Reviews tagging 'Grief'

It by Stephen King

95 reviews

underseawife's review against another edition

adventurous slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child death, Death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Suicide, Violence, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Alcohol

Minor: Hate crime, Sexual content, Grief, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis

errie's review against another edition

4.0

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Content Warnings

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

adventurous dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• 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

I am taking away 0.25 from my review for the inexplicable gangbang of the tweens.

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Content Warnings

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

skylerhill's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny tense medium-paced

• 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

Stephen King was almost certainly gifted the uncanny ability to write horrendously shitty people. Like oh my god. 

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.

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Content Warnings

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

wickedbastard's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective sad tense slow-paced

• 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

Damn near perfect.

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).

One: Stan's account of the drowned boys in the standpipe. Even re-reading that, it gave me such chills and gooseflesh. The detail and pacing is absolutely flawless in that scene. It is a pure legend and captures the soul of the child from whose perspective it is told. The second: When Stan uses the names of birds to repel the attacks of IT. There is something powerful about that.

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:

During the final Ritual of Chüd, I think it should have been Beverly who finished the ritual against IT. As it actually happened, Bill attempted and lost his grip; Richie went in and saved bill, but couldn't hold on long enough; and then Eddie, outside of it all, dealt a mortal wound to IT and paid with his life.

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.

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Content Warnings

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

lillyklymiuk's review

dark mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Mental illness, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail

theyaz's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

3.75

This was my 4th SK novel. I remember watching the tv miniseries when I was a kid and being fascinated by the demonic clown terrorizing the kids. Come to think of it, the adults in my life probably shouldn't have let me watch it, lol.

I didn't realize this story was so long but I enjoyed it overall. Personally, I think I would have preferred IT to not be some alien monster from another world. Also, was that a child orgy? Maybe I misread/misinterpreted. 

I know the book was written between 81-85 but there were a lot slurs and some triggering content. Sensitive readers, beware.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Racism, and Grief

tessvosper's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• 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

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Vomit, Medical trauma, Suicide attempt, Murder, Cultural appropriation, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Ableism, Alcoholism, Antisemitism, Dementia, Grief, and Alcohol

nikolad89's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.75

This book is crazy good. The way time is used as a narrarive tool is masterful and the titular villain is just amazing. The characters, oh I love them so much. It's really weird, in good ways and bad: some chapters felt like Stephen King was on acid while writing them in the best way possible, but it was very 'she breasted boobily' at times. There are few scenes that are quite heavy and disturbing though.

Mike's racial torment made me understand more why slurs can be so triggering. Also the sewer scene was so unnecessary and strange but at least it was only like four pages.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Hate crime, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Antisemitism, Medical trauma, and Murder

Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Slavery, and Grief

A lot of the heavy stuff can really escalate quickly in some chapters.

merandferny's review

adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infertility, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Antisemitism, Grief, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Cultural appropriation, and Injury/Injury detail