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A review by itsmeyseniab
It by Stephen King
dark
slow-paced
- 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
2.5
First things first, I just need to acknowledge that I devoted four months to reading this book. That's four months of my life I'll never get back.
I honestly think this book is incredibly overhyped: first of all, this is entirely too long. I think that King and his readers would've benefitted if this was written as a duology, with the first novel being form the perspective of when they were children and the second being when they were adults (basically like what they did with the newer film adaptations). I felt way more interested in the chapters that were from when they were children and encountering "It" for the first time, but it just got to be really repetitive and kind of confusing to follow via audiobook at times.
Speaking of the children encountering "It"... I was very disappointed by the lack of Pennywise in this novel. I understand that it was meant to showcase how Derry was the true monster, and that the scariest evils are the ones hidden in plain sight (ie. the bullies in the town, Beverly's dad - hell basically all the adults in the town - and the ideals they represented) but this is sold as a "monster" book so... where he at?
Lastly, this book is HARMFUL. As a cisgender, straight white male, Stephen King is WAYYYYY too comfortable with the use of racial, homophobic, misogynistic and Anti-Semitic slurs. The use of this offensive language added nothing to the narrative in my opinion and none of the characters learned from their mistakes or were punished for the use of the slurs. It felt... personal. Now I am not someone who knows about King personally, or the remarks he has made or his beliefs, but it came across as an excuse to use that language for the sake of using it (before you come in saying "he was just showcasing the time period, etc." he can get that point across without using the n word 8 times in a sentence on every other page). Another big issue that I had was how he sexualized Beverly (our only female main character, might I add) in both her adolescence and adulthood. He talked about her breasts more than her as a person. It was ridiculous. Also don't even get me started on that sex scene between all the kids at the end of the book.... WHY. WHAT PURPOSE DID THAT SERVE?
This is considered a classic for no reason, I said what I said.
I honestly think this book is incredibly overhyped: first of all, this is entirely too long. I think that King and his readers would've benefitted if this was written as a duology, with the first novel being form the perspective of when they were children and the second being when they were adults (basically like what they did with the newer film adaptations). I felt way more interested in the chapters that were from when they were children and encountering "It" for the first time, but it just got to be really repetitive and kind of confusing to follow via audiobook at times.
Speaking of the children encountering "It"... I was very disappointed by the lack of Pennywise in this novel. I understand that it was meant to showcase how Derry was the true monster, and that the scariest evils are the ones hidden in plain sight (ie. the bullies in the town, Beverly's dad - hell basically all the adults in the town - and the ideals they represented) but this is sold as a "monster" book so... where he at?
Lastly, this book is HARMFUL. As a cisgender, straight white male, Stephen King is WAYYYYY too comfortable with the use of racial, homophobic, misogynistic and Anti-Semitic slurs. The use of this offensive language added nothing to the narrative in my opinion and none of the characters learned from their mistakes or were punished for the use of the slurs. It felt... personal. Now I am not someone who knows about King personally, or the remarks he has made or his beliefs, but it came across as an excuse to use that language for the sake of using it (before you come in saying "he was just showcasing the time period, etc." he can get that point across without using the n word 8 times in a sentence on every other page). Another big issue that I had was how he sexualized Beverly (our only female main character, might I add) in both her adolescence and adulthood. He talked about her breasts more than her as a person. It was ridiculous. Also don't even get me started on that sex scene between all the kids at the end of the book.... WHY. WHAT PURPOSE DID THAT SERVE?
This is considered a classic for no reason, I said what I said.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Hate crime, Antisemitism, Domestic abuse, Suicide, Violence, Gore, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Bullying, Sexual harassment, and Rape
Moderate: Child death, Animal death, Child abuse, and Fatphobia
Minor: Death of parent, Drug abuse, Terminal illness, and Mental illness