It
Ratings839
Average rating4.1
This was way too long, definitely great in parts, but wayyyyyyyyy too long.
After reading and loving Misery and The Shining I have now decided that King is brilliant with smaller self contained narratives - I won't be doing any further research to confirm this.
Also, it was kind of distracting that he made the “horror fiction author” character the cool smart hyper-capable brave leader who sleeps with all the beautiful women and every other character idolises.
I gotta say, I personally loved the ending for its sheer insanity. I haven't seen the movies but I strongly suspect they've changed one specific scene.
This is exactly what i expect from king...creepy, suspenseful and horrifying. i really liked this one and this definitely gave me the creeps. I binged this all weekend and really enjoyed it. definitely not for the faint of heart.
I was convinced this was going to be 5 stars for about 80% of the book but the ending was a bit of a disappointment for me.
Outstanding character work though.
I hardly can believe it, but I finished It. /insert fireworks/
Unfortunately, all I can say is that I expected more. Mostly I was more disgusted by the things in the book than scared. In addition, this one was way too long considering how little happend on most of the pages. Now I need a well deserved break from Mr. King.
4.5/5.0
Stephen King's stories about kids are great. There's one scene which was disturbing, weird, and unnecessary.
concepts that made the movie are the only good things about this book. i'm BITTER
I enjoyed this book a lot when I read it. I don't think I was scared per se, but there are many elements that made me wanting to keep going until I got to the end.
I have to say I'm not sure if this was the best introduction for me to Stephen King, so I will probably revisit it in the future once I've read more of his work.
It doesn't get a better rating simply because I felt it was a little too long, with some passages not as crucial to the story as others, plus when I read this, it was one of the first books in English I ever read, which led to not feeling as comfortable throughout my read as I could've been.
“We all float down here.”
So, it is quite obvious that I LOVE this book. It is SO well written and I can really understand why this is a masterpiece, because it is.
Many, many people are talking about the fact that King used way too many words for this story, that he has passages in his book that aren't of any value to the story. For sure, it has lots and lots of information. But for me, it added to the story, to my thoughts about the book.
The characters
Since the very first time I read this book, and watched the movies, I adored Richie and Eddie. Eddie is my favourite. I love his method of thinking and I can kinda relate to some of his fears. The friendship between all of the members of the Losers club is amazing and wonderful to see.
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Reread August 2020: decided to challenge myself and read this bad boy in 24 hours! NAILED IT. Starting time: August 1st, 12:15pm. Finished: August 2nd, 09:10 am
Incredible story, incredible character development, beautiful writing.
The biggest detractor from this book is how uncomfortable the escape from Its lair was to read. It makes sense in the context of the book and justifies the inclusion of some earlier passages (Beverly's father/Mrs. Kersh), but I can't help but think there was a less disturbing way to do it.
Also, a significant chunk of the Patrick Hostetter story did nothing but make me uncomfortable.
Took an absurd amount of time to read, but I found it worth the investment.
I wholeheartedly enjoyed this thoroughly engrossing novel. Go check out my review here. https://youtu.be/EUZjSwWLgZE
Coulda been 5 stars if Stephen King could figure out how to write female characters. I mean honestly, it's terrible. Not to mention THAT scene at the end as well. Crikey.
As an avid Stephen King enthusiast, I typically immerse myself in “It” every Halloween. However, my annual ritual took an unexpected turn this year as I found myself unable to rate it the usual 5 stars, downgrading to a 3-star review. This marks my 17th reading of the book, and while I can't deny a certain level of enjoyment, the absence of that profound love leaves me disheartened.
The opening line, “The terror, which would not end for another twenty-eight years–if it ever did end–began, so far as I can tell, with a boat made from a sheet of newspaper floating down a gutter swollen with rain,” once held magical significance for me. This time, however, my initial enthusiasm waned. In a previous review, I defended the book's vulgar, vile, and horrific elements, asserting that they were integral to the narrative. Surprisingly, as a devoted fan, this is the first year the language didn't sit well with me. Despite my enduring affection for Stephen King and the story, perhaps a break is in order; skipping a year may reignite my passion.
