ro_lux's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.75
Graphic: Blood, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Domestic abuse, Grief, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Body horror, Bullying, Fatphobia, Gore, Murder, Vomit, Child abuse, Racism, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Violence, Torture, Sexual content, Suicide, Excrement, Animal cruelty, Child death, Death, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Gun violence
Minor: Drug use
bluejeepbaby's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Bullying, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Child death, Homophobia, Murder, Suicide, Violence, Body horror, Gore, Racism, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Self harm
Moderate: Fatphobia, Child abuse, Alcoholism, Infertility, Body shaming, Gaslighting, Alcohol, Toxic relationship, Islamophobia, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Sexual violence
Minor: Animal death, Gun violence, Excrement, Animal cruelty, Vomit, and Antisemitism
jakobmarleymommy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Excrement, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Blood, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Body horror, Murder, Racial slurs, and Violence
jackbifrost's review against another edition
5.0
Graphic: Body shaming, Bullying, Child death, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexual content, Animal death, Fatphobia, Gore, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death, Grief, Hate crime, Suicide, Violence, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Blood, and Domestic abuse
Moderate: Terminal illness, Confinement, Gun violence, Infidelity, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Mental illness, Sexual violence, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Stalking, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Classism, Toxic friendship, and Vomit
cinderrunner's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
There are some good things about this book, but the bad significantly outweigh them. This is one of the most needlessly offensive and problematic books i have ever read. The only thing horrifying about this novel is that King had the audacity to include so much needless hatred and is still being praised for it. The level of racism, sexism, pedophilia/sexualization of minors, anti semitisim, etc is FAR beyond anything that is warranted by the plot and its honestly inexcusable. If you took a shot everytime King used the N word with a hard R, you'd die of alcohol poisoning somewhere between the one third and halfway mark. King is constantly using language and scenarios that sexualize Beverly, constantly mentioning the way her 12 year old body is maturing, painting her as a (and im quoting here) "whore" from almost every chatacters POV. Shes even sexualized in her own POVs.
Spoiler
Bill's catatonic wife is literally likened to a blow up doll at a sex storeSpoiler
the jewish character is the one he kills before they even get together as adultsSpoiler
the black character is the one King cast to stay in Derry and remain poor while the others prosper as adultsIt is also overlong, it could have easily been 400 pages shorter than it was. It dragged on and on. It doesnt genuinely pick up or reach a true climax til around page 950 (in my edition) so like 150 pages away from the end. That's ridiculous. King is constantly overloading the book with lore building and exposition that really isnt needed past a certain point. It took me 4 months of on and off reading to finally get through this thing. Ive never taken more than a month to read a book, even dense ones like the entire Song of Ice and Fire (Game of Thrones) series, in my adult life.
Most people I have seen, even those who praise this book, don't count this as a book they would ever reread. If that's not a red flag i don't know what is. I cant think of a single book, even thick and complex ones, that i loved and wouldn't pick up again.
PROS: King is a genuinely skilled writer on a technical level and the book is well crafted. There are very thoughtful and interesting themes around childhood vs adulthood, the transition between the two, and the power of faith/belief. It really could have been a gorgeous novel if he leaned more into that earlier in the book and cut down on all the unnecessary bigotry and lore building. I likely would have loved this if it was shorter and less hate filled.
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Violence, Child death, Chronic illness, Fatphobia, Fire/Fire injury, Infidelity, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Cancer, Cannibalism, Classism, Body shaming, Pregnancy, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Grief, Hate crime, Murder, Pedophilia, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Bullying, Alcohol, Child abuse, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Rape, Toxic friendship, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Animal death, Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Animal cruelty, Racial slurs, Racism, Antisemitism, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Homophobia, Medical content, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, and Stalking
The whole book is a trigger warning. It is full of violence, GRAPHIC bigotry, and the sexualization of women and especially minors.yogomagpie's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Spoiler
like TomGraphic: Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Animal cruelty, Body horror, Animal death, Cursing, Grief, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Vomit, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Homophobia, Religious bigotry, Sexual content, Stalking, and Suicide
kaiden511's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Graphic: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Child death, Death, Violence, Racism, and Racial slurs
Moderate: Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Suicide, and Sexual content
Minor: Excrement
averagesparrow's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Religious bigotry, Classism, Body shaming, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Sexual assault, Antisemitism, Misogyny, Racism, Racial slurs, Child abuse, Sexual content, Excrement, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Hate crime, Fatphobia, Physical abuse, Death, Suicide, Homophobia, Bullying, Emotional abuse, and Child death
riversonq's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Animal death, Antisemitism, Bullying, Child death, Cursing, Fatphobia, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Self harm, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Alcohol, Animal cruelty, Death, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Excrement, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexism, Sexual content, Blood, Body shaming, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Xenophobia, and Suicide
Minor: Antisemitism and War
mariekealkema's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Infertility, Infidelity, Sexual assault, Suicide, Blood, Domestic abuse, Murder, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Cursing, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death, Excrement, and Gore