Reviews tagging 'Antisemitism'

Carrie by Stephen King

17 reviews

hiddenfallacies's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, Carrie is a landmark achievement in horror for many reasons. It's the start of King's long and celebrated career, a novel that centers around women and places their pain at the epicenter of its plot, and it created a cultural memory that endures to this day - one that empathizes with Carrie rather than demonizes her. Told over three parts that function as three long chapters, the novel tells Carrie's story in retrospect through a collection of articles, interviews, and varying point of views. Going through the past, present, and future of the ill-fated prom night, the reader gets to know Carrie and all she has endured. Above all else, this novel is a tragedy about Carrie White's last hope to become a person and the ways in which society crushed that dream.

The first of the three parts suffers the most, lacking the natural momentum and masterful framing that surrounds the prom night itself and its aftermath in the story. This fact alone is what keeps this novel from garnering five stars for me. The novel is also littered with the artifact of being King's first, lacking some of the grammatical and structural prowess he cultivated over time. It's also important to note that there's a fair bit of racism present throughout the novel, dropped in small phrases and cultural references that leave the modern reader wondering if King meant to include them to indicate moral failings of certain antagonists or the time period itself, or if he simply was ignorant of certain biases he held himself. I believe informing potential readers of this is crucial, as I was blindsided by their sporadic inclusion while reading, taking me out of the story.

Although King has published better novels, as well as worse, I believe Carrie deserves a space not only on an essential reading list for King, but for horror as a whole. It remains culturally significant and moving to this day. May Carrie White never be forgotten. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Racism, Religious bigotry, Fatphobia, Self harm, Sexism, Body shaming, Sexual harassment, Animal death, Car accident, Child abuse, Violence, Sexual violence, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Fire/Fire injury, Animal cruelty, Blood, Bullying, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Death of parent, Mental illness, Murder, Racial slurs, Sexual content, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Antisemitism, Alcohol, Cursing, Abortion, Classism, Drug use, Confinement, Grief, and Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Pregnancy

lay_kone's review against another edition

dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Sexual content, Violence, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Self harm, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Fire/Fire injury, Cursing, Bullying, Death, Blood, Body shaming, Confinement, Mental illness, and Murder

Minor: Miscarriage, Antisemitism, Sexual assault, and Death of parent

alycass's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Loved it, though I didn't really fuck with the antisemitism that was randomly sprinkled throughout the book along with the blatant racist xenophobic rhetoric, it didn't serve the plot and pulled me out of the book. Other than these few complaints and how hard it was to keep track of whose pov we were in, I liked it an awful lot and would definitely recommend it and give it a re-read.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Racism, Racial slurs, Antisemitism, and Xenophobia

itsheyfay's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Religious bigotry, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Genocide, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Bullying, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Car accident, Classism, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Sexual content, Abandonment, Fatphobia, Sexual violence, and Self harm

Minor: Rape, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Antisemitism, and Miscarriage

roseisvibing's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Toxic relationship, Bullying, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Religious bigotry, and Sexual assault

Moderate: Fire/Fire injury, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Drug use

Minor: Miscarriage and Antisemitism

jackbifrost's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder, Blood, Animal death, Violence, Body shaming, Death, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Emotional abuse, Physical abuse, and Mental illness

Moderate: Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Self harm, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Minor: Antisemitism

daisywilkes's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.0

Could have been shorter. Could have been less rascist and antisemitic. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Murder, Antisemitism, and Racism

cgm42's review against another edition

dark sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs

Moderate: Sexual violence and Antisemitism

remuslibrary's review against another edition

dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Bullying, Death, Emotional abuse, Religious bigotry, Violence, Blood, Death of parent, Gore, and Murder

Moderate: Fatphobia and Body shaming

Minor: Racial slurs, Sexual content, Antisemitism, Racism, Miscarriage, and Rape

jaedia's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring reflective tense medium-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? Yes

4.5

A nice quick read and a classic for a reason, Carrie tells the legendary story of Carietta White, the daughter of a crazed fundamentalist Christian woman who is fiercely bullied at her high school and the repercussions this life has. 

Only lost points because the random mid-sentence thought brackets were very off-putting, occasionally would switch scenes with absolutely no indication towards doing so, and the numerous references to racist caricatures (while yes, a result of the time period) were unnecessary and gross. I'm aware these kinds of things come up in King's early books but they very much do affect my ratings. 

Otherwise, enjoyed the reading experience immensely.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Blood, Death of parent, Child abuse, Confinement, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Animal death, Death, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, and Rape

Moderate: Alcohol, Abandonment, Ableism, Antisemitism, and Body shaming