They say what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. In Lisey’s Story, what doesn’t kill you is always lurking for the opportunity.

I saw that this was a Stephen King novel adapted as an Apple TV show with Julianne Moore and Clive Owen, so I was all-in to read the book. The actors previously costarred in Children of Men, which I loved, and I couldn’t wait to see them together again…but book first, always.

So, the story? Stephen King can write the hell out of a character, and that holds true here. I loved the mystery at the center of the story – bool, the end! – and was interested to see what haunted the writer his whole life. The characters come to life with eerie detail and we get an intimate look at what bonded these soulmates through a series of intricately threaded flashbacks. But these aren’t just flashbacks. These are windows into the soul, where King shines and makes his fictional characters into relatable, flawed people.

I could relate to the characters, from a marriage point of view, and I loved the horror-lite element that was central to the story. Sometimes making sense of relationships and life is scarier than any boogeyman in Booya Moon. But that truth is rarely realized until you have the benefit of life experience and, hopefully, understanding. 4 of 5 stars; Read: Aug-Dec 2025