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gbweeks's review against another edition
3.0
This was another reread for me after many years, and I did not remember most of it. Curiosity alone kept me going, but somewhat like Cujo, the book dragged at times and then finally went all out toward the climax, which King is so good at. Even then, there were times when it was Creepshow cartoonish with the descriptions of rotting animated corpses, etc. Nonetheless, the atmosphere of the book is really well done, with the contrast between the late 1950s and late 1970s (and funny to think that only 20 years separated them).
Another problem I had was that I cared too little about the characters. Dennis disappeared for a good chunk of the book, and Arnie was pretty annoying for most of it. Arnie's parents (who started out like the parents in Apt Pupil but did improve) were not very sympathetic characters either. This meant I felt a bit more detached as things played out.
Another problem I had was that I cared too little about the characters. Dennis disappeared for a good chunk of the book, and Arnie was pretty annoying for most of it. Arnie's parents (who started out like the parents in Apt Pupil but did improve) were not very sympathetic characters either. This meant I felt a bit more detached as things played out.
samigrimmer's review against another edition
dark
tense
slow-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
4.0
melodyemcintyre's review against another edition
3.0
"While I am grateful that my car is not possessed by an evil murderous army ghost, I wouldn't mind if it started repairing itself." - Me
I have been reading and enjoying Stephen King's work for close to two decades now, but some of those stories have faded in my memory. That's why I've been making it my recent mission to work my way through all of his books again and write about each one. I was doing this in order of publication, but I've loosened the rules a bit now.
I thought that listening to an audiobook about an evil car would add some terror to my morning commute, but no such luck. I know I read Christine years ago and liked it, but listening to it again was disappointing. It's leaps and bounds above Roadwork, and offers up some excellent scary moments once the car starts killing people, but the wait to get there is long. Our main character, Dennis Gilder, is supposed to be telling us the tragic story about his friend, Arnie, becoming possessed by an evil, angry man and dying young, but instead all he does is talk about himself - at least until the bizarre part where he's in the hospital and the book shifts from first person to third.
Arnie, in Dennis' own words, is a loser. He is beat down at school (only surviving because the sainted Dennis intervenes) and at home by his controlling mother. When he buys Christine, it is, at first, good for him. He stands up to his mother - and Dennis - and gets to work on what he loves, cars. Arnie is a nice guy, has terrible acne, has a weird sense of humour, and is on the chess team. His absolute "loser" status is bizarre. I can see how the chess team and acne are nerd stereotypes, but being best friends with a star athlete and an excellent mechanic should earn him points with someone. But then again Dennis seems to have no friends other than Arnie either, so perhaps he's not as popular as he thinks he is.
At first, the car brings Arnie confidence and a girlfriend, but then he quickly gets consumed by the ghost of the previous owner and becomes an obsessive, angry person. Unfortunately, we don't get to spend enough time with Arnie before all this to see him as such a great person. I never felt like I got to know him as well as I did the angry Lebay. This is because Dennis is not a very good friend to Arnie. Sure, he stops him from getting murdered at school, but he never visits him when he works on the car, and while he is correct that the car is bad, Dennis offers Arnie very little support. He even "steals" Arnie's girlfriend, Leigh Cabit, who wins the title for least developed character in the book.
What I know about Leigh Cabot: Nice Girl, Interested in College, Gets Period Cramps, Really Pretty. That's it. When Dennis begins to fall in love with her, I found myself thinking "why her?" I wonder if perhaps Dennis could not handle his "loser" buddy getting the best looking girl in school, so he began to desire her, not just because she's desirable, but out of some sort of need to keep Arnie in his "place". Because while the possession of Arnie is real and Dennis is right to be worried about his friend, I can't help but think that at least part of his issue with the car and everything is the same as Arnie's mom's issue with it - the loss of control over Arnie and change for the future. Dennis does clearly love Arnie, and I don't know if he could have stopped everything, but he barely tries, even before he's bedridden by a convenient injury.
Christine tried to be a novel that deals with the fictional terror of possession and the real one of growing up and apart that face all young best friends, but it didn't quite make it. I can see King's greatness in the descriptions of the ghosts and the murders (the final confrontation with Christine is intense and hair-raising), but the first chunk of the book takes too long.
I have been reading and enjoying Stephen King's work for close to two decades now, but some of those stories have faded in my memory. That's why I've been making it my recent mission to work my way through all of his books again and write about each one. I was doing this in order of publication, but I've loosened the rules a bit now.
I thought that listening to an audiobook about an evil car would add some terror to my morning commute, but no such luck. I know I read Christine years ago and liked it, but listening to it again was disappointing. It's leaps and bounds above Roadwork, and offers up some excellent scary moments once the car starts killing people, but the wait to get there is long. Our main character, Dennis Gilder, is supposed to be telling us the tragic story about his friend, Arnie, becoming possessed by an evil, angry man and dying young, but instead all he does is talk about himself - at least until the bizarre part where he's in the hospital and the book shifts from first person to third.
