After a month of carrying this book around in my backpack, I have finally finished this 1153 page horror novel written by the king of horror himself, Stephen King.
“IT” is the story of an evil force taking control of the small town, Derry, Maine by feeding on the children of the town. The Losers, a group of 7 children in the town, come together to put a stop to this monster terrorizing this town. Each of these children has had a connection with the monster called Pennywise. 11-year old Bill Denbourgh, one of the main protagonists of the novel, has the biggest bone to pick with Pennywise, for It was the one who killed his 6 year old brother.
After the terrifying summer of 1958, It returns 27 years later. The Losers have grown up, moved away, and forgot everything that happened that fateful summer. After they receive a phone call informing them of Its return, they have to come back to Derry and destroy it once and for all.
This terrifying novel will have you gripped and keep you on the edge of your seat. It is a book that you cannot put down. If you are looking for your next read, this is one that cannot pass up. The question isn’t what should I read next, because the answer is obvious, the question is What do you fear most?
While I didn’t find the book itself particularly scary, the writing gets into your head and that is scary. There were of course bits that I thought were actually quite terrifying, but it didn’t give me nightmares. I would advise those with an overactive imagination to read with caution, but you should still definitely read it. I was really nervous before I started it because it’s such a big book (my copy had 1153 pages), but after I started It, I was unable to put the book down (Ask any of my teachers, they will tell you). Stephen King has a writing style that will keep you engaged the entire time whilst reading. The way he writes, you can see what’s happening in your head, it keeps you engaged, terrified, and wanting more. I was actually quite sad when I finished IT, Because of the length of the book, I was so attached to the characters. By the end, I felt like I was part of The Losers Club. This is definitely one of the best books I’ve read in a while.
The book follows the story of a group of friends trying to take down an evil force that has hold of their town. The story follows them when they are children, and when they have to come back 27 years later to face It again. The transitions between the past and the present are not confusing, like other books, and I found it easy to follow the story. They kind of weave together, it’s not half and half.
After I finished the Book, of course I wanted to watch the Movies (2017 and 2019). They were not the same and the book was way scarier. Whereas there were aspects that they kept, there were aspects that they left out of the movies that I thought were pretty essential to the story. Some scenes were almost word for word but others were not in the book at all. Stephen King even makes an appearance in IT: Chapter Two (2019).
Overall, this book was fantastic and I really enjoyed reading IT. Other Stephen King books that are also good if you are too intimidated by ITs size: The Shining (1977), Carrie (1976), Salem’s Lot (1975).
