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emccardel's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Racial slurs, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Misogyny, Incest, Sexism, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Gore, Sexual violence, Racism, Antisemitism, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Child abuse
cowahbull's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Homophobia, Murder, Physical abuse, Incest, Sexual content, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide, Child abuse, Child death, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Pedophilia, and Police brutality
Moderate: Rape
cararainx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual violence, Bullying, Sexual content, Racial slurs, Alcoholism, Body horror, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Murder, Infidelity, Grief, Racism, and Cursing
cosmicreader90's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Torture, Homophobia, Hate crime, Bullying, Child death, Racism, Murder, Animal death, and Sexual content
kreglow's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Drug use, Hate crime, Infidelity, Stalking, Body horror, Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Excrement, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Racism, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Vomit, Xenophobia, Pedophilia, Rape, Religious bigotry, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Self harm, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Racial slurs, Suicidal thoughts, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gun violence, Incest, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Torture, Cancer, Chronic illness, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Misogyny, Police brutality, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Infertility, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Physical abuse, Antisemitism, Fatphobia, and Fire/Fire injury
kakimbrew's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Hate crime, Racism, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Violence, Child death, Fatphobia, Racial slurs, Gore, Suicide, Murder, and Pedophilia
chambecc's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
It, I think, is properly described as a horror epic, not strictly a novel. The book is a veritable brick at roughly 1150 pages, and I took a bit over 2 months to read it (caveat being I took breaks to read other material, but still).
I'm a King fan and will generally read most anything by him. But in some ways, I think "It" will always be my favorite book of his. Less because of detailed descriptions of a vulgar, malevolent, shapeshifting entity terrorizing a small town in Maine, and more about the book's heart: friendship. Growing up. Overcoming fear. The fading of memory. How our roots haunt us even when we thought we've left them behind.
Ben, Beverly, and Richie are some of my favorite King characters ever. But every kid in the book has a voice, a perspective, that broadens the narrative and makes you more deeply invested in the story's outcome. A common complaint is that the book is too long. Speaking candidly: I think the book was exactly as long as it needed to be to tell the story of the Losers' Club and their odyssey to conquer the manifestation of pure evil, which we commonly know as Pennywise.
And more importantly - to my brain, anyway - is the friendship that suffuses the story. The love these kids have for each other. The loyalty. Their marrow-deep trust of each other, despite facing visceral terror. In many ways, King is at his best when he's writing kids, and this book shows it better than any other.
King doesn't regard himself as much of a prose stylist, but I think this book shows that the man writes wonderfully. The descriptions of Derry are granular and gorgeous to read at points. I still think about the passage of Bill soaring over the hill on his bike and into downtown Derry, not caring about mortality, fear, his stutter - pure, unvarnished freedom. Bill Denbrough beats the devil, indeed.
I'm not sure I'd say "if you only ever read one King book, let this be it (or is that It?)... but on the other hand, if you're craving something that isn't just horrifying and skin deep, pick this one up. Who knows... maybe you'll float, too.
Graphic: Murder, Domestic abuse, Child death, and Homophobia
Moderate: Racism and Misogyny
ehamlett's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child death, Sexual content, Death, Domestic abuse, Violence, Bullying, Racism, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Blood, and Body horror
Moderate: Abandonment, Physical abuse, Alcohol, Sexual assault, Racial slurs, Suicide, and Addiction
Minor: Religious bigotry, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Animal death, Infertility, and Pedophilia
sav_22's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Eating disorder, Domestic abuse, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Sexual violence, Sexism, Religious bigotry, Police brutality, Gun violence, Gore, Gaslighting, Excrement, Death of parent, Alcohol, Abandonment, Animal cruelty, Torture, Misogyny, Mental illness, Infidelity, Hate crime, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, Child death, Body shaming, Body horror, Stalking, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Racism, Rape, Physical abuse, Pedophilia, Death, Confinement, Bullying, Blood, Violence, Toxic relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Medical trauma, Incest, Fatphobia, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Racial slurs, Forced institutionalization, Dysphoria, Drug abuse, Cursing, and Alcoholism
donavanmoore's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Child death, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Suicide, and Bullying
Moderate: Alcohol, Murder, Body shaming, Racism, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Misogyny, and Gore
Minor: Sexual harassment, Sexual content, and Classism