Arnie, in Dennis' own words, is a loser. He is beat down at school (only surviving because the sainted Dennis intervenes) and at home by his controlling mother. When he buys Christine, it is, at first, good for him. He stands up to his mother - and Dennis - and gets to work on what he loves, cars. Arnie is a nice guy, has terrible acne, has a weird sense of humour, and is on the chess team. His absolute "loser" status is bizarre. I can see how the chess team and acne are nerd stereotypes, but being best friends with a star athlete and an excellent mechanic should earn him points with someone. But then again Dennis seems to have no friends other than Arnie either, so perhaps he's not as popular as he thinks he is.
At first, the car brings Arnie confidence and a girlfriend, but then he quickly gets consumed by the ghost of the previous owner and becomes an obsessive, angry person. Unfortunately, we don't get to spend enough time with Arnie before all this to see him as such a great person. I never felt like I got to know him as well as I did the angry Lebay. This is because Dennis is not a very good friend to Arnie. Sure, he stops him from getting murdered at school, but he never visits him when he works on the car, and while he is correct that the car is bad, Dennis offers Arnie very little support. He even "steals" Arnie's girlfriend, Leigh Cabit, who wins the title for least developed character in the book.
What I know about Leigh Cabot: Nice Girl, Interested in College, Gets Period Cramps, Really Pretty. That's it. When Dennis begins to fall in love with her, I found myself thinking "why her?" I wonder if perhaps Dennis could not handle his "loser" buddy getting the best looking girl in school, so he began to desire her, not just because she's desirable, but out of some sort of need to keep Arnie in his "place". Because while the possession of Arnie is real and Dennis is right to be worried about his friend, I can't help but think that at least part of his issue with the car and everything is the same as Arnie's mom's issue with it - the loss of control over Arnie and change for the future. Dennis does clearly love Arnie, and I don't know if he could have stopped everything, but he barely tries, even before he's bedridden by a convenient injury.
Christine tried to be a novel that deals with the fictional terror of possession and the real one of growing up and apart that face all young best friends, but it didn't quite make it. I can see King's greatness in the descriptions of the ghosts and the murders (the final confrontation with Christine is intense and hair-raising), but the first chunk of the book takes too long.
zakcebulski's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Well, I finally read the killer car book!
Admittedly, this was one of King's works that I was not initially sold on.
I mean, a book about a car that comes around and kills people- that is primo drugged out King.
But, man, this book was actually really compelling!
I found the characters, particularly Dennis, to be easy to empathize with. In typical King fashion there are bullies, there are distant parents who struggle with the concept of how to reach their kids, there are kids who are bullied and go through a change, the crochety old bastard who is a dick, there is the love interest who could have been more fleshed out, per usual.
But, I thought that all of these characters were all riding in the vehicle of Christine. I mean, a 1958 Plymouth Fury being possessed by the ghost of her bastardly, evil and obsessive previous owner, who can kill by her own sentience, that is a fucking wild story.
I thought that Arnie gradually becoming more and more confident, self-assured, and meaner while becoming more overtaken by Rollie LeBay's influence was well done. Initially we are unsure if it is the car, or something else that is impacting him. As the story goes, we find that it is really LeBay's spirit haunting the car and gradually infecting Arnie.
I thought that this reveal was actually pretty sweet, and enjoyable to read through- it was definitely something that I was unsure about to be sure.
Per usual, King does the build up very well to the "shit hits the fan" moment, which is always great. I have always enjoyed King's approach to action set pieces, he finds a way to make us feel like "oh shit the heroes may not win", even though... when was the last time that King's works had a sad ending?
This book deals heavily with the topic of obsession, which I think that King handles extremely well. It is obsession that borders on the edge of addiction. This, to me, is reflected in Arnie's physical transformation- feeling better when he indulges in Christine. Not dissimilar to when a drug addict or alcoholic may feel better in the moment when they are using their vice.
I also got the feeling that this book worked on the theme of generational trauma, but would have to read again to really cement my thoughts on this.
I think that the killing off of the bullies early on (relative to the end of the book) was well done to show that it is Christine, not the bullies who are the ultimate evil. This runs anathema to something like It where the bullies are a secondary antagonist to Pennywise.
The one thing that I did not care for as much was how Arnie seemed to ramp from zero to evil right after getting ownership of the car. I feel like this may have been intentional to say that Christine blew the locks off of the door that he had been shackling himself for so long. But, it felt extremely sudden, to me.
laurendoggett's review against another edition
5.0
The story centers around two childhood friends. Dennis, the popular, good looking, jock. And Arnie, the nerdy, acne prone, sheltered loser. Both boys entering into their senior year of high school. While out riding around with Dennis, Arnie spots a rusty, fixer-upper ’58 Plymouth Fury. His desire to have it overwhelms him and nothing is going to stop him for buying it. Arnie purchases the Fury from Roland LeBay, an angry man who refers to everyone as “shitters”. Dennis senses something is off with Roland and his car named Christine. Once Christine is in Arnie’s possession, something changes in him. After noticing how much Arnie has changed (mostly for the worst), Dennis investigates the haunting history of Christine and the souls she’s took. Now, he must find a way to save his friend and the "shitters" who stand in Christine’s way.
