I just met crazy rivaling that of Annie Wilkes. Norman Daniels. He's a special kind of nut. 
 Turns out this book was better than I had anticipated. Maybe that's due to low expectations, seeing that many put this one towards the bottom of their personal King ratings. Introducing a preternatural painting within a story about spousal abuse is "out there", maybe more so than his other books. But isn't that what King does so well? The painting did not necessarily overwhelm the narrative. It added a dimension. Some have said this book would have been better as a straight-out thriller, with the supernatural element removed. Guess what? That's been done - a million times over. 
 There's a bull parallel with Norman that comes to fruition towards the end. When you see it, it's an obvious analogy, but smart (you'll need to have read the book to understand), and it caught me off guard. By doing this King brings the story full circle, using that wacky and wonderful imagination no less. Granted, this book is not for everyone. Even some King fans will cringe at the violence and sexual innuendos (many of which are not innuendos at all). And I don't know if it was just me, but I was rolling on the floor when Norman got hurt. Norman falls down the stairs. I laughed. Couldn't help it. I attribute it to King's use of slapstick amid terror, along with a display of alternating viewpoints (first experienced from Rosie's point of view, then Norman's). Plus, Norman's an ass, deserving of any pain that happened to come his way. 
 Recommend for King fans because none should be missed. A "probably not" for 1st time King readers. 
 PS. There's a tiny glimpse into the world of The Dark Tower. It doesn't say much, just kind of fun to run into.