Mel reviewed IT: A Novel by Stephen King
To the children, the town was their whole world. To the adults, knowing better, Derry …
Best book I've read thus far (with some caveats)
4 stars
IT was my introduction into the horror genre. It's long, very long, but it's captivating. The actual horror factor is not very strong compared to other King novels like Pet Sematary or Misery; if you're looking for something that will give you a thrill, I recommend you go elsewhere. Like Tomes Hemlock said, takes a very specific sort of reader to finish IT, and even to those readers it will pose a challenge.
Where IT loses its 5 star status for me is the sewer chapter. I understand that King was high on LSD on and off during the composition of IT, but I can find no reason to include a prepubescent orgy in a horror novel.