Duma Key

When I first fell in love with reading books, I read Stephen King's "It" and loved it. To this day it is on the top of my favorite books list, as is "The Stand". I've read a lot of King's books, but after a while I moved on to other authors and haven't really read any of his latest books. I decided to pick up Duma Key and see how Mr King has been doing in the writing realm.

This is a story of Edgar Feemantle, a married father of two girls, who had made his fortune in the construction business in Minnesota. An accident on the construction site flips Edgar's life upside down. Not expected to live, Edgar pulls out of it with some brain damage and an amputated right arm. He suffers from fits of rage that he cannot always remember and his wife cannot handle. She asks for a divorce and Edgar tries to move on. His psychiatrist suggests he tries a change of scenery, and Edgar finds himself on Duma Key where he is virtually alone.

Walks along the beach, trying to strengthen his leg and hip, which continually hurt, bring him closer and closer to the only other inhabitants on this small Florida island. He finally meets Wireman, a lawyer in his other life, who is the caretaker for Elizabeth Eastlake, the apparent owner of Duma Key itself. Edgar feels compelled to start drawing, then painting, and when he does this he finds he can feel his missing arm. As he continues to paint, this sensation gets stronger and his painting start taking on a life of their own.

The first two-thirds of the book build the characters and the plot, there is some hint to what is coming, the last third of the book is where the supernatural kicks in and it becomes creepy. This is where I couldn't read and fall right to sleep. I rather enjoyed this book. I felt like there was a lot of realness to Edgar and what he was going through even if the supernatural part was a little out there, but isn't that why we like Stephen King? There's a lot going on in this book, each character has a story and we get to hear them, they are complex and interesting and I enjoyed the ride.

I give this 4 out of 5.