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curtiswastaken's review
- 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? Yes
3.0
I think IT is maybe one of the worst places to start if you want to get into King, but it's also maybe the ultimate bellwether to know if you're going to love or hate Stephen King books.
If you read all of this book and just love it, 5 stars, no notes, then you probably are going to like anything King has to offer. And I love that for you.
I think this style can be effective sometimes. I think Cujo is a great example where King is able to inject his flavor of world-building that manages to work and elevate the story rather than detract. Christine is the opposite, a mostly fun premise that is routinely soured by obnoxious sidetracking into the past.
What is frustrating about IT is that there is a of stuff that is GREAT. And a lot of what is great about IT is when you're in the dark about what Pennywise is or isn't. The further you go into this book, the more you are told about the history of Derry and 25 different interwoven stories across multiple generations. And the more you learn about Derry and the people within, the less Pennywise feels like a malevolent puppet master and more of a boogeyman.
The inciting event of IT, Georgie encountering Pennywise while chasing his paper boat down the street, is the big motivator for the presumed main character of Bill. But the further you read into IT the impact of that story increasingly dwindles. Bill kind of becomes the least interesting character but as it plays out is ultimately the big hero.
For better or worse, the book should have been about Beverly. And that's probably my biggest gripe with this book, even more so than the fact that about 300-400 pages of this book could disappear and I wouldn't even notice.
Bill, Eddie, Stanley, and Richie just aren't that interesting. I don't care about Eddie and his overbearing mom. I don't care whether Richie is funny or not. Stanley barely feels like he's in this book compared to how much space is devoted to the others, which I'll take as a win.
The ritual scene, the most notorious part of this book aside from Georgie getting ripped apart in the beginning, is the most puzzling aspect. Ultimately, the kids are meant to discover that things that make them weak are the things that make them powerful. Beverly's weakness is tied to her sexuality, at least tied to the perception of her sexuality from the POV of adults in her life. I think there is a version of Beverly's story that ends more solidly with her understanding of what about being a woman makes her powerful.
But why is Beverly's story so strongly tied to sexuality? I understand that the negative perception that's repeatedly drilled into her mind about how sex is bad and if she has sex then she is bad can be thwarted by Beverly having a positive experience with sex and finding power in that. But why does it have to be letting her friends bang her? It subverts the positive outcome for Beverly to realize being a woman is her strength, not her weakness, and instead manifests in a scene where she gratifies her male peers with her body is just very disappointing. It's also not deviating much from the constant tropes King relies on to tell stories about women in his books.
Graphic: Child death, Sexual assault, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Racial slurs, Sexual content, and Blood
Minor: Animal cruelty, Suicide, and Antisemitism
errie's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Incest, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Antisemitism, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Classism
pressready'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? No
3.75
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual assault, Violence, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Sexual harassment
hljxn_3's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Sexual assault, and Violence
bagonballoon'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? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Blood, Antisemitism, Death of parent, and Alcohol
skylerhill's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Also, Stephen. Steve. Why on God’s green earth did you think it necessary to add the kids’ sex scene??? Personally feel as though you just, like, shouldn’t have done that and that it was in no way integral and you could’ve come up with something different but idk.
Anyway, this book is a lot: it’s thick, it’s outdated, it’s disgusting, it’s mentally challenging… but it’s also well-done classic horror, and maybe the most unsettling book I’ve ever read. I don’t think this is as good as The Shining (read the book, the movie’s mid), and there are plenty of modern horror pieces I’d recommend before this, but it’s still very effective at unsettling, for one reason or another. 8.25/10.
Graphic: Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Blood, Grief, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail
alicialikekeys'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
4.25
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Homophobia, and Injury/Injury detail
wickedbastard's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
This is my second time reading IT and I think I enjoyed it much more this time through, now that I know the main beats of the story. I'm very tempted to give it the full 5 stars outright but can't quite make myself do it. It is an AMAZING book -- but not perfect, and it's good to remember that, especially a book as enshrined as this one.
This time 'round I found myself picking up more on Stan as a character, and really enjoying him as a character. He's the doubter, the skeptic, the one who clings to brickwall reality even when the impossible is threatening to destroy him. It might seem like he lacks the capacity for faith but the reality is far too simple: Stan has little except his faith -- faith in the REAL, the tangible, the logical, the proven. And during his confrontations with IT, he is able to weaponize his faith in the real against IT and prevail.
Two scenes stand out (arguably the main two Stan is in at all).
I believe in scarlet tanagers even though I never saw one. Same with vultures, and the New Guinea mudlark and the flamingos of Brazil. I believe in the golden bald eagle! And I think there really might be a phoenix somewhere! But I don't believe in you, so get the fuck out of here! Get out! Hit the road, Jack!
-- Stan, altered for continuity.
Last thought for this time:
Those first two points are all good with me, but I don't think Eddie's part should have happened. I think it would have been much better if, when Richie was starting to lose his grip, Bev entered the fray and kicked its ass, out there in the cosmic drift. Woman-to-woman, nobody fucks with my friends but me kinda thing. Woulda been cool.
Okay, last last thought: The audiobook was truly a stellar experience. Mine was narrated by Steven Weber and he worked his absolute ass off. He did all of Richie's voices, and Bill's stutter, plus the voices of IT, plus many voices/inflections for certain characters. He also has a really good sense of how to read a book and make the cadence sound natural, off-the-cuff, casual. Listening to his style is pure delight. I will happily listen to any audiobook narrated by Steven Weber.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Suicide, Blood, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Death of parent, and Murder
voicenextdoor'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? No
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Blood, Antisemitism, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Incest, Infertility, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, and Cultural appropriation
adiajamille's review against another edition
4.25
*As for the racism and use of racial slurs. This story takes place (mostly) in the 50s and 80s in a small town that has its own special branch of the KKK. The racism was authentic and realistic. And I’m glad he didn’t try to pretend that those things wouldn’t exist in reality, but ESPECIALLY in Derry. Derry, being a place being manipulated by an alien that feeds on fear and other negative emotions. Please be fr if you don’t understand the use of language etc.
*As for Beverly. She was a young girl being abused who grew into a woman being abused. Her story was authentic to girls/ women who experience that, before they find liberation. She did what she could based on how she had been conditioned her entire life.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Hate crime, Incest, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Murder, and Alcohol