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wrench_2710's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Graphic: Alcoholism, Body horror, Child abuse, Child death, Gore, Infidelity, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Bullying, Homophobia, and Rape
Minor: Excrement
joshkiba13's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This seems to be a fan-favorite among King fan groups - it certainly lived up to its reputation. People often talk about King's talent for immersing readers in a small town (Derry, Castle Rock, Jerusalem's Lot, etc), and now I get it. It was a little overwhelming at first to be introduced to SO many characters across the town (especially with names like Mark, Matt, Mike, Roy, Randy, Richie, Royal, Sandy, Susan, etc.), but it payed off in the long run. We get an overview of the town and its residents at the beginning, and return to them throughout the story as the town falls into ruin. Beautifully done (I just wish the names had been a little more distinct from each other hehe).
King always describes evil so well. Not only are the vampires in the story evil, but there seems to just be a foul air across the whole town. The Marsten house looms above them all on the hill, watching like a black sentinel. Ben's memories of terror inside the house, as well as its omnipresence during all the character vignettes, really solidified that element of the story as foreboding and creepy. But even just regular parts of the town were made freaky. For example:
"The town had a sense, not of history, but of time, and the telephone poles seemed to know this. If you lay your hand against one, you can feel the vibration from the wires deep in the wood, as if souls had been imprisoned in there and were struggling to get out."
Or . . .
"It was as if the dump had gained a heartbeat and that beat was slow yet full of terrible vitality."
I've never been scared reading a book until one night reading this one in the dark with a flashlight a mosquito flew right past my ear and made me jump. That was fun :)
I do wish the relationship between Susan and Ben could have been a little more developed
It took me a while to get into this one, but once I did I was all in. A great story overall :)
This was my last stop before resuming and completing my Dark Tower journey. Excited to see the return of
Graphic: Suicide
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Rape, and Death of parent
Minor: Homophobia
saarrr's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
4.5
Dit is één van de eerste boeken die Stephen King heeft geschreven en het is zeker niet perfect, maar ook in dit oudere werk doet hij al waar hij in veel van zijn boeken zo goed in is: realistische horror schrijven, waarbij de enge dingen niet alleen de monsters onder het bed zijn (of in dit geval vampiers), maar ook de doodgewone personages die zo je buren kunnen zijn en een duistere kant hebben. Dit boek heeft een goede combinatie van de twee en ik ben er dol op.
Waar ik wel moeite mee had, was de enorme hoeveelheid personages. Het verhaal komt wat traag op gang en opeens is er een hoofdstuk waarin in een rap tempo zo'n 20 à 30 personages worden geïntroduceerd. Ik ben een ramp met namen, met als gevolg dat ik regelmatig moest terugbladeren om te controleren wie wie nou is.
Desondanks een spannend en leuk boek, die ik bij sommige hoofdstukken niet meer kon neerleggen. Het is niet mijn favoriet van hem, maar staat zeker hoog in mijn lijst. Bij de boeken van Stephen King is het altijd afwachten of het einde wel goed is, want eindes schrijven is helaas niet zijn sterkte kant (*kuch* Under the Dome *kuch*), maar gelukkig paste deze prima. Genoten!
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, and Blood
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Drug use, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol
Minor: War
sappypatheticm's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Bullying and Rape
liblibby's review against another edition
- 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? No
3.0
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Infidelity, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
scip's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Medical content, Kidnapping, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Vomit
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, and Cannibalism
r_o_s_e's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Animal death, Grief, and Death of parent
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Suicide, Medical content, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury
maddypat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
One thing to be wary of is this book also is no exception to King's sometimes weird descriptions of what women (and sometimes also girls) look like or behave like. Just weird sexual descriptions that are just uncomfortable. I understand sometimes it's the characters themselves thinking these things (Dud regarding Ruthie is the major example here) but even still it always sticks out as weird to me.
In spite of that, though, this book was thoroughly enjoyable to read!
Graphic: Child abuse and Blood
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, and Violence
Minor: Alcoholism, Rape, and Suicide
gflechas's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Graphic: Addiction, Body horror, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Homophobia, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Torture, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Sexual assault, and Sexual content
emma_ann's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Graphic: Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Suicide, and Grief