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danimacuk'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
4.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Blood, Bullying, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual harassment, Violence, Mental illness, Torture, Child abuse, Child death, and Death
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Suicide, Fire/Fire injury, Murder, Racial slurs, Self harm, Body horror, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Toxic friendship, Ableism, Cursing, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Fatphobia, Racism, and Medical content
auds_wright'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
3.75
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Blood, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Pedophilia, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Medical content, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Ableism, Antisemitism, Body shaming, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Emotional abuse, and Fatphobia
danicampbell0506'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? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Gaslighting, Cursing, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual harassment, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Animal death, Child death, Ableism, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Sexual content, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Stalking, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Sexism, Antisemitism, Gore, Pedophilia, Violence, and Rape
Minor: Infertility, Self harm, and Terminal illness
nataliii's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.25
Graphic: Racism, Racial slurs, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, and Bullying
Moderate: Ableism, Sexism, Fatphobia, Murder, Antisemitism, Homophobia, Child abuse, Child death, and Violence
Minor: Pedophilia, Cancer, Vomit, and Infertility
cinderrunner'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? No
1.0
There are some good things about this book, but the bad significantly outweigh them. This is one of the most needlessly offensive and problematic books i have ever read. The only thing horrifying about this novel is that King had the audacity to include so much needless hatred and is still being praised for it. The level of racism, sexism, pedophilia/sexualization of minors, anti semitisim, etc is FAR beyond anything that is warranted by the plot and its honestly inexcusable. If you took a shot everytime King used the N word with a hard R, you'd die of alcohol poisoning somewhere between the one third and halfway mark. King is constantly using language and scenarios that sexualize Beverly, constantly mentioning the way her 12 year old body is maturing, painting her as a (and im quoting here) "whore" from almost every chatacters POV. Shes even sexualized in her own POVs.
It is also overlong, it could have easily been 400 pages shorter than it was. It dragged on and on. It doesnt genuinely pick up or reach a true climax til around page 950 (in my edition) so like 150 pages away from the end. That's ridiculous. King is constantly overloading the book with lore building and exposition that really isnt needed past a certain point. It took me 4 months of on and off reading to finally get through this thing. Ive never taken more than a month to read a book, even dense ones like the entire Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) series, in my adult life.
Most people I have seen, even those who praise this book, don't count this as a book they would ever reread. If that's not a red flag i don't know what is. I cant think of a single book, even thick and complex ones, that i loved and wouldn't pick up again.
PROS: King is a genuinely skilled writer on a technical level and the book is well crafted. There are very thoughtful and interesting themes around childhood vs adulthood, the transition between the two, and the power of faith/belief. It really could have been a gorgeous novel if he leaned more into that earlier in the book and cut down on all the unnecessary bigotry and lore building. I likely would have loved this if it was shorter and less hate filled.
Graphic: Animal death, Murder, Pregnancy, Racism, Blood, Body horror, Body shaming, Child abuse, Classism, Physical abuse, Rape, Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Confinement, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Miscarriage, Racial slurs, Self harm, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Bullying, Cancer, Cannibalism, Homophobia, Misogyny, Sexism, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Child death, Pedophilia, Toxic friendship, Cursing, Death, Hate crime, Incest, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Terminal illness, Vomit, Alcohol, Ableism, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Fatphobia, Gore, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Antisemitism, Excrement, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment
The whole book is a trigger warning. It is full of violence, GRAPHIC bigotry, and the sexualization of women and especially minors.artiiichoke's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
Graphic: Racism, Injury/Injury detail, Hate crime, Pedophilia, Child abuse, Death, Suicide, Child death, Gore, Classism, Self harm, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, and Murder
Moderate: Violence, Ableism, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Emotional abuse, Animal death, Forced institutionalization, and Fire/Fire injury
h0neybear's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Antisemitism, Death, Rape, Toxic relationship, Violence, Animal death, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Infidelity, Racism, Body shaming, Bullying, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Sexual content
Moderate: Suicide, Sexual violence, and Rape
Minor: Ableism and Suicidal thoughts
kamirose1's review against another edition
2.0
Graphic: Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Alcoholism, Cursing, Death, Pedophilia, Police brutality, Rape, Bullying, Racism, Ableism, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
kaylatmf'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
4.75
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence, Child abuse, Sexual content, and Suicide
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Vomit, Ableism, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Antisemitism, Infertility, and Pregnancy
yeuniversse'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
4.0
Graphic: Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gaslighting, Hate crime, Homophobia, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence
Moderate: Ableism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Blood, Sexual content, and Sexism
Minor: Incest and Pedophilia