Rose Madder was originally published in June of 1995.Warning, this review does contain spoilers.
Rose Daniels has an abusive husband. To make the situation worse, Norman Daniels is a police officer. Rose finally gains the courage to leave him and flees to the Midwest. She seeks refuge at a women's shelter known as Daughters and Sisters.
She trades her wedding ring for a painting that catches her eye in a pawn shop. She also lands a job recording audio books. She starts seeing a man, Bill, and starts to wonder if her life has turned around.
The painting appears to be changing each time she looks at it. The perspective is slightly different. Rose learns there is more to the painting when she is able to walk into the painting. Once there she meets a woman in a rose-madder dress. The woman gives her a quest to rescue her baby from a one eyes bull named Erinyes. She does so and the woman promises to repay the favor.
When Norman attacks the women's shelter, killing the director, Rose knows she needs that help. She tricks Norman into following her into the painting. The woman in the rose-madder dress gives Norman a violent welcome to her world.
Rose Madder is a combination of horror and fantasy. King gives us detailed glimpses into Rose's mind and the fears that plague her. The degree of violence and pain that family members can inflict on each other is terrifying. This is countered by the fantastic world within the painting.
I enjoyed the mix in this story and found Rose's world vivid and interesting. One of King's most admiral talents is to be able to craft a world, full of people and situations, that feels real. His worlds are places you hate to see end when you turn the last page.
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