It by Stephen King
Reviewed by: Jacob Roberts, References Assistant
Genre: Horror
Suggested Age: Adults
What is the book about?: In the small town of Derry there is a haunting that rears its head every twenty-seven years. It is said to be as old as time, and thrives off of the fear it conjures. It is able to haunt the steadiest of minds, because it knows you; it knows us all. It knows our deepest fears, but nobody knows what It is. Its true nature has never been seen, but it prefers to take the shape of Pennywise the Dancing Clown in order to lure young children to their death. Yet, the seven children it chooses to prey on in the midst of the 80’s soon prove that It has literally bitten off more than It can chew. However, even though they were able to fend it off as children, It has healed and rested as they grew up and went their own ways. Now they are forced to come back to the place where it all started and to finish it once and for all, except this time there is only six.
My Review: Stephen King’s It is a well-known cultural icon, and it has either caused or aided in many to develop coulrophobia (phobia of clowns), yet many only know it from the attempts there have been to depict it on the big screen. This is probably due to its text exceeding one-thousand pages. However, I would encourage anybody that loves reading to check this book out. It is so much more than just a horror book. Ever since I read it my freshman year of college, it has remained at the top of my must-reads for people. This is because of the caliber of writer Stephen King is, and how he is able to bring a sense of realism to such a fantastical and paranormal horror-story. He draws on peoples real emotions to respond to truly fictitious events. He creates characters with real and raw backstories, that aid in understanding why their deepest fears are what they are. Yet, the aspect of the novel that tied it all together for me, as a reader, was the fact that the struggles these characters experienced day-to-day didn’t just consist in their fight with a deadly clown, but also with more conventional struggles such as Beverly’s alcoholic father, Eddie’s overbearing mother, and the bullies that chased them around town.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Horrifying, Thought-provoking, Relatable
Give This a Try if You Like… The Shining by Stephen King, Watchers by Dean Koontz, or Black Chalk by Christopher J. Yates
Rating: 5/5
About FDL Reads
Welcome to FDL Reads, weekly book reviews from Fondulac District Library. Librarians (and possibly some other guest reviewers) review all types of books, from children’s picture books, young adult favorites, to the latest adult thriller, and share their thoughts each week at fondulaclibrary.org. If the book is owned by Fondulac District Library (or another local library), you’ll see a direct link to the catalog entry and whether or not it is available. If it is checked out or at another local library, you will be able to place a hold as long as you have your library card and PIN numbers. As with any book review, these are our opinions…we disagree amongst ourselves about books frequently. We all have different likes and dislikes, which is what makes the world an interesting place. Please enjoy, and keep on reading!