Crime, Mysteries & Thrillers discussion

Hello Fellow Crime, Mystery & Thriller readers,


Welcome to our discussion about Duma Key by Stephen King, your discussion leader is Rosalyn.
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about spoilers

Please note: If you have not finished reading the book spoilers are permitted in this discussion from the start. If you would like to use the spoiler formatting it can be found on the top right of the comment box in the "(some html is ok)" menu.
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Summary

A terrible construction site accident takes Edgar Freemantle's right arm and scrambles his memory and his mind, leaving him with little but rage as he begins the ordeal of rehabilitation. A marriage that produced two lovely daughters suddenly ends, and Edgar begins to wish he hadn't survived the injuries that could have killed him. He wants out. His psychologist, Dr. Kamen, suggests a "geographic cure," a new life distant from the Twin Cities and the building business Edgar grew from scratch. And Kamen suggests something else.

"Edgar does anything make you happy?"

"I used to sketch."

"Take it up again. You need hedges . . . hedges against the night."

Edgar leaves Minnesota for a rented house on Duma Key, a stunningly beautiful, eerily undeveloped splinter of the Florida coast. The sun setting into the Gulf of Mexico and the tidal rattling of shells on the beach call out to him, and Edgar draws. A visit from Ilse, the daughter he dotes on, starts his movement out of solitude. He meets a kindred spirit in Wireman, a man reluctant to reveal his own wounds, and then Elizabeth Eastlake, a sick old woman whose roots are tangled deep in Duma Key. Now Edgar paints, sometimes feverishly, his exploding talent both a wonder and a weapon. Many of his paintings have a power that cannot be controlled. When Elizabeth's past unfolds and the ghosts of her childhood begin to appear, the damage of which they are capable is truly devastating.

The tenacity of love, the perils of creativity, the mysteries of memory and the nature of the supernatural--Stephen King gives us a novel as fascinating as it is gripping and terrifying.

hey y'all, excited to read this in June! below are discussion questions

Characters:

Which character did you find most intriguing or relatable, and why?
How do the characters' past experiences shape their actions and decisions throughout the novel?
Do you think the characters undergo significant development or change by the end of the story?

Themes:

What themes did you identify in the novel, and how are they explored?
How does the theme of creativity intersect with the supernatural elements of the story?
In what ways does "Duma Key" explore the concept of redemption and the consequences of past mistakes?

Setting:

Discuss the significance of the setting, particularly Duma Key itself, and its impact on the story and characters.

Symbolism and Motifs:

Explore the significance of recurring motifs or symbols in the novel, such as the shells, the paintings, or the number 19.
How do these symbols contribute to the themes and deeper meanings of the story?

Fear and the Unknown:

How does the novel tap into universal fears and anxieties, both supernatural and psychological?
Discuss the role of the unknown and the unknowable in driving the suspense and horror of the story.

The Creative Process:

How does the act of painting serve as a metaphor for the creative process and the power of art?
Discuss Edgar's artistic journey and its parallels with his personal struggles and inner demons.