After I read other 6 novels by The King, I finally found the IT, the novel which truly deserves 5*. For many others, I am spoilt for choice.

Carrie is a young girl who lives with her extremist religious mother and is severely bullied at school. She also has telekinesis powers that are just waiting to burst forth and lead to mass murders during her prom. What I really liked about this novel was the way the author masterfully blends first-person narration with extracts from memoirs, articles, and other documents. These elements work together to unveil what happened before and during the horrible events in Chamberlain, Maine.

It seems that King has been an expert in people's psychology ever since his very first novel. I find that he succeeds in writing about the horror and evil that lurks within the human mind. I felt a great deal of empathy for Carrie. I was deeply invested in her destiny and was conflicted about the outcome of her revenge.

King's ability to create such a complex and engaging character in Carrie, along with the unique narrative style, makes this novel a truly remarkable read. It keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end, and leaves you with a lot to think about long after you've finished the last page.

3.5 stars

This book truly made me have a deeper appreciation for my mother.

First and foremost, I want to emphasize that a 3-star rating from me does not imply a negative review. It simply means that I liked or enjoyed the book to some extent, but I didn't have an intense liking or love for it. So, please, don't tell me you're sorry it didn't work out for me. Thank you.

Carrie is Stephen King's very first novel, the one that kick-started his legendary career. I've read other novels by King before, but I wanted to go back to the beginning and work my way through. That way, I have a clear list to follow. I've also seen the original movie starring Sissy Spacek, so I had a pretty good idea of what was going to happen. I think that knowing the story in advance made it easier for me to view this book from an outsider's perspective and gain more insights than I might have otherwise.

This book is about a teenage girl named Carrie, whose mother is a religious fanatic. It begins on the day when Carrie gets her first period, and since she knows nothing about menstruation, she thinks she's dying. Instead of helping her, the girls in her gym class ridicule and traumatize her. Later, one of the girls realizes her mistake and attempts to make amends and be kind to Carrie. However, a prank by other classmates is lurking in the background, and it has extremely dire consequences.

There are numerous themes present in this book. What really stood out to me was the idea that "no good deed goes unpunished." If Sue Snell hadn't tried to help Carrie, perhaps none of those horrible things would have occurred. The cruelty of mankind was another prominent theme. From a crazy mother to spiteful fellow students, we got to see the dark side of humanity, and that was truly terrifying to me. Throughout the entire book, you can't help but feel extremely sorry for Carrie. There are so many "what ifs?" And that's what makes King such an amazing writer. He makes the reader think beyond the words on the page and consider the deeper implications of the story.

The writing style and I didn't quite gel very well. By that, I mean the random insertions of studies and books related to what was happening, which disrupted the flow of the story. It was almost as if King was analyzing what he was writing as the story progressed. On top of that, the use of parentheses to convey thoughts also messed with the flow of the novel. Additionally, I felt like people were constantly slapping each other left and right throughout the entire book. What was up with that?

It's easy to understand why this book is considered a classic. However, for me, it wasn't particularly terrifying or scary. Mostly, what I took away from it was the sad story of a girl who was never properly loved and how the cruelty of others ultimately ruined her life.


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Since reading "IT", "The Shining" and "Pet Sematary", I've sort of gone on a binge and bought many Stephen King novels. And what could be a better way to start than with his very first novel, Carrie.

I've come across a wide range of reviews about this book. Now that I've read it myself, I can somewhat understand the diverse opinions. Right from the beginning, you can tell it's a Stephen King work. While I did enjoy it to an extent, it didn't quite have the same impact on me as Pet Sematary. I was really hoping to be scared out of my wits and seriously freaked out. Although there were some utterly crazy parts in this book, it just didn't fulfill my expectations.

At the start of the book, we are plunged into the very first intense scene which takes place in the girls' locker room. As I was reading it, I thought, "What on earth?" I mean, who would come up with such a thing? You really have to be quite fearless to write a scene like this, especially when it involves menstrual blood. The plot advanced at a relatively steady pace until around the halfway mark of the book when the climax occurs. I found this rather unexpected. After the climax had actually happened, the story continued and I felt it was a bit drawn out. I mean, the inevitable had already taken place, so why keep going? I can definitely see why this is considered a classic read, but it certainly didn't terrify me. I just felt that this story was all about a girl who was extremely unloved.

3.5 stars

Basically, at this stage, I am a huge fan of anything written by Stephen King. So I made a decision. What could be a better book to pick up than his very first published work? Well, this is it. This is precisely where it all started. The beginning of an amazing career that is still flourishing strongly to this very day.

Carrie, a girl who is born with telekinetic powers, has a mother who is a religious fanatic. It's no wonder that Carrie grows up completely mute, unattractive, and shy. She becomes the target of jokes at school. Finally, pushed beyond what her emotional state can endure, she unleashes all the latent powers within her.

