- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton; New edition edition (4 Feb 1993)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0340546727
- ISBN-13: 978-0340546727
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 16.4 x 3.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 942,853 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Dolores Claiborne
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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
More of a mystery than a horror novel, Dolores Claiborne contains only the briefest glances at the supernatural. The novel presents Stephen King as a writer experimenting with style and narrative, time and perspective. Fans looking for a skin-crawling, page-turning fright or an undead bloodbath will be disappointed, but a patient reader willing to savour King's leisurely study of character and island life will find many rewards. And all of this is not to say that the book is without suspense.
The story unfolds in one continuous chapter, told in the first person by the cranky, 65-year-old housekeeper, Dolores, who is explaining to police officers and a stenographer how and why she killed her husband, Joe, 30 years ago. At the same time, in her rambling monologue, she insists that she did not kill her longtime employer, Vera Donovan--notwithstanding what the residents of Little Tall Island may be whispering. Joe was a drinker, and, as Dolores gradually argues, he deserved to die for the horrifying crimes he committed against his family. But Vera, despite her cantankerous disposition as a lady governing her decaying estate with her precise rules about even the most mundane household chore ("Six pins! Remember to use six pins! Don't you let the wind blow my good sheets down to the corner of the yard!"), was a good woman--or at least not an evil one. She was the woman who hired the young Dolores and kept her on even after Dolores got pregnant again. Dolores cleaned and cared for her even as the old matron faded into senility.
Dolores Claiborne is a rich novel that recalls the regionalist writing of the turn of the century. It is a fine place for a sceptical newcomer--put off by King's reputation for outright terror--to start. And for fans, it is a book that offers new insights into an author who's an old favourite. --Patrick O'Kelley --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
'... the climax of Dolores's confession ... is one of his most accomplished and macabre set-pieces, a homicidal-rhapsody-in-bluechh ... Its message touches a nerve that has been raw since man first walked on two legs.' (The Sunday Times )
'A svelte and compelling masterpiece ... It is not just a powerful book, it is a beautiful book ... Only a novelist of the very first rank could combine comedy and tragedy so judiciously ... It is an exciting change of gear and a very fine book has resulted.' (Sunday Telegraph )
'An incredibly gifted writer, whose writing, like Truman Capote's, is so fluid that you often forget that you're reading.' (Guardian ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
'A svelte and compelling masterpiece ... It is not just a powerful book, it is a beautiful book ... Only a novelist of the very first rank could combine comedy and tragedy so judiciously ... It is an exciting change of gear and a very fine book has resulted.' (Sunday Telegraph )
'An incredibly gifted writer, whose writing, like Truman Capote's, is so fluid that you often forget that you're reading.' (Guardian ) --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
As a King fan of too many years, I have no qualms in saying this is my favourite King book so far. It feels like a long, short-story if you get me. It has more of the feeling of the excellent 'The Body' than of 'The Stand' where the main tale is all, and there are no sub-plots.
It is told in an unusual way that is at first hard to get into. But once you have, you can really feel the character of Delores as the story develops. Her pain and suffering are your pain and suffering. You want her to come out of this well. And does she? Well, read it. You won't be disappointed.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
SPOILERS
Dolores Claiborne is being questioned by police over the death of her employer, Vera Donovan, who broke her back falling down the stairs - or was she pushed? But as Dolores tells her story, it turns out she is responsible for a death, just not Vera's.
Stephen King chose to write this novel in the first person voice of Dolores who speaks in a very folksy, colloquially New England style, and it's up to the reader whether or not this voice is something you can handle or not as it goes on for the entire book. At times it feels like Grandpa Simpson telling a story, rambling on and on about something completely unrelated and uninteresting, and Dolores always must comment on anything anyone says. So when she relates a conversation she tacks on her thought on what that person said after it. It makes for an exhausting read.
My real problem was that this book didn't need to be this long. There's an extended section of the novel at the start where she talks about her relationship with Vera and focuses exclusively on her toilet habits. Then she relates everything about her family - bear in mind the framing device of this story is that she is sat in a police interrogation room - and then everything about her boring life.
There is a decent story here, of how she killed her husband after he molested their eldest daughter, but good lord it takes a helluva long time to get there. Most of the time I wanted to throttle Dolores and her endless banal platitudes that didn't add anything to the story and only made me angrier that King indulged so freely in tedious padding to what shouldn't have been longer than a short story of about 75-100 pages.
