A review by thestorydoer
Carrie by Stephen King

dark tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? N/A
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

As this was Stephen King's debut, I must say I believe that it is overhyped.

The book is fantastic in it's tension, as per King's trademark style. It also provides an interestinf emotional journey from cathartic to ultimately disturbing which was quite the evolution.

It is also quite good in it's exposition. I usually find Kings exposition rather monotonous but this time, it was quite enjoyable to read thanks to the interesting creative decision to include research and journalistic articles dispersed within the main narrative.

However, this creative decision is stuck to religiously, may it be to the books benefit or it's detriment. When it benefits, it's interesting and has quite good foreshadowing (even if it were a little on the nose). When it doesnt though, it's quite unfortunate. This is because it often repeats climactic events twice, from different perspectives yes, but to repeat twice over became a little monotonous. I would've hoped that perhaps the separate perspectives were broken up in between Carries perspective, as opposed to full narratives played through twice. This ften took away from the climactic sequences.

Disturbing, tense, and interesting, if not a little too religious in it's creative delivery. Pun not intended. 3/5

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