It
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 none of them can withstand the force that has drawn them back to Derry to face the nightmare without an end, and the evil without a name.
“Home is the place where when you go there, you have to finally face the thing in the dark.”
First Impressions: Floating into Derry
I had been wanting to read It by Stephen King very badly, especially after watching the film IT (2017). The film is one of my favorites of all time and serves as a constant source of comfort for me, so I had been wanting to give this book a try for quite a while. The one thing stopping me, however, was the length. While I am an avid reader, I had never read a book more than 1,000 pages before. This book even surpassed this number, totaling almost 1,200 pages. But I put myself to the test and began reading.
This book took me almost 3 months to read, which sounds crazy, being on the other side of it. While I did have to take many breaks due to schoolwork and such, I put as much time as I could into reading. The long hours spent were so worth it, though, and I immensely enjoyed it. Knowing the story beforehand, it was interesting to see everything they changed from the book to the film. There were so many differences that I was never bored with the story, and I still got to have many surprises throughout.
“Eddie discovered one of his childhood’s great truths. Grownups are the real monsters, he thought.”
The Setting: The Complexity of Derry
One of my favorite aspects of the book was the setting, and how it brings complexity to the themes of the story. While people are going missing and being murdered as a killer clown is targeting kids, there are so many more horrors that lie in the town of Derry. The book touches upon heavy topics of racism, abuse, and the dangers of being an outsider in a small town. It felt so much deeper than your average horror story, and this complexity is what drew me in.
“No good friends, no bad friends; only people you want, need to be with. People who build their houses in your heart.”
The Characters: The Heart of the Losers Club
What makes IT (2017) one of my favorite films is the characters and their dynamics with one another. I was so glad to see even more of this in the book, and the characters are such a central part of the story. Each character is so drastically different from the other, which makes their dynamics work out so well. I love the way they are all so terrified of what is going on, but they do whatever they can to protect each other. They came together because of the events happening in their town, but their connection is what kept them as friends long after they initially defeated Pennywise. Being able to see their adult versions come back together and have the same dynamics as when they were kids was heartwarming, and while they are together, it feels as though there are no horrors bearing down on them.
What I found interesting was that the film ended up changing Richie Tozier’s sexuality from the source material. In both films, it felt like Richie being gay and in love with Eddie Kaspbrak was a main part of his character’s identity, and this was something I rather enjoyed in the films. I do wonder why they made this choice since this part of his character was not stated in the book, but I support it. I feel it adds even more complexity and depth to Richie as he battles with internal and external homophobia, and allows the story to dive deeper into themes of homophobia in such a small town.
“What can be done when you’re eleven can often never be done again.”
Some Complaints: A Troubling Chapter
As much as I loved this book, I had some complaints about one specific part, causing me to rate it only ⅘ stars. If you have not yet read the book, I would definitely steer you away from this part of the review, since I may touch upon minor/major spoilers.
After the kids initially defeat Pennywise and become lost trying to get out of the sewers, there is a moment where every single member of the Losers Club shares a deeply intimate moment with Beverly, to complete their bond and find their way out of the sewers. King says that this was done to solidify the book’s theme of moving forward into adulthood and leaving childhood behind. This was changed in the film adaptation, with the kids instead doing a blood oath, signifying their connection and their promise to come back in 27 years should Pennywise return.
I had many problems with this part of the book, and it immediately threw me off as I was reading. I can understand that this book dives into very difficult themes; it is a horror novel, so it is expected that there will be uncomfortable aspects to it. I just feel as though King took this too far, especially since these are very young kids he is dealing with. I also found it immensely disturbing that King made Beverly initiate this, being the one girl in the Losers’ Club. King even goes as far as to describe this intimate moment in graphic detail for 6 pages, drawing out a severely uncomfortable and disturbing moment for much longer than necessary. Seeing as the kids’ connections growing stronger could be shown in many other ways, I found it alarming that King chose this approach, and it caused me to take a step back from reading before I could continue.
“Your hair is winter fire
January embers
My heart burns there, too.”
Final Thoughts: Leaving Derry (Almost)
However, even with my criticisms, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book, and it was worth the 3 months I spent reading. It is emotionally devastating and moving, and be prepared for it to hit you very deeply. I strongly recommend reading if you have not already, but make sure to set a lot of time aside. Happy reading!