolism and emotion. I'm also a Greek mythology buff, so that's a fun part of it. The imagery in it is amazing, too. I feel motivated to paint pictures throughout the entire thing (and not just of Rose Madder, either.)

**Jack Roman** · September 28th, 2009

Originally Posted by kfoisey

I was very surprised to hear that Rose Madder is not a popular King novel! It is definitely in my "top ten" and I make a real effort to re-read it every few years. The story is universal, something we all have thought about at one time or another (I refer to the domestic abuse, not the painting, though as I child I often wished to "escape" into various paintings, fabric patterns and books) and it's execution is flawless! In past years I have hooked many friends on this book and will continue to do so even as it gets harder and harder to find.

This book I felt like I lived in for the time I was reading it. It help me take my mind off my own life during a really stressfull time in my life.