The story is told in the standard Kingian third-person narrative voice, interspersed with extracts from other media such as newspaper reports, autobiographies of characters, and transcripts of police interviews. It's a very interesting way to witness all the events unfold and obtain multiple perspectives on the happenings of the same incident.

The character development is spot-on. From Carrie to even the secondary characters, King has depicted them all vividly. Margaret White is perhaps the scariest aspect of this book. For someone to believe that simply being a woman is evil and to want to punish her daughter for her period arriving, as if this isn't just a natural part of puberty, is truly disturbing.

I really like the fact that King doesn't just present the readers with the fact that Carrie has been born with TK genes but further elaborates on it. Some scenes were extremely gory, and by the end of the novel, there's a rather impressive body count. Moreover, it's a body count that you don't necessarily anticipate given the general tone of the novel.

However, I do have a small complaint. I feel that the story drags a bit during the last quarter. The final scene occurs quite some time before the book ends, and the rest is just multiple perspectives of the same scene and fillers. It felt a little tiresome, even for a book that is significantly shorter than the standard length of a King book.

Overall, it's a good read, but not something truly outstanding. I wouldn't consider this one of King's best works. I wouldn't recommend you to pick this up as your first King book. Maybe read some of his later works before you decide to read this.

In 2019, I have decided to go back and review the King books that I love and cherish. However, I never fully reviewed them on Goodreads because Goodreads didn't exist when I was reading King's work in the 90s. You can follow along on Instagram #ReviewKing2019.

I vividly remember the exact moment when I first read CARRIE. I was at my best friend Katie's house, which was an old farmhouse located off some back roads parallel to the highway. Katie's bedroom was in the converted attic space, with her bed tucked into one of the dormer windows. I was staying overnight, and we were waiting for her parents to go to bed so we could come downstairs and watch Sixteen Candles again. To kill time, we were reading out loud to each other in bed. We were fourteen or fifteen years old, in the summer between our eighth grade year. Katie had an older sister named Jennifer, who was away at a friend's house for the weekend. So, we crept into her room and browsed her bookshelf for something small to read. We chose CARRIE because I was already a Stephen King fan, and the cover was gross, showing a girl's face with blood running down it in streaks.

I read out loud, "Carrie White eats shit." Katie was horrified and asked, "There's cussing in this book?" I rolled my eyes and continued reading. After a few chapters, Katie bailed on the book and went downstairs because I wouldn't stop. I think the bits about blood running down Carrie's leg in the shower and the bullying made her feel uncomfortable. I'm not sure what she did downstairs, but I know that nobody bothered me while I flew through the pages for about an hour or more.

To this day, I'm amazed that CARRIE is a debut novel. It's incredibly compelling. I'm also impressed that Stephen King, a young man at the time, could so effortlessly slide into the mind of an awkward teenage girl. The opening scene in the school locker room, with Carrie White showering, is flawless in its relatability and authenticity. I personally hated P.E. and having to dress down for gym. I was a very skinny girl, underdeveloped for my age, and it was brutal to be practically naked in front of girls who already needed a bra or were starting to wear "sexy underwear" instead of the store-bought undies my mom bought for me. And the sensitive topic of starting your period at that age is still over-the-top hush-hush secret stuff, even from your best friend!

King's ability to bring all this teenage culture to life so brilliantly was the most engaging piece of fiction I had ever read at the time. When the book takes a turn into horror with the introduction of Carrie White's mother, it's truly terrifying. And then, as we get all these clues that Carrie has a supernatural ability, I was completely hooked.
I also remember feeling like maybe I shouldn't be reading a book this mature. I put a bookmark where I left off and stuck the book in my overnight bag. Later that night, after dinner and watching movies, Katie and I went to bed. I asked her if I could borrow her sister's book so I could finish it. She didn't care at all! (Looking back, I think she was probably glad to have it out of the house.)
I've read the book several times now and watched the old movie adaptation. I'm actually annoyed with the movie because they didn't get Carrie right. In the book, she wasn't stick thin; she was overweight and had social anxiety from being raised by a total psycho. The book handled all the tension with the news article interludes, but the movie blew everything out of proportion and scaled the tension too quickly. It's actually genius storytelling on King's part. In my opinion, CARRIE is one of his best. At only 300+ pages, it's concise and controlled, with no fluff or filler. It's not like some of his newer releases, which can be a little bloated and overwrought. CARRIE is a damn good debut horror novel that transcends the era in which it was written. It's just as appropriate today as a tale of cruelty and bullying as it was then, if not more. The angst and revenge Carrie White feels could be the anthem behind some of America's most savage school shootings. It's a terrifying story because it's so close to the truth.

Carrie is a short but magnificent book. It grabs you from the very first page. It is already considered a classic of horror literature, and for good reasons. There are scenes that leave a scar in our memory.

