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3.68 AVERAGE
3.68 AVERAGE
This was officially my first Stephen King novel. I am proud of myself for getting through this. I listened to it, yes. It took me three check out's at the library to get through the whole thing and it took me months. Was it worth it? Oh, yes. Stephen King is popularly known for being awesome. He has a bunch of books and is really famous and everything. Everyone has heard of him. So obviously, I needed to read at least one of his novels in my life. And I am glad I did.
What I liked:
• Christine is a creepy book: Really, I wasn't sure what to expect when reading this type of horror novel, but I am usually not scared easily when it comes to books. But this book, although not really scary, is really creepy. It takes about half of the book before things really start getting spooky and even though we all know what Christine is capable of, I was horrified by how graphic the killing scenes were. It made me freak out a bit and at night I thought about it once or twice while laying in the dark.
• The characters: Dennis was my favorite character pretty much and Arnie's best friend. He narrates the whole book and although he is missing from a chunk of it, he is probably the best character to describe what happens throughout the story. He is there from beginning to end, and sees it all. I instantly liked Dennis because of his relationship with Arnie. They have best friends all their lives and it was obvious that even though Dennis was slightly popular while Arnie was not, they were true friends that remained together.
Arnie, the main character of the book, is obsessed with Christine. He falls in love with her the moment he sees her and although his personality changes a lot throughout the book, I felt sorry for him and really wanted him to be okay. I know that what was happening to him was something he tried to fight, but couldn't.
Leigh, Arnie's parents, Dennis parents, and all the others (because there was a lot!) added a lot to the book and I never had trouble with keeping track of who was who. This is partly because they all had unique names, but each character was described with such detail that their differences were immediately notable.
• The writing: Stephen King's novels are long and so detailed, but I think that pretty much made Christine a great book. Some might think that there is way too much detail, but I don't think so. I enjoyed every word and am glad I got through the whole thing. It was definitely a lengthy read, but worth it.
What I didn't like:
• The ending: Christine has a this-is-the-end-but-not-really kind of ending where you are left wondering if there will ever be a second book or something. I couldn't decide if this was a good or bad thing, because in the end, I was sort of left with a creepy feeling that she's still out there ready to keep killing...
• The different POV: This changes constantly throughout the book, going from third to first, switching characters often. It didn't confuse me or anything, but I wish this would have remained consistent throughout the book instead of changing so much.
Overall: Christine was a great first book to read by a new author to me. Stephen King obviously knows what he is doing and wrote a fantastic book that I was captivated by. I was able to understand and connect with all the characters and couldn't stop listening to learn what would happen next. Very detailed and lengthy, Christine feels very real. I definitely recommend this to those who enjoy horror novels and King's novels.
What I liked:
• Christine is a creepy book: Really, I wasn't sure what to expect when reading this type of horror novel, but I am usually not scared easily when it comes to books. But this book, although not really scary, is really creepy. It takes about half of the book before things really start getting spooky and even though we all know what Christine is capable of, I was horrified by how graphic the killing scenes were. It made me freak out a bit and at night I thought about it once or twice while laying in the dark.
• The characters: Dennis was my favorite character pretty much and Arnie's best friend. He narrates the whole book and although he is missing from a chunk of it, he is probably the best character to describe what happens throughout the story. He is there from beginning to end, and sees it all. I instantly liked Dennis because of his relationship with Arnie. They have best friends all their lives and it was obvious that even though Dennis was slightly popular while Arnie was not, they were true friends that remained together.
Arnie, the main character of the book, is obsessed with Christine. He falls in love with her the moment he sees her and although his personality changes a lot throughout the book, I felt sorry for him and really wanted him to be okay. I know that what was happening to him was something he tried to fight, but couldn't.
Leigh, Arnie's parents, Dennis parents, and all the others (because there was a lot!) added a lot to the book and I never had trouble with keeping track of who was who. This is partly because they all had unique names, but each character was described with such detail that their differences were immediately notable.
• The writing: Stephen King's novels are long and so detailed, but I think that pretty much made Christine a great book. Some might think that there is way too much detail, but I don't think so. I enjoyed every word and am glad I got through the whole thing. It was definitely a lengthy read, but worth it.
What I didn't like:
• The ending: Christine has a this-is-the-end-but-not-really kind of ending where you are left wondering if there will ever be a second book or something. I couldn't decide if this was a good or bad thing, because in the end, I was sort of left with a creepy feeling that she's still out there ready to keep killing...
• The different POV: This changes constantly throughout the book, going from third to first, switching characters often. It didn't confuse me or anything, but I wish this would have remained consistent throughout the book instead of changing so much.
Overall: Christine was a great first book to read by a new author to me. Stephen King obviously knows what he is doing and wrote a fantastic book that I was captivated by. I was able to understand and connect with all the characters and couldn't stop listening to learn what would happen next. Very detailed and lengthy, Christine feels very real. I definitely recommend this to those who enjoy horror novels and King's novels.
Read this book back in high school. Marked it 3-stars because I don't remember liking it but not LOVING it like I do some of his other works.
Who thought a book about an evil car would be so good? This one was just so bittersweet.
The first Stephen King book I ever read. I can still see the first edition hardback copy on my dad's bookcase--I had to be sneaky reading it because I was afraid he would take it away (I was 12 or 13). Even though it's not his best work it still got me hooked for life.
