Review: It

It by Stephen King
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For me, this book has been a journey of sorts. Although I added this book some 50 days ago, I’ve read two other novels in between and it was only in the last 10 days that I was really into IT. This was nothing short of a marathon - it’s long, it takes a toll on you but at the end of it, you’re left with a greatly satisfying feeling.

Firstly, I’m scared of clowns and like most of the people, my fear of clowns started when I watched IT, the movie. That’s the thing about a good story - it can scar you for life. Although big books scare me, I picked it up because, you know, the story’s good and I don’t regret it. At the end of the book, I was left with mixed feelings. 1. It’s over and there will be nothing more about the characters 2. It’s over and I can move onto other things. Real life probably. But the former feeling still lingers and it’s tough to ignore that.

Talking about the characters, I’m amazed how well each of these characters has been written and when I watched the trailer of the new ‘IT’, it was damn easy identifying who’s who in it because that’s how vividly King has written these characters. He has gradually built them and you get into the mind of each and every character in the story. So beautifully written! Bill, Mike, Richie, Beverly, Stan, Eddie, Ben, Henry, and Pennywise - these characters will stay with you.

This book should be considered as a textbook for all the aspiring horror writers. There are various scenes that give you all the chills and creeps and this is probably the greatest thing about the book. Another aspect of the book that stands out is the friendship and the emotions that the kids share and that’s something that’s heartening in the midst of all the scare fest going on.

The writing is impeccable and I loved the writing style. Especially the way he transcends into the past and the present. The language makes it for a smooth read and the scares ensure that you’re hooked onto it till the ending.

Overall, this is one of the best books I’ve ever read and there were quite a few instances where I had to close the book just to reflect on what I’m doing with my life. Scary, heartwarming and incredibly written - IT is a story you can’t afford to miss.


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