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scrap_of_sassafras's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Violence, Sexual content, Sexism, Suicide, Racial slurs, Murder, Addiction, and Homophobia
tcgarback's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Critical Score: B
Personal Score: B+
Reading Experience: 📘📘📘📘(4/5)
This was refreshingly classic King, and that’s just what the doctor ordered. I loved the huge cast, small town vibes, and gradually increasing dread.
At times the satire is in full command, and other times it feels like the joke is more on King than anyone else. There’s some implausibility with the general function of the book.
So anyway, if you get over the silly stuff like that (and I found this relatively easy to do) this is deviously fun and cozily nostalgic.
But of course, because this is classic King, there is some problematic stuff to shift through: fatphobia, casual racism, and homophobia are the most obvious ones here. I also hate that the protagonist is a cop.
This one also lacks scariness, but honestly, there are very few King books that scare me.
I loved the unexpected twist on the meaning of the title at the start of Part Three. I loved the colorful assortment of merchandise and their respective human flaws (addiction, chronic pain, grief, materialism, loneliness, lust, etc).
To wrap things up, I loved that this was a nice and long deep dive into another small town falling apart, complete with a balanced ensemble cast and an increasingly complex web of subplots.
Not in my Stephen King God-tier, but not far below it either.
Minor: Fatphobia, Homophobia, and Racism
hschlecht's review against another edition
5.0
Minor: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Blood, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Sexual content, Homophobia, Suicide attempt, Torture, Mental illness, Murder, Racial slurs, Animal death, Body shaming, Bullying, Car accident, Child death, Drug use, Self harm, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Racism, Toxic relationship, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Violence
readwithbells's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Violence, Vomit, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia, Racism, and Animal death
cyanide_latte's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Word of caution, as I don't have the energy right now to be able to list <i>all</i> the content and trigger warnings this book contains, I do NOT recommend this as someone's first Stephen King novel. This is extremely heavy and dark, and arguably too much to start with if you want to get into his works. If you've already read a few of his other books, especially any of the others set in the town of Castle Rock, then you should be okay.
Graphic: Addiction, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Murder, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, and Violence
Minor: Pedophilia