Finally, I get a King book with (some) finality. At least, enough to satisfy. This is another relatively long read and it is pretty slow in comparison to most King novels. A horror book centered around a car sounds cool, and it is, but I feel like there's only so much you can do, though King did it all very well. I also really related to Arnie and Dennis as individuals and their friendship, making the connection to characters very strong. Despite being pretty slow, I was never bored, and giving me a decent amount of finality help get this book the four stars.
Goosie Scale Rating: 4/10
I basically didn't get worked up at any point of this book until the very end. The creep factor took over and the goosebumps took their late appearance on the way out, but overall this book didn't have the powerful scenes or story line to provide the feels.
First Sentence Rating: 6/10
"“Oh my God!” my friend Arnie Cunningham cried out suddenly."
I mean, I obviously want to know more after reading this first line, but it's not super captivating. Once you read further, finally finish the book, and you realize the weight of that first moment, it's a much more powerful sentence. But on the outside looking in, it's relatively average.
Goosie Scale Rating: 4/10
I basically didn't get worked up at any point of this book until the very end. The creep factor took over and the goosebumps took their late appearance on the way out, but overall this book didn't have the powerful scenes or story line to provide the feels.
First Sentence Rating: 6/10
"“Oh my God!” my friend Arnie Cunningham cried out suddenly."
I mean, I obviously want to know more after reading this first line, but it's not super captivating. Once you read further, finally finish the book, and you realize the weight of that first moment, it's a much more powerful sentence. But on the outside looking in, it's relatively average.
It is a good enough Stephen King book, but not one of his best, would not recommend as an introduction to Stephen King
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
WHY ARE YOU SO TWISTED, STEPHEN??? WHY? THIS WAS AMAZING BUT DISTURBING BEYOND WORDS
Now that I finally have the time to sit down and hash out my thoughts, I want to take a second to reiterate that I owe my friend who is a King buff a huge thank-you for talking about this book enough while she was going through it to pique my own interest. If it hadn't been for her, I wouldn't have given this book a second glance.
As far as the books I've read by King go, I wouldn't say that I love this one as much as the Shining duology or Carrie, but it was still absolutely entertaining and eerie. Will I re-read it as frequently as the other three I've mentioned? Probably not, but I can see myself re-reading it more than Misery. It's a very good sort of late fall/early winter horror novel, based on the timeline of the story.
I'll also say that I love the themes that I picked up on, in this? On one hand, I feel like there's still themes of addiction in there, based on King's own life experiences, but they're pretty closely interwoven with the concept of an unhealthy and all-consuming obsession in the form of Arnie's fixation on Christine. Additionally, I feel like there's a layer or two beneath that.
One would be the fact that it's so easy to end up in a toxic relationship without realizing it, and for some people who have low self-regard initially, it can be almost impossible to escape those relationships. Even if you do, you don't come out of it undamaged. [See again, Arnie and Christine, in a way.] And also, I think there's something to be said for the theme or exploration of the idea, that people who spend their lives causing harm to others and spreading venom leave a lasting impact even after they're gone, that continues to harm the people who were in their orbit. [See, Roland LeBay.]
The level of depth to the way King interweaves all of these in Christine is admirable, and I can tell you I'm going to be thinking about this one for a long time yet to come.
As far as the books I've read by King go, I wouldn't say that I love this one as much as the Shining duology or Carrie, but it was still absolutely entertaining and eerie. Will I re-read it as frequently as the other three I've mentioned? Probably not, but I can see myself re-reading it more than Misery. It's a very good sort of late fall/early winter horror novel, based on the timeline of the story.
I'll also say that I love the themes that I picked up on, in this? On one hand, I feel like there's still themes of addiction in there, based on King's own life experiences, but they're pretty closely interwoven with the concept of an unhealthy and all-consuming obsession in the form of Arnie's fixation on Christine. Additionally, I feel like there's a layer or two beneath that.
One would be the fact that it's so easy to end up in a toxic relationship without realizing it, and for some people who have low self-regard initially, it can be almost impossible to escape those relationships. Even if you do, you don't come out of it undamaged. [See again, Arnie and Christine, in a way.] And also, I think there's something to be said for the theme or exploration of the idea, that people who spend their lives causing harm to others and spreading venom leave a lasting impact even after they're gone, that continues to harm the people who were in their orbit. [See, Roland LeBay.]
The level of depth to the way King interweaves all of these in Christine is admirable, and I can tell you I'm going to be thinking about this one for a long time yet to come.
Je n'avais pas encore lu ce grand classique du King et je suis très heureux de finalement avoir pris le temps de le faire. Ce livre est fort intéressant pour plusieurs raisons. Premièrement, l'auteur arrive à nous faire croire et craindre qu'une voiture peut être possédée et meutrière, ce qui pour plusieurs auraient abouti à une histoire ridicule, mais Stephen King réussit ce tour de force avec brio. L'histoire est aussi intéressante par ces thèmes, l'amitié, la famille, l'adolescence et surtout la dépendance, abordé par le biais de la relation avec la voiture, mais qui pourrait ce rapporter à presque toutes les relations de dépendances. Finalement, d'un point de vu plus personnel, ce livre se passe à la fin des années 70, et je me suis aperçu en cours de lecture qu'il s'agissait de l'époque à laquelle ma mère avait justement l'âge des personnages principaux et cela n'a fait qu'augmenter encore plus mon intérêt pour ce livre et cette époque.
Bref, personnage, intrigue, rythme, fin, tout y est. Un incontournable pour les fans de Stephen King et un bon choix pour le découvrir pour les autres.
Bref, personnage, intrigue, rythme, fin, tout y est. Un incontournable pour les fans de Stephen King et un bon choix pour le découvrir pour les autres.