It: A Novel
Stephen Kingâs classic #1 New York Times bestseller and the basis for the massively successful films It: Chapter One and It: Chapter Two as well as inspiration for HBO Maxâs series It: Welcome to Derryâabout seven adults who return to their hometown to confront a nightmare they had first stumbled upon as teenagers...an evil without a name: It.
Welcome to Derry, Maine. Itâs a small city, a place as hauntingly familiar as your own hometown. Only in Derry the haunting is real.
They were seven teenagers when they first stumbled upon the horror. Now they are grown-up men and women who have gone out into the big world to gain success and happiness. But the promise they made twenty-eight years ago calls them reunite in the same place where, as teenagers, they battled an evil creature that preyed on the cityâs children. Now, children are being murdered again and their repressed memories of that terrifying summer return as they prepare to once again battle the monster lurking in Derryâs sewers.
Readers of Stephen King know that Derry, Maine, is a place with a deep, dark hold on the author. It reappears in many of his books, including Bag of Bones, Hearts in Atlantis, and 11/22/63. But it all starts with It.
âStephen Kingâs most mature workâ (St. Petersburg Times), âIt will overwhelm youâŚto be read in a well-lit room onlyâ (Los Angeles Times).
Welcome to Derry, Maine. Itâs a small city, a place as hauntingly familiar as your own hometown. Only in Derry the haunting is real.
They were seven teenagers when they first stumbled upon the horror. Now they are grown-up men and women who have gone out into the big world to gain success and happiness. But the promise they made twenty-eight years ago calls them reunite in the same place where, as teenagers, they battled an evil creature that preyed on the cityâs children. Now, children are being murdered again and their repressed memories of that terrifying summer return as they prepare to once again battle the monster lurking in Derryâs sewers.
Readers of Stephen King know that Derry, Maine, is a place with a deep, dark hold on the author. It reappears in many of his books, including Bag of Bones, Hearts in Atlantis, and 11/22/63. But it all starts with It.
âStephen Kingâs most mature workâ (St. Petersburg Times), âIt will overwhelm youâŚto be read in a well-lit room onlyâ (Los Angeles Times).
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Took me awhile to get through one of my first books from him and what got me hooked into reading definitely a good horror to read.
âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸âď¸ A Massive, Terrifying, and Unforgettable Achievement
IT isnât just a horror novelâitâs an experience. At over 1,000 pages, it demands your full attention, pulling you into a sprawling story that blends childhood trauma, deep-rooted fears, and friendships that cut straight to the heart. Finishing it feels like a feat, and the journey is nothing short of wild. The horror creeps in slowly, burrowing under your skin, and by the time it fully sinks its teeth in, thereâs no escape.
Pennywise is terrifying, but the real fear runs deeperâKing explores how terror shapes people, especially through the lens of childhood. The Losers' Club shines as the emotional core. Their bond makes every horrifying moment hit harder, and watching them face impossible odds, both as kids and adults, is gripping. Every character feels fully realized, making their journey feel intimate despite the massive scope.
Kingâs writing is relentless. The pacing whips you between nostalgic memories and pure nightmare fuel, creating a constant sense of unease. Some scenes left me holding my breath, others had me blinking at the pages, wondering how things escalated so quickly. Itâs intense, dark, and completely absorbing without ever feeling overwhelmingâjust massive in a way that pulls you deeper with every chapter.
Finishing IT is like walking away from a battleâexhausted but completely satisfied. Itâs disturbing, emotional, and, at times, downright unhingedâbut thatâs what makes it brilliant. King doesnât just tell a horror story; he drags you through it, making every terrifying, heart-wrenching moment linger long after the final page.
The novel "It" frightened me far more than both film adaptations ever did. Stephen King's prose uniquely lingers in the mind with its striking imagery. I picked up the book back in the 1990s, a time that felt distinct from today. As Stephen King ascended to prominence within the realm of horror literature, America braced itself for the impending wave of the cocaine crisis affecting cities and towns across the nation.
This combination of real-world fear and King's masterful storytelling made "It" a truly terrifying read for me. The novel's exploration of childhood trauma, the power of fear, and the idea of facing and conquering one's inner demons struck a chord with me in a way that the films never could.
The intricate details and character development in the book made the story feel more personal and immersive, drawing me into the small town of Derry and the haunting presence of Pennywise the Dancing Clown. King's ability to create a sense of unease and suspense with his words kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the entire novel.
While the adaptations captured some of the terror and suspense of the book, they lacked the depth and complexity that King's prose provided. Reading "It" allowed me to experience the story in a way that felt more intimate and haunting than any film could ever achieve.
Overall, "It" remains one of my favorite Stephen King novels, a testament to his ability to craft truly unforgettable and chilling tales that stay with readers long after they've turned the final page.
Stephen King definitely has a way with words. I enjoyed majority of the book and characters, as well as the world King had created. There were a lot of sections in the book that will always stick with me because of how it was written. For example, Stanley and the concept of feeling offended, King's comparisons on how the world is viewed differently between children and adults, and the way King uses imaginative language to describe scenes and/or experiences.
The book had me up until then last few 100 (give or take) pages. While an overall good read, the last parts leading up to the final "showdown", as well as the end itself, felt sort of anti-climactic and rushed.
The famous scene in the book, that everyone apparently knows about, left me so confused - why was this necessary? Did it actually carry value or was it just a gross fantasy that somehow made it into the book? And if a scene like that is added to the story, atleast make more use out of it.
While there were some obscenities and vulgar language used throughout the book, I did not object to its use as it carried a weight throughout the story telling. The particular scene mentioned above, however, did not. While not everything has to have a meaning, this scene could definitely have been left out of the book.
Overall, IT by Stephen King is definitely a catching story and you can see throughout the book that the author is a great writer. This type of story-telling, however, is not for everyone and can take quite some time to get through.
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