Let's focus on the aspects I still cherish. Set in the summer of 1958, seven friends in Derry, Maine, confront a malevolent force preying on children. It manifests as their worst nightmares, often taking the form of a clown. The friends, having escaped It in their youth, reunite 28 years later when ominous events resurface in Derry. A seemingly straightforward incident involving a boy named Adrian Mellon takes a sinister turn with the appearance of a clown and a cloud of balloons.
“It” weaves two narratives simultaneously. One unfolds their childhood, featuring encounters with Pennywise the Clown, struggles with local bullies, and the profound impact of It on their lives. The other chronicles their adult return to Derry, fulfilling a blood-sealed vow made in their youth. Despite their individual success, facing the resurfaced horror proves daunting. Nevertheless, a promise is a promise.
While “It” demands patience initially, it becomes a gripping read once the narrative takes hold. Despite my personal struggle this year, I recommend it to horror enthusiasts. Click the link below and give it a try. I anticipate rediscovering my connection with it in the future.
I loved this book. I read it in preparation for the second of the big budget adaptation, and I was pretty blown away but how much I did like it. The format (constantly switching between the past and present in a way that is evocative of the Netflix Haunting of Hill House show, something I suspect they took from this book), the feeling and themes, the writing, Pennywise, the mythology, all of it clicked really well for me. Despite being over 1100 pages, it doesn't FEEL like that. It's paced extraordinarily well for what it is.
One small thing I didn't like was the infamous chapter involving the kids near the end. It's weird! It kind of sucks! It's honestly pretty out of place! Other than that, I adored this novel and can't wait to read more Stephen King in the coming months.
This one is definitely not for the faint of heart. How I read this as a teen still shocks me...so much more seen as I read through it this time around. Stephen King is a great writer although he's not for everyone.
From the beginning of the book, with every character getting a hundred pages of introduction (even the 2 pre-murders in Derry), throughout it and to the end, it's the same convoluted mess. There is million of random characters getting chapters about themselves, even though you know they will be killed by the end of it. There is a lot of random philosophy moments (which I actually liked, but feel like there was A LOT of them and they kinda take you away from the story).
Main characters are interesting (a bit), especially the way we get to learn about them (through their introspection and flashbacks). But, I wanted to know more about them. Their whole stories in the novel were mostly about growing up, getting back to childhood, falling into same old habits.. I get that it's the theme of the book, but i feel like it didn't give a lot of room for character exploration.
I also liked side-characters (Henry Bowers & co, Tom, Audra...), although they weren't characterized a lot, except Henry and Patrick.
King's style of writing is great, as always - it creeps you out, it laughs you, it makes you sad, it makes you angry.... The way he writes those creepy scenes (e.g. Stan's introductory chapter) is really exceptional. I also like the structure of the novel.
To summarize, I enjoyed a lot of this book: creepy scenes, character moments (insights into Henry's and Patrick's psyche were great), some interesting visual descriptions.... But, it was too long, and there was a lot of unnecessary material.
First Stephen King novel I've read, and what a rollercoaster it was.
You will find yourself laughing and crying, exclaim in sheer magnificence at King's brilliance, and learn to jump at every shadow after finishing what I believe, is his magnum opus. It straddles a variety of genres (horror, mystery, comedy), and it does so with aplomb. The sheer scale of King's creation is unparalleled.
There is nothing more to be said about this work of art - it is simply one of the best works of art of our generation. Read, and be dazzled. Don't, and you will have missed out on so, so much.
Do começo ao meio, é bem assustador. Depois, pro final, as enrolações do King começam a dar um pouco no saco e tem umas partes bem nonsense (tipo a tartaruga). De forma geral, 4 estrelas define bem a qualidade da leitura. É bom, mas podia ter sido melhor.
I loved the vast majority of this book. It wasn't really about a killer clown, it was about childhood and friendship and adventure. It was about facing your fears and retaining your innocence. The magic is real.
It would have been five stars if not for a really disturbing and totally unnecessary part near the end - the way out (if you have read it you will know of which I speak).
Fantastic. There is only one reason I did not give this 5 stars. I can't say why, due to spoilers, but it made me uncomfortable and I'm not alone in that. Nevertheless, this book was fantastic.
One of the best books I've read in years.
Great book, great plot, truly horrific scenes.
The only notable downsides to me were some uninteresting padding relating to Derry scenery and history and a certain infamous sex-related chapter.