I missed the nods to Joe’s book. Did he mention it by name? Was it the novel or the short story collection?
I wouldn’t mind someone taking a stab at the question in Glory’s spoiler box. I’m wondering about that as well.
Haven’t read it, but everytime I see it I think “Numa Yey.” 
Elizabeth’s doll Noveen was cleverly hidden in a Heart Shaped Box.
Just finished the book last night, and loved it. It’s nice to see King coming back after a series of lackluster efforts (I wanted to like Cell but didn’t, and Lisey’s Story was…ugh.)
Another nice little nod I caught by accident just because I happened to look at the copyright page:
at one point, Edgar listens to a song called “Dig,” by Shark Puppy. The book’s copyright page lists it as being written by “R. Tozier and W. Denbrough,” and published by “Bad Nineteen Music.” That made me smile. 
Cool! Good catch.
I hope no one minds me bumping this thread a little, but I just received this book as a little get-well present. I’m about a quarter of the way through, and haven’t read the spoilers in this thread, but I have one question/comment, and one flat-out question.
Question/comment-Does anyone else here see Wireman played by Jack Nicholson, or is it just me?
Question-(Only answer if spoilers aren’t involved) Is this book tied in with the DT series at all? I only ask because Wireman has used the term “palaver”, which as far as I know, is proprietary to the DT books. Well, maybe proprietary isn’t the right word. But I think you know what I mean.
So far, I’m really, really enjoying it. It hasn’t gotten scary yet, but there’s been some foreshadowing suggesting scariness. I won’t even take it to bed with me at night, because I would stay up reading it instead of getting the sleep I need to recover from my recent surgery!
I’ve heard and used the word “palaver” long before SK wrote any DT stuff
I don’t think it’s tied in to the DT series at all. I finished the whole book and saw only one thing (which I now can’t remember) which even made me think of that series, and all I recall was that the connection wasn’t that strong. It just made me think, “Hmm…I wonder.”
Jack Nicholson is too caustic for Wireman, IMO. I see more of an amiable Jeff Bridges kind of guy.
Well, it doesn’t surprise me at all to confirm that your better read and better spoken than I am. DT’s just the only place I’ve encountered the term, myself; and since they do have so much of their own language, I made an assumption that turned out to be wrong. Thanks for clearing it up for me, though. I like the word a lot, think it says more than “conference” or “consultation” ever could, and since I now know it’s a “real” word, I think I’ll start using it!
I see what you mean, but I think Jack can play it more mellow when the role really calls for it. Of course, one never knows if there’s even a movie in the offing, and if there is, how badly Hollywood will fuck it up.
I had a hard time picturing Wireman. Actually, I don’t think I got a decent mental picture of any of the characters, except Elizabeth, who I pictured as Jessica Tandy, and I think she’s dead.
Heh. The very first scene where Edgar meets Elizabeth, I thought, “Ooooh, Jessica Tandy!” and my second thought was “Wait a minute-she’s dead”. 
Hope I’m still allowed to bump this…I’ve been re-reading the book with this question in mind. I have yet to find a better explanation, but if I do, I’ll bump again.
As for DT connections, after Edgar helps Wireman’s eyesight, he says that Wireman’s left eye is still red, but he had no doubt that it saw him, saw him very well.
Also, while picturing Wireman as Jack Nicholson in the first half of the book, for some reason in the second half, I was hearing the voice of John Spencer of West Wing fame. I told my hubby this, and he reminded me that John Spencer’s dead, too. 
It would be fitting, though, if they could make this movie with a cast of the un-dead.
I thought DT as well when Edgar referred to himself as something like a gunslinger with a paintbrush, or an artist gunslinger.
I could not get a good picture of any of the characters, really. I liked the book, but they were, I don’t know, kind of blobby to me. I do agree about the second half though. I was enjoying the mystical, hidden aspect of the “evil that lurked close by” then there they were, in the, umm, flesh.
I refer to that as the book taking the typical SK shit on me.
As long as no-one has a brain tumour. I am so sick of reading King books with brain tumour’s included as a plot point.
Hmmm. How do you feel about injuries to the brain which are not tumors?
I just finished it and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I thought the story flowed well, and we were able to settle in and get a good sense of the characters.
My only question is Why didn’t they just break the china doll into pieces? They could have buried each piece in fresh water separately, then probably no chance she would come back.
I got flashes from his other books as I was reading it…Salem’s Lot, definitely The Dark Tower, even a bit of Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption.
The only fear I have about making this into a movie is the paintings. Hollywood will never do them justice, and you’ll just have to accept they’re OMG from the actors’ reactions.
Poor Wireman. After everything he’d been through, he deserved a nice rundown hotel to fix up in Mexico with his friend, a la Red and Andy Dufresne.
Ivy, I think the answer might simply be that no one thought of it. You may have to default to some murky variation of a ‘they just didn’t want to risk it’ justification – if you feel you must.
I loved this book – really loved it, but
with a few weeks distance, I have to admit that the whole kicking, biting, nasty china doll thing was pretty fucking ridiculous in the first place.
Hey Dung Beetle, thanks for discussing this with me! I don’t know anybody else who’s read the book and it’s making me nuts. I really enjoyed the book while I was reading it, but it’s one of those books when I think about later I think “what the fuck?”
As far as my spoiler box quote:
[spoiler]My idea of Perse as a barometer doesn’t even make sense since Elizabeth KNOWS he is painting, encourages him, encourages him to have a show. She seems to know something “amazing” is happening with the painting and she is all gung-ho for him to continue. She doesn’t want him to sell them, but the whole thing is very confusing.
My new interpretation - Perse has had partial hooks in Elizabeth - she encourages Elizabeth to rent to artists since Elizabeth owns the entire island, if she doesn’t rent to artists, Perse can never hope to be free (since she acts through the art). Elizabeth tried to free herself at the art show when she “woke up” and realized that Perse was all over the pictures and was encouraging them to be sold to spread her power and influence over others - so Perse killed her, she didn’t think she needed Elizabeth anymore.
Really, the whole thing is maddening and made no sense. Perse killed 3 of Elizabeth’s sisters, a BIL and a beloved nurse. Who would possibly tell an artist “go paint something! see what happens!” in this scenario, can’t blame it on the Alzheimers, she had been renting to artists for years![/spoiler]