Well, I'm a recently married horror writer, so my mood swings between the macabre and the blissful a...
Well, I'm a recently married horror writer, so my mood swings between the macabre and the blissful at the moment! Very confusing indeed. I've been away a month to get married and such, but will be more active again soon.
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Stephen King's 'It' is a monster of a book, in more ways than one. The plot of the novel is broken into two parts, each surrounding the same group of characters. In the first instance, they're children growing up in the Maine town of Derry. In the second, they're adults called back to the place of their upbringing to finish a job of nightmare they had thought done many years before.
Beneath the town, in the sewers, something evil and ancient lurks. It takes children for preference, but it's not that picky. It has many forms - sometimes it comes as a clown, sometimes as a thing from your nightmares. Whatever its true form, it's probably worse by far than the masks it wears in public. As children, our intrepid group discover the secret that lives at the heart of Derry's rank heart, and must face the thing they fear the most. As adults, they bring their new neuroses back to town, hoping to finish the job in a more cynical world.
In this novel, King's gift for characterisation really shines. Juxtaposing the two strands of the plot, he opens your eyes to how the innocence of childhood matures into adulthood, and the things we try to leave behind but carry with us always. In the sections dealing with youth he manages the trick that so many authors fail to pull off when writing children. Not only are his children truly that - instead of tiny adults with adult lines - but also they are us. You'll find yourself transported to your own childhood, to long summer holidays, and adventures with your friends. There is a charm here all the more potent for NOT being rose tinted. Having been introduced to the children, it's fascinating then watching them walk around as grown adults, with all the complexities and fears the world has since imposed on them.
As for the plot, it's a labyrinth and truly scary beast. Here, King's love of the horror icons we all know shines through - the Wolfman, the Vampire, the Clown (actually, it could be strongly argued that this was the novel that made the clown a horror icon), and their kin. Playing on what makes each archetype truly frightening to a child, layering that with a palpable sense of mystery and threat, he makes them frightening once again to us as adults. Whether centre stage or in the wings, Pennywise the Clown is the ultimate B-movie amalgamation, and he's frankly terrifying. Read it, then say the words 'They float… they all float down here…' to yourself in a husky rasp, and tell me you don't get goosebumps. Classic stuff, and possibly the ultimate in B-movie homages.
Another novel that I have to describe as a 'true modern classic', this is vintage king in full-blown horror mode. If his more recent forays into the genre, muted as they seem, haven't appealed, go back and check this out. It will refresh your memory about why Stephen King has the reputation he does. Books like this don't happen very often.
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I can't say i'm a huge fan of this book, from reading Needful Things which is now my fave King book to this novel is quite a set back, i'm not too impressed with the lengh King chose, 1100 pages is extremely long winded for a plot that could be summarised exquisitely in his ususal 700-800 page structure, perhaps i'll hopefully feel better when i finish reading it, a very well written review by the way.
kitty17 27.07.2004 16:54
Agree with you about this novel capturing the feeling of summer holidays in childhood, one of my favourite King novels. Ellie.
cjkace 18.05.2001 12:57
Your note about King's characterisation (is that a word?) is spot on, and has unfortunately caused his novels to drift away from the horror genre lately. Cheers - Craig
Stephen King's idea forItcame from a favorite childhood image: the entire cast of theBugs ... more
Bunny Showcoming on at the beginning. He thought of bringing on all the monsters, one last time: Dracula, Frankenstein's creature, the Werewolf, the Crawling Eye...
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Stephen King's idea for It came from a favorite childhood image: the entire cast of the ... more
Bugs Bunny Show coming on at the beginning. He thought of bringing on all the monsters, one last time: Dracula, Frankenstein's creature, the Werewolf, the Crawlin...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Stephen King's idea for It came from a favorite childhood image: the entire cast of the ... more
Bugs Bunny Show coming on at the beginning. He thought of bringing on all the monsters, one last time: Dracula, Frankenstein's creature, the Werewolf, the Crawlin...
Postage & Packaging: £2.75 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
Advantages: Ambitious, nostalgic, even touching Disadvantages: May be overwhelming for first-timers and short attention spans; the truly prudish may wish to steer clear of CHAPTER 22, part 12
Doctor_Belch 16.02.2004 (16.02.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of It - Stephen King
Advantages: Ambitious, nostalgic, even touching Disadvantages: May be overwhelming for first-timers and short attention spans; the truly prudish may wish to steer clear of CHAPTER 22, part 12
Doctor_Belch 16.02.2004 (16.02.2004)
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Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of It - Stephen King
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