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katiej'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? It's complicated
4.0
Not quite five stars as King does let himself down with problematic ideas, themes and language at times. Overall a gripping read for any horror fan.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Death of parent
ten_telegrams's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Gore, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Moderate: Body horror, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexual content, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
ohmseloquent's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Murder
Moderate: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, and Blood
breama2022's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
lily_112358's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Bullying, Death, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
irene_addler's review against another edition
2.0
Stephen King, at times, has very strong prose and vivid exposition, but he weakens his own tension with odd breaks in the middle of sentences. They're jarring and while I can see how they would serve the story, it's too often and drew me out of the story.
Then his tendency to go too far into the weird (often concerning nudity--sometimes with children) was also extremely unsettling in a way that didn't feel like it served the book. Unsettling in a way that made me question his decisions as an author, not unsettling in a way they left me creeped out. I even had a scene I loved and felt spooked by ruined by him going too far.
The book also aged very poorly with ample use of the n-word and some other slurs. I don't believe any of the usage was out of a personal racism he felt, but his attempt at writing a Black man while being a bit out of touch. I would be curious to hear a Black person's perspective on it, however.
Women are disproportionately objectified.
Much of the story felt like he didn't know where it was going, particularly in the middle. Luckily, many elements he seeded early were brought together at the end, but other elements sprinkled throughout felt like they could have been foreshadowed better.
He jumps perspectives too much. Some of the ending's tension was lost on me because of that, in fact.
I think a lot could have been cut from this book to create something solid, but it's too long and there are too many moments where the tension is ruined.
Final Verdict: Had I not been reading this for something, I would have DNFed.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Physical abuse, Racism, Violence, and Blood
rat_king6767'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
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Gore, Blood, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Racism, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Racial slurs
elikapaarnia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
4.25
Graphic: Alcoholism
Moderate: Blood
Minor: Gaslighting
kdefran117's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Violence, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
joshuanaya's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Blood, and Murder