mjhartnn's review
2.0
Long, repetitive, and replete with hackneyed religious "symbolism". Was this written with the intent of becoming a movie, or merely trying to be "IT"? Either way, I'm clearly the sucker, since I finished the thing.
corywbowers's review
4.0
I was really into this mostly. It does get too biblical and allegorical for my tastes, but I love how dark and gruesome it gets. It’s definitely odd considering it’s written like young adult fiction centered around children protagonists, but mostly if felt very Stephen King like in that way and worked for me. I don’t think it all makes sense and there are a bunch of plot holes, and I can see the repetitiveness turning people off, but it all seems very calculated and purposeful. This definitely could have been trimmed down, the ending is basically the second half of the book, but it was fun nonetheless. The Audible narration is also A+, one of the best performances I’ve listened to.
manonvanhastenberg's review
I don't know, this was such a weird book. It was not bad, but I am not sure what it was really about. It was just so very weird
interpretagain's review
5.0
Anyone who claimed this book was too long, can eat several bags of dicks.
Maybe I loved this book because it twisted the overarching bible story a bit. Maybe I loved it because I felt like I bonded with Christopher and his mother. Maybe I loved it because it took everyday people and uncovered the mundane bullshit in each of their lives.
Overall, I think I really loved it because it's a story about redemption. Pain and suffering exist in life, people make mistakes. This doesn't mean one has to suffer eternally, paying for the crimes you've committed.
The devil trying desperately to get out of hell and slowly eating away at the world and people's minds seems to me a great metaphor for regret, and the only way out is through letting go of the chain that connects everyone, and every bad thing you've ever done and experienced in life-- by simply by deciding to do so.
Pain has happened, it makes us who we are. That doesn't mean we have to hold onto it forever. We can choose to let go.
Maybe I loved this book because it twisted the overarching bible story a bit. Maybe I loved it because I felt like I bonded with Christopher and his mother. Maybe I loved it because it took everyday people and uncovered the mundane bullshit in each of their lives.
Overall, I think I really loved it because it's a story about redemption. Pain and suffering exist in life, people make mistakes. This doesn't mean one has to suffer eternally, paying for the crimes you've committed.
The devil trying desperately to get out of hell and slowly eating away at the world and people's minds seems to me a great metaphor for regret, and the only way out is through letting go of the chain that connects everyone, and every bad thing you've ever done and experienced in life-- by simply by deciding to do so.
Pain has happened, it makes us who we are. That doesn't mean we have to hold onto it forever. We can choose to let go.
reviewsfeedblog's review against another edition
5.0
When the promotional email I received for the book likened Imaginary Friend to Stephen King’s IT, I had very high expectations of the complexity and creepiness of this thriller novel. Glad to say those expectations were met entirely, but what I didn’t expect was the length of it! Granted, IT is an exceptionally long novel at 1,396 pages. Still, Imaginary Friend weighs in at just over 700 pages. Compared to other horror/thriller novels I’ve picked up, it’s EPIC! There were some sections of narrative that were stickier than others to read. Could it be shorter? Perhaps. That said though, I do think it all adds up to the overall ending, so it's not wasteful content. It's relevance just isn't known at the time.
The content of the book is sinister enough, but what gave me the chills more was the protagonist subject to the horror and paranormal goings-on is a child. It made me question what was going on; could it be nothing more than Christopher’s vivid imagination, or was it real? I can’t say this novel gave me nightmares because I’m not really affected that way when it comes to horror. I know it to be fiction and so it doesn’t bother me that way. Judging from other reviews though, not everyone can say the same!
As can be expected with such an epic, there are a lot of characters that play their part in this story. Whilst Christopher and his immediate family are probably the most developed throughout, there is still plenty of time put into the ‘minor’ or ‘supporting’ characters. The detail that went into establishing each of the characters and their relations with others to build the whole dynamic of the town is astounding. I feel like I know everyone like I’ve lived amongst them myself! I absolutely had my favourites – Ambrose, special shout out to you. I invested heavily with the characters, and knowing the plot is heading towards a cataclysmic event spurs you on to find out what happens!
There may be some readers that don’t like some of the religious undercurrents towards the end of the story. I’m quite happy to put out there that I’m not religious at all, but I didn’t mind its inclusion or influence on the plot at all. I personally think it made it more interesting.
