Reviews tagging 'Sexual violence'

It by Stephen King

76 reviews

bondenj's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexism, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Murder, Fatphobia, Pedophilia, Cultural appropriation, Racism, Mental illness, Suicide, and Sexual violence

whatrobinsonreads's review against another edition

dark fast-paced

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

4.25

In IT, Derry is America in 1958 and 1985. Thriving on the surface, with well-stocked shops downtown and nice houses with nice families surrounding it. It’s truly the shining city on Up-Mile Hill. But beneath the surface lurks an evil otherworldly presence that uses Derry as a feeding pen. It exerts unseen power over the people and keeps them silent, feeding on the townsfolk cyclically every 27 or so years. One of my favorite parts is how It is in everything—the air, the water, the houses, the factories, the fields. It’s the town (says Bill). It’s all the isms and fears imaginable rolled into one horrifying character: Pennywise, IT. When seven children decide to take It down, they alter their lives forever. 
Despite being 1,150 pages, it reads fast. And I’m left wanting more. Except, ofc, when I want less (yes I’m talking about that scene). Strong pacing. Terrific description. Many metaphors and lots of allusions. The narrative is the best part. Some of the language is outdated and many offensive terms are used, the n-word being used in particular a lot when the narrative focuses on Mike, the one Black character in the book, besides his dad, and the only main character who isn’t white. 
TW-wise: the book is 100% about bullying. It’s about overcoming bullying with your friends (albeit with more bullying, but what are you gonna do with one maybe two sociopaths and a kid who’s nicknamed Belch?), and coming together despite the distance of so much time. 
That scene: why did she have to sleep with all of them? King couldn’t have had her just like, suggest Eddie re-look? It’s so unnecessary. They don’t really know if It’s dead or gone away, they haven’t exhausted all their options looking wise, and it’s supposed to compare her to the library’s glass tunnel, well dude, objectification much? That turns her into this vessel so they can transition to adulthood and she can through them? Just…wtf with that scene. Sucks cause I love the rest of the book—Eddie was my guy 💔— and this scene is absurdly and frustratingly gratuitous. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Bullying, Child death, and Violence

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Racial slurs, Hate crime, and Suicide

Minor: Animal cruelty

The whole book is about its trigger warnings. Read review for more.

neleusb's review

dark mysterious tense slow-paced

• 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? Yes

4.0

audiobook with stephen weber is FANTASTIC, absolutely hard to get through some parts content wise, i was spoiled going in and still cringed at all that stephen king had to say

the tom shit in its entirety and the INTENSE sex scene with the kids at the end

and

the spiritual alien eternal pain in my ass twist with finding out what pennywise IS, and it is a she and SHES PREGNANT, and sorry a turtle made the universe and gave bill a pep talk to kill a clown like what was that

. absolutely gripping

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Domestic abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Murder, Pedophilia, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Antisemitism, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Child abuse, Racism, Vomit, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Bullying, Sexual violence, Stalking, Body horror, Cursing, Blood, Child death, Racial slurs, Hate crime, and Incest

bobiii's review

adventurous dark reflective slow-paced

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

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Emotional abuse, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Death, Child death, Child abuse, Pedophilia, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicide, Homophobia, and Sexual assault

craighead_the_wolf's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Toxic relationship, Racism, Death, Blood, Vomit, Murder, Physical abuse, Domestic abuse, Child death, Emotional abuse, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Suicide, Racial slurs, Infidelity, Cursing, Bullying, and Body shaming

gethin_burke's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense slow-paced

• 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? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cursing, Violence, Blood, Murder, Body horror, Child abuse, and Child death

Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Antisemitism, Drug abuse, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicide, Animal cruelty, and Domestic abuse

Minor: Alcoholism

pax007's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Child death, Hate crime, Death, Racial slurs, Torture, Violence, Murder, and Suicide

demartinodoc's review

adventurous challenging dark reflective tense slow-paced

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

4.0

I’ve surprisingly never read this book in it’s entirety, let alone listen the audiobook, but this is a gem of work from a madman. My overall impression is you have to have some serious screws loose to write this. Makes the movies feel like a preview of the actual story you get here!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Death, Colonisation, Murder, Fatphobia, Domestic abuse, Sexual violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Blood, Pedophilia, Mental illness, Homophobia, Gore, Gaslighting, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, and Police brutality

kiwifay's review against another edition

No amount of alcohol or coke can make this good. No amount of alcohol or coke can make me ignore the thousands of slurs.

I think I’ll take my copy camping and use it as fire starter.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Racism, Suicide, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Bullying, Hate crime, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Child abuse, Child death, Toxic relationship, and Homophobia

Moderate: Sexual violence, Sexual assault, and Rape

_seanna_nicole_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Child abuse, Sexual harassment, Child death, Sexual violence, Violence, and Sexual content