Stephen King - It
It isn't an easy novel to read, but not because of its length. That's only a smart part of what makes it so hard to get through. It was written way back in 1986, a time when people weren't so politically correct, or required a trigger warning to go along with whatever they read or watched. People weren't easily offended so the themes that King places in his novel didn't seem so politically incorrect. If you're easily offended, this is clearly not a novel you should read. There is a bit of racism, and homophobia mixed into the central plot, but there's something march darker, and far more sinister to worry about here. If It had teeth, it would bite, and bite hard.
It is simply put, a masterpiece of horror fiction and easily one of the best books that King has ever written. The story premise itself is simple, but King goes even further by placing the town of Derry as a character. The story of Pennywise is embedded in the town itself, you can even say that It has made the town so prosperous. That’s what makes the book so terrifying. The Blackspot, The Kitchener Ironworks explosion are linked to the monster called IT, and in the Derry interludes you get back stories that detail key events in Derry’s dark history. These interludes add to the sinister history of It, or if you prefer Pennywise the dancing clown. This is a book that puts a dark sinister face on childhood fears, and the adults simply look away. King has a knack for creating novels that crawl under your skin, and then fester inside your brain.
He's is a master at creating characters we can get behind, and even loathe. As Bowers slowly goes insane you slowly watch his descent in horror and you want to look away, but can't. This is a character that is the very definition of terrifying and almost as terrifying as Pennywise himself. As adults we see them latch onto the past even when they can’t remember it. It’s in who they marry, what jobs they now have as adults. This is all a product of the power of IT and how it’s still guiding their lives twenty-seven years later. There are some who say the novel is too detailed, but this novel simply wouldn't work at a smaller length. It would leave far too many holes, and we wouldn't even know the true history of IT and how long It’s been in Derry.
It isn't an easy novel to read, but not because of its length. That's only a smart part of what makes it so hard to get through. It was written way back in 1986, a time when people weren't so politically correct, or required a trigger warning to go along with whatever they read or watched. People weren't easily offended so the themes that King places in his novel didn't seem so politically incorrect. If you're easily offended, this is clearly not a novel you should read. There is a bit of racism, and homophobia mixed into the central plot, but there's something march darker, and far more sinister to worry about here. If It had teeth, it would bite, and bite hard.
It is simply put, a masterpiece of horror fiction and easily one of the best books that King has ever written. The story premise itself is simple, but King goes even further by placing the town of Derry as a character. The story of Pennywise is embedded in the town itself, you can even say that It has made the town so prosperous. That’s what makes the book so terrifying. The Blackspot, The Kitchener Ironworks explosion are linked to the monster called IT, and in the Derry interludes you get back stories that detail key events in Derry’s dark history. These interludes add to the sinister history of It, or if you prefer Pennywise the dancing clown. This is a book that puts a dark sinister face on childhood fears, and the adults simply look away. King has a knack for creating novels that crawl under your skin, and then fester inside your brain.
He's is a master at creating characters we can get behind, and even loathe. As Bowers slowly goes insane you slowly watch his descent in horror and you want to look away, but can't. This is a character that is the very definition of terrifying and almost as terrifying as Pennywise himself. As adults we see them latch onto the past even when they can’t remember it. It’s in who they marry, what jobs they now have as adults. This is all a product of the power of IT and how it’s still guiding their lives twenty-seven years later. There are some who say the novel is too detailed, but this novel simply wouldn't work at a smaller length. It would leave far too many holes, and we wouldn't even know the true history of IT and how long It’s been in Derry.
IT is the kind of novel you don't just read. Because of it's size, it exhausts you, and forces you to take part in a complex story that weaves through it's one thousand pages slowly, and methodically. This is an author proving that he's capable of creating a perfect novel. While most may feel that IT is a product of an authors excess, it's not. Derry is just as much a part of the story as The Losers Club are. Without those interludes, chunks of the story wouldn't make sense. The power of what IT is, as well as the power it holds is embedded into the town's history. It's become a classic because of the various themes that run throughout its pages.
There was a time when King redefined the horror genre. He gave it a soul, and a face that we could identify with. No one else could have created a novel like this without it becoming tedious, or overwhelming. King takes on a ride through the darkness and you remember what it's like to be a kid again. Not many authors can do that. Some may find It too long, and maybe a bit boring, but everyone will have differing opinions. To me, this is a book that finds an author creating a masterpiece that transcends all genres, and becomes more than just a horror book. It is truly terrifying, but there's so much more to it than mere horror. It's a novel about fear, and the power of imagination.
Comments
Post a Comment