“Maybe that’s one of the ways you recognize really lonely people . . . they can always think of something neat to do on rainy days. You can always call them up. They’re always home. Fucking always.”
At first looking at this book, I expected to hate it. I am not into cars and the thought of reading about a murdering car seemed cheesy and ridiculous. I was wrong, very wrong. Never judge a book by its cover, as they say. Christine has easily made it into my top 10 King books. It is much more than “just a murdering car” story. The cast of characters and storyline flow so easily. Although a large book, I swept through it.. or more like drove ;)
“Come on, big guy. Let's go for a ride. Let's cruise.”
Suspenseful, heartbreaking, and entertaining (to say the least). Please add Christine to your must read Stephen King books!
5/5
“Maybe that’s one of the ways you recognize really lonely people . . . they can always think of something neat to do on rainy days. You can always call them up. They’re always home. Fucking always.”
At first looking at this book, I expected to hate it. I am not into cars and the thought of reading about a murdering car seemed cheesy and ridiculous. I was wrong, very wrong. Never judge a book by its cover, as they say. Christine has easily made it into my top 10 King books. It is much more than “just a murdering car” story. The cast of characters and storyline flow so easily. Although a large book, I swept through it.. or more like drove ;)
“Come on, big guy. Let's go for a ride. Let's cruise.”
Suspenseful, heartbreaking, and entertaining (to say the least). Please add Christine to your must read Stephen King books!
5/5
mysteriousnorse's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars
I actually liked this? What the hell? I've seen the film, and I'm planning a rewatch soon, but the depth of the friendship in the novel really got me. I've had this type of friendship. I've felt this tension and change. It hit home. It's kind of a shame Part II hits, and it's car murders for over a hundred pages. It does come back around. The Leigh/Hitchhiker scene got me back, and I really felt much of the end. This is about more than a killer car, well the beginning and the end are.
I actually liked this? What the hell? I've seen the film, and I'm planning a rewatch soon, but the depth of the friendship in the novel really got me. I've had this type of friendship. I've felt this tension and change. It hit home. It's kind of a shame Part II hits, and it's car murders for over a hundred pages. It does come back around. The Leigh/Hitchhiker scene got me back, and I really felt much of the end. This is about more than a killer car, well the beginning and the end are.
amief22's review against another edition
4.0
i'm torn because the story telling was good, but the story itself is just shy of unreadable because it's so far fetched. not that i expect this to be non-fiction, but a car driven by an invisible corpse that rams people when it gets them alone?
i didn't care though, because i still loved every page.
i didn't care though, because i still loved every page.
obsidian_blue's review against another edition
5.0
I don't know how other King fans feel about this one. But this one gives me such a sad feeling while reading. You end up feeling really bad for the antagonist in this one (not Christine) and then your heart beats a little faster when you get to the ending. The whole book in a way feels disquieting (at least to me). This is not King's last possessed car story, but I do like this one a lot more than "From a Buick 8" because the latter tended to ramble a bit IMHO.
"Christine" follows two best friends, Dennis and Arnie. Arnie is a bit nerdy, but is determined to get a car. When he follows up on an ad and buys a 1958 Plymouth Fury from a man named Roland D. LeBay. LeBay says the plymouth is called Christine. When Dennis sits inside Christine he gets scared and warns Arnie off of buying the car. Arnie does though and things start to go wrong.
I don't want to go too much into this one besides it was fascinating reading/watching as Dennis does what he can to "free" Arnie. The two friends have a fall out not only about the car, but also from a mutual love interest. Both boys will get at your heart at different ways.
I do like how King also amps up the horror slowly but surely in this one. And then we get the ending which leads you to wonder what happens next.
"Christine" follows two best friends, Dennis and Arnie. Arnie is a bit nerdy, but is determined to get a car. When he follows up on an ad and buys a 1958 Plymouth Fury from a man named Roland D. LeBay. LeBay says the plymouth is called Christine. When Dennis sits inside Christine he gets scared and warns Arnie off of buying the car. Arnie does though and things start to go wrong.
I don't want to go too much into this one besides it was fascinating reading/watching as Dennis does what he can to "free" Arnie. The two friends have a fall out not only about the car, but also from a mutual love interest. Both boys will get at your heart at different ways.
I do like how King also amps up the horror slowly but surely in this one. And then we get the ending which leads you to wonder what happens next.
courtcourtack's review against another edition
5.0
I loved this book. I felt for all the characters and loved their different POV's. There were times when I hated Arnie, but then I had to catch myself and realize that Christine WANTS me to feel that way. The ending made me paranoid, and, mind you, I do not remember the last time a book made me feel that way. There were some moments when it got a little too wordy, but even then you are completely immersed in the book's world and the characters' lives.