This is really only for hardcore King fans as it is far from his best work. There's no horror here, except some half-baked nightmares Dolores has, and the folksy nonsense Dolores spouts and her dull existence he seems to hold up as so virtuous because she's working class is nothing more than drivel coming from white trash. "Lisey's Story" is still the worst thing King's written but "Dolores Claiborne" runs a close second.
Dolores Claiborne is being questioned by police over the death of her employer, Vera Donovan, who broke her back falling down the stairs - or was she pushed? But as Dolores tells her story, it turns out she is responsible for a death, just not Vera's.
Stephen King chose to write this novel in the first person voice of Dolores who speaks in a very folksy, colloquially New England style, and it's up to the reader whether or not this voice is something you can handle or not as it goes on for the entire book. At times it feels like Grandpa Simpson telling a story, rambling on and on about something completely unrelated and uninteresting, and Dolores always must comment on anything anyone says. So when she relates a conversation she tacks on her thought on what that person said after it. It makes for an exhausting read.
My real problem was that this book didn't need to be this long. There's an extended section of the novel at the start where she talks about her relationship with Vera and focuses exclusively on her toilet habits. Then she relates everything about her family - bear in mind the framing device of this story is that she is sat in a police interrogation room - and then everything about her boring life.
There is a decent story here, of how she killed her husband after he molested their eldest daughter, but good lord it takes a helluva long time to get there. Most of the time I wanted to throttle Dolores and her endless banal platitudes that didn't add anything to the story and only made me angrier that King indulged so freely in tedious padding to what shouldn't have been longer than a short story of about 75-100 pages.
This is really only for hardcore King fans as it is far from his best work. There's no horror here, except some half-baked nightmares Dolores has, and the folksy nonsense Dolores spouts and her dull existence he seems to hold up as so virtuous because she's working class is nothing more than drivel coming from white trash. "Lisey's Story" is still the worst thing King's written but "Dolores Claiborne" runs a close second.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This novel is fantastic! After over a decade of reading Stephen King in sporadic bursts I finally decided to read the entire back catalogue back-to-back. Delores Claiborne never appealed to me before, as I prefer something with at least a brushing of the supernatural, but I thought I'd read it out of a desire for completeness. It turned out to be a pleasant surprise!
As I'm sure many Stephen King readers are aware, his books can sometimes take a couple of hundred pages to draw you into the story, before getting to 'the meat' of the tale. However, after 3 pages of Delores I couldn't put it down. One of the reasons for this is the fantastic narrative style employed, which introduces the lead character as much by her mannerisms of speech as anything else.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Average tale of domestic discord
Though I am not Stephen King's greatest fan I have read several of his novels though I tend to shy away from the horror end of things. Read more
Published 3 months ago by R. A. Davison
Very well written, a clever mix of tragedy and comedy
A cleverly written story from a refreshingly different perspective. I liked the use of comedy (mainly the way the main character describes some of her experiences) which, if... Read more
Published 7 months ago by Chris
dissapointed
The picture it displayed was not the one received it was an older publication, the condition was a quiet a used, as i like to keep the books i purchase i was disappointed in this... Read more
Published 13 months ago by EP1000
A classic! Loved the film - love the book!
Non typical Stephen King, and then again still Stephen King at his best if you think Misery style.Watched the film first. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Chadwick Thomas Marshburn
Incomparable Psychological Study of a Murderess
Dolores Claiborne is a housewife with problems. Stephen King gives us a window into her thoughts, feelings and desperation in her efforts to find a way through each new crisis. Read more
Published on 17 May 2010 by Ila France Porcher, author of My Sunset Rendezvous
Recommended by a friend... dissapointed
A few friends kept recommending me this book and since I have not read much Stephen King before I thought I would give it a go. Read more
Published on 7 Sep 2009 by Gerry
pushing boundries
Usually stephen king likes to do something different with his books, and dolores claiborne is no different. Be prepared to read from one cover to the other without a break. Read more
Published on 24 April 2009 by T. Brown
A great book
First Steven King novel i ever read, as i found it in the charity shop for very cheap, i was expecting something supernatural, even though there wasn't i loved it. Read more
Published on 25 Jan 2009 by Woodlandweasel
Definate good read
I'm not sure what it is about this book but I liked it, it has lots of little twists in it. I love the whole revenge on the husband factor of it and how affectionate she could be,... Read more
Published on 6 Oct 2006 by F. Vowles
Quite a good book
As a newcomer to King, I was expecting this book to be spine-chilling and creepy. It actually turned out to be more of a sociological country crime novel. Read more
Published on 6 May 2001
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