The content of the book is sinister enough, but what gave me the chills more was the protagonist subject to the horror and paranormal goings-on is a child. It made me question what was going on; could it be nothing more than Christopher’s vivid imagination, or was it real? I can’t say this novel gave me nightmares because I’m not really affected that way when it comes to horror. I know it to be fiction and so it doesn’t bother me that way. Judging from other reviews though, not everyone can say the same!
As can be expected with such an epic, there are a lot of characters that play their part in this story. Whilst Christopher and his immediate family are probably the most developed throughout, there is still plenty of time put into the ‘minor’ or ‘supporting’ characters. The detail that went into establishing each of the characters and their relations with others to build the whole dynamic of the town is astounding. I feel like I know everyone like I’ve lived amongst them myself! I absolutely had my favourites – Ambrose, special shout out to you. I invested heavily with the characters, and knowing the plot is heading towards a cataclysmic event spurs you on to find out what happens!
There may be some readers that don’t like some of the religious undercurrents towards the end of the story. I’m quite happy to put out there that I’m not religious at all, but I didn’t mind its inclusion or influence on the plot at all. I personally think it made it more interesting.
thewingsofwatto824's review
dark
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Here we have an ambitious book written with immediacy and overflowing with specific imagery. It is also a book of two halves. The first 350 pages are an unsettling, engaging, ambiguous mystery that plays more like a psychological drama. That part of the book is an easy 4 or 4.5/5 -- I was binge reading it and felt completely gripped.
Unfortunately the second half of the book brings the entire novel down. For a start, there is substantial bloat in those last 350 pages, particularly in the last 200 pages. Scenarios with similar structure keep playing out with too little variety. The reader becomes impatient and even bored. The tension dissipates as we simply wait for another method of our heroes to escape danger. It becomes predictable and it began as just the opposite.
Also, without getting into spoilers as to how or why, the book reveals itself to be an overtly Christian text. As a result, the delicious, creepy uncertainty of the novel's terrific first half becomes blunt, binary, and far too black and white. I think you may find yourself smirking or even laughing at how silly it becomes, while keeping the straightest possible face.
Mr. Chbosky knows how to intrigue the reader and his short chapter lengths are very generous for the neurodivergent book lover. However, it seems as if the final product is a first or second draft. Perhaps his greatest flaw as a writer is his annoying technique of "Having sentences. Written out. Like this. For no reason." Sure, it helps me read it faster but it ends up being a distraction and makes for poor prose. On another note, did we really need a blind character to be described multiple times as "blindly" looking for an object? Come on!
Mr. Chbosky is a talented writer and this book is no waste of time. His first half is simply too enthralling to dismiss this entire book, and even in the slog of a back half, I still found myself occasionally moved or creeped out. Unfortunately, the book as a whole is simply too messy, biting off more than it chew and leaving the reader very unsatisfied.
Unfortunately the second half of the book brings the entire novel down. For a start, there is substantial bloat in those last 350 pages, particularly in the last 200 pages. Scenarios with similar structure keep playing out with too little variety. The reader becomes impatient and even bored. The tension dissipates as we simply wait for another method of our heroes to escape danger. It becomes predictable and it began as just the opposite.
Also, without getting into spoilers as to how or why, the book reveals itself to be an overtly Christian text. As a result, the delicious, creepy uncertainty of the novel's terrific first half becomes blunt, binary, and far too black and white. I think you may find yourself smirking or even laughing at how silly it becomes, while keeping the straightest possible face.
Mr. Chbosky knows how to intrigue the reader and his short chapter lengths are very generous for the neurodivergent book lover. However, it seems as if the final product is a first or second draft. Perhaps his greatest flaw as a writer is his annoying technique of "Having sentences. Written out. Like this. For no reason." Sure, it helps me read it faster but it ends up being a distraction and makes for poor prose. On another note, did we really need a blind character to be described multiple times as "blindly" looking for an object? Come on!
Mr. Chbosky is a talented writer and this book is no waste of time. His first half is simply too enthralling to dismiss this entire book, and even in the slog of a back half, I still found myself occasionally moved or creeped out. Unfortunately, the book as a whole is simply too messy, biting off more than it chew and leaving the reader very unsatisfied.
whulia's review
4.0
I really loved this book! So many chills. It was a pretty meaty book though, and I don't think it had to be that long, but I still enjoyed reading through it. I felt like I couldn't put it down, and when I actually did, I was mostly thinking about this book.
I'm not religious or anything but I liked the heaven/hell concept quite a lot.
I'm not religious or anything but I liked the heaven/hell concept quite a lot.
johanna999999's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
brittany1027's review
emotional
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0