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apxllo'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
4.5
Graphic: Racial slurs, Grief, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Murder, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Death, Child death, Child abuse, Racism, Homophobia, Mental illness, Injury/Injury detail, Classism, Cancer, Animal death, Sexism, Antisemitism, Body horror, Violence, Physical abuse, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Hate crime, Gore, Body shaming, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Suicide, Sexual harassment, and Sexual content
nataliii's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, and Bullying
Moderate: Ableism, Sexism, Fatphobia, Murder, Antisemitism, Homophobia, Child abuse, Child death, and Violence
Minor: Pedophilia, Cancer, Vomit, and Infertility
cinderrunner's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
There are some good things about this book, but the bad significantly outweigh them. This is one of the most needlessly offensive and problematic books i have ever read. The only thing horrifying about this novel is that King had the audacity to include so much needless hatred and is still being praised for it. The level of racism, sexism, pedophilia/sexualization of minors, anti semitisim, etc is FAR beyond anything that is warranted by the plot and its honestly inexcusable. If you took a shot everytime King used the N word with a hard R, you'd die of alcohol poisoning somewhere between the one third and halfway mark. King is constantly using language and scenarios that sexualize Beverly, constantly mentioning the way her 12 year old body is maturing, painting her as a (and im quoting here) "whore" from almost every chatacters POV. Shes even sexualized in her own POVs.
It is also overlong, it could have easily been 400 pages shorter than it was. It dragged on and on. It doesnt genuinely pick up or reach a true climax til around page 950 (in my edition) so like 150 pages away from the end. That's ridiculous. King is constantly overloading the book with lore building and exposition that really isnt needed past a certain point. It took me 4 months of on and off reading to finally get through this thing. Ive never taken more than a month to read a book, even dense ones like the entire Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) series, in my adult life.
Most people I have seen, even those who praise this book, don't count this as a book they would ever reread. If that's not a red flag i don't know what is. I cant think of a single book, even thick and complex ones, that i loved and wouldn't pick up again.
PROS: King is a genuinely skilled writer on a technical level and the book is well crafted. There are very thoughtful and interesting themes around childhood vs adulthood, the transition between the two, and the power of faith/belief. It really could have been a gorgeous novel if he leaned more into that earlier in the book and cut down on all the unnecessary bigotry and lore building. I likely would have loved this if it was shorter and less hate filled.
Graphic: Animal death, Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Classism, Physical abuse, Rape, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Self harm, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Cancer, Cannibalism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child death, Pedophilia, Toxic friendship, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Incest, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Vomit, Alcohol, Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Fatphobia, Gore, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Antisemitism, Excrement, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment
The whole book is a trigger warning. It is full of violence, GRAPHIC bigotry, and the sexualization of women and especially minors.egoldb5238's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Fatphobia, Gore, Blood, Child death, Cursing, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Body horror, Bullying, Hate crime, Misogyny, Suicide, Violence, Body shaming, Death of parent, Death, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Emotional abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, and Religious bigotry
Moderate: Antisemitism, Grief, Homophobia, Addiction, and Alcohol
Minor: Cancer and Vomit
kenna11's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Cultural appropriation, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Misogyny, Murder, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Religious bigotry, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
mayakinsley'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
5.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Homophobia, Hate crime, Incest, Infertility, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Medical content, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexual content, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
Moderate: Infidelity and Gun violence
Minor: Antisemitism
indi_reads'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
4.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Grief, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, and Toxic relationship