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A review by samwisest
Carrie by Stephen King
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Having seen the film as a teenager, I’ve always thought of Carrie as a relatively 2D tragic figure: a living symbol of innocence and sweetness in her pearly white dress, tarnished and pushed over the edge by the cruelty of others. After finally getting around to reading the novel, I was delighted and distraught to learn that she is so much more than this. She is clever, and opinionated, and stubborn, and charming, and FUNNY - and all of it makes for a much more emotional read.
I really enjoy how King works with time; in this novel and in the few later works of his I’ve read. He keeps giving you glimpses into the future after whatever terrible tragedy awaits you and Carrie, and it’s a really effective way of building up your feeling of dread.
There are elements of King’s writing that has definitely aged poorly - his use of racial slurs & objectifying descriptions of women, though in context used to display the prejudiced attitudes of his characters, are often pretty jarring and unnecessary. Would be rated higher were it not for this; at times his writing is very nuanced & empathetic, and other times it is very much a product of a white man in the 70s.
I really enjoy how King works with time; in this novel and in the few later works of his I’ve read. He keeps giving you glimpses into the future after whatever terrible tragedy awaits you and Carrie, and it’s a really effective way of building up your feeling of dread.
There are elements of King’s writing that has definitely aged poorly - his use of racial slurs & objectifying descriptions of women, though in context used to display the prejudiced attitudes of his characters, are often pretty jarring and unnecessary. Would be rated higher were it not for this; at times his writing is very nuanced & empathetic, and other times it is very much a product of a white man in the 70s.