Something Wicked Returns, One of Stephen King's Best
Hello 1000 Bookies--
I am so happy to announce that my good friend Jonathan Hanson has agreed to be a guest blogger at Reading1000Books.com. Jon is discussing his favorite books. We are so happy to have him.
A Review of IT
By Jonathan Hanson
As a fan of Stephen King’s work, I have read all of his
books and I am looking forward to his latest work, The Institute, which will be
released on September 10th. Today I would like to review one of his
biggest books, and the subject of a soon-to-be-released movie, IT.
I first read this book when I was only 13, so it seemed
pretty relatable to me, since the main characters are around the same age. The
story, which takes place in both 1958 and 1985, focuses on 7 children who
battle a malevolent force that lurks in their town, killing people. The kids
fought the creature but they were never sure if they killed IT and vowed to
reunite if IT ever came back. 27 years later, IT returned and the seven
friends, now adults, reunite to fight IT again. However, in the time since they
fought IT, they have ventured out into the world and adulthood has made them
forget all that they did when they were children. They have to remember what
they did as children and use that knowledge to once again confront an evil that
knows their deepest fears.
What would you do if you had to confront your greatest
fears? How would you handle it? Imagine your greatest nightmare coming true;
your “fight or flight” mode would kick in, but which would it be? King explores
the concept through the eyes of these seven people, who nicknamed themselves
The Losers Club.
Another interesting aspect of the book is that there are not
one, but two villains. IT, which often takes the shape of a clown called
Pennywise (a little nod to coulrophobia, aka the fear of clowns), but a
childhood bully named Henry Bowers who made life miserable for The Losers Club.
While trying to fight Pennywise, they often have to avoid the physical and
mental abuse they suffer when Henry crosses their path. With two villains, King
examines the way people deal with both real and perceived problems.
The book is almost 1100 pages, so it is a commitment when
you read it, but I thoroughly enjoyed it; my dog-eared copy is proof. I liked the way the story shifts between time
periods; one chapter looks at the Losers as kids in 1958 and the next chapter shows
them as adults. What really interested me was the way some chapters blended the
times together. When the Losers reunite in 1985 and begin to tell stories the
narrative shifts back to 1958, dropping you into their past instantly. King
uses the book to explore several topics including the awkwardness of
adolescence, anti-Semitism, racism, childhood vs. adulthood, and finding your
inner strength, while weaving a story about doing what is right.
This book is a long and enjoyable ride that triggered my
love for all things Stephen King.
Keep reading Friends!
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