Rose Madder: Thoughts after a re-read

[ashleyBeth]

It was the rabies... Remember when she and Bill go to the woods to picnic and he takes her to see the fox? It's there, about how female foxes can carry rabies for years before they show symptoms. Rose was getting her symptoms for her "rabies". Actually, that made the whole book kind of eh for me after that. I wanted it to be a happy ending, but that's not how things are in real life, and it is the great King we're talking about. Still, it was a little disappointing. Otherwise, great book. The descriptions left me breathless. This was the first of his books I read and I fell in love after the first two pages. He's a master at what he does, and this is no exception (disappointing ending or not).

[PeNnYwIsEgRay]

I just reread this after 15 years too....

And I found I could relate to things about Rose.... I enjoyed it the first time... and I enjoyed it again... from a little different perspective this time...

only thing... I'm not sure I understand why Rose got a little bit of a mean streak in her towards the end... especially towards a wonderful man...

any thoughts out there peeps ??

I thought it was because of Rose Madder. Rose Madder told her not to forget the tree. Until she buried the seed she was acting more and more like Rose Madder. Could be wrong though?

[Homer403]

I just finished Rose Madder a couple of weeks ago and thought it was a great read! Did Noram Daniels chase Rose and Bill into the picture that Rose bought at the pawn shop???

[ginapenn]

I thought it was because of Rose Madder. Rose Madder told her not to forget the tree. Until she buried the seed she was acting more and more like Rose Madder. Could be wrong though?

It had nothing to do with the tree, if you recall she was feeling angry before Rose Madder told her to remember the tree. Rose Madder was simply that "other world's" version of Rosie in real life. The blemishes she had on her skin was her "rabies" or Rosie's anger. It was only when Rosie planted the tree that her rages departed. The tree helped her deal with her anger towards Norman and how she was treated for so long. It's just that she was never allowed to feel angry when she was with Norman for, well, obvious reasons.

[ginapenn]

I just finished Rose Madder a couple of weeks ago and thought it was a great read! Did Noram Daniels chase Rose and Bill into the picture that Rose bought at the pawn shop???

Yes. The picture opened up and became a portal to another world-kind of a mirror world-where people from earth exist only somehow different on the other side. That's why Rose Madder looked exactly like Rosie. They were the mirror image of each other, except in the face. That's also why Norman became a bull when he entered the other world.