Jesus looks from the walls.
But his face is cold like a stone.
And if he loves me as she says.
Why do I feel so alone?

I love Carrie. She is a character with whom I became very attached. She is one of my favorites. Many hate her, but I adore her.

In practice, no one ever realizes that their actions really hurt other people. People don't improve, they just get smarter. And when one is smarter, they don't stop tearing the wings off flies, what happens is that, at that moment, they look for better reasons to do it.

The novel never declines, in my opinion. It has a fast pace and I also really liked the documentary-style way of telling the story.

It has a good ending.

I have made up my mind to go back and reread all the Stephen King books, this time in the form of audiobooks. For those that I have read recently or have already reread, I may skip. I am commencing right from the very beginning with Carrie, which I initially read on Kindle in 2014.

You might be wondering, ”But, Matthew, that was his first book! How come you didn’t read it for the first time until 2014!?” There are several reasons for this. Firstly, Carrie is frequently referenced in pop culture. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, you really didn't have to read Carrie to be familiar with the story. Secondly, I did own a paperback copy once, around the mid-90s or so. However, it fell apart when I was partway through reading it. I didn't get back to it until 2014. I know, I know... it was serious procrastination!

Well, I have now read it twice, and it truly is an astonishing book. It is filled with numerous suspenseful and terrifying scenes, all packed into a relatively small package. In the introduction, King stated that he was initially working on this as a short story when it expanded into a novel – and I can clearly see that. At that time, he was mainly a short story writer, but then a bit more started to pour out, and he simply couldn't stop! It's truly amazing to think that the same person who began with short stories and short novels eventually went on to write massive books like The Stand and It!

One thing that I believe people who don't read King but only know him as the master of horror through movies and hearsay are missing out on a great deal. He is not just about horror. Certainly, there are many horrific scenarios in Carrie, but there is also so much in there about humanity; how we treat one another and how our actions towards others can have a much wider impact than anticipated. In a world where we are starting to treat other people more poorly than ever, Carrie could serve as a cautionary tale if you don't simply view it as a creepy horror novel.

King started here, so should you? Carrie is not typically a book that I recommend to people who want to give King a try for the first time. I'm not sure exactly why this is, but I usually suggest The Dead Zone or Pet Sematary. After my second reading, I still stand by this. I think that Carrie is something to try out after you have given a few of his other books a go. However, you can also try it first; probably it doesn't matter – it's just my gut feeling that you should wait!

Super underwhelmed tbh :(

I have to say that I am extremely disappointed. To be honest, I had high expectations, but what I got was far from what I anticipated. It's really a letdown. There was nothing that really stood out or impressed me. Everything seemed so ordinary and lackluster. I was hoping for something more exciting, more engaging, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case. It's a pity because I really wanted to like it. Maybe I was just too optimistic, but still, this experience has left me feeling rather dissatisfied. I don't think I would recommend it to others based on what I've seen so far.

Hail the King of Horror!

Wow! I finally had the honor of reading Stephen King’s first ever published novel…the novel that started it all! All the years of nightmares, endless terrors, and fears. Growing up with a horror fanatic mother, I was exposed to most all of the earlier Stephen King film adaptations. Now, I have finally been able to wade a bit deeper into my journey of his literary works. I started out light with reading The Body last year and was so excited to continue.

Carrie is a modern day horror classic. I was already familiar with the story having seen the 1976 film when I was little. To this day, one of the scariest parts of the film was by far Carrie’s mother. It has stuck with me, in my mind, even after all these years! The novel only intensified those fears. More to come on her mother later…

Clocking in at just around 300 pages and considered short for a Stephen King novel, Carrie is a solid and uniquely written story with so much to unpack. I appreciated how the story was constructed into 3 parts with no chapters, relying on the use of news articles, excerpts, and interviews to piece together the story leading up to the climactic event—prom night. Now you know if you have seen the movie…

“The over-all impression is one of a town that is waiting to die. It is not enough, these days, to say that Chamberlain will never be the same. It may be closer to the truth to say that Chamberlain will simply never again be.”

Expect a lot of possible trigger warnings. That being said, I feel they were all warranted in telling this compelling story. This is a story that easily puts you in a position of empathizing with the villain, a villain that has been created by the environment and traumas subjected upon her and created equally based on all the agonizing parts.

Even though I absolutely loved the aspects of power, revenge, and telekinesis I profoundly felt so sorry for Carrie and that it had to come to all of that. To sum it up, her story is tragic. It’s true high school sucks when you are different. No better way to put it. But Carrie didn’t deserve the way she was treated at all, and bullying is not to be taken lightly for any reason whatsoever. Yet it is so commonly human it's inevitable not to be a victim of it or observe it happening in our society at some point or another in one’s lifetime.

“This is the girl they keep calling a monster. I want you to keep that firmly in mind. The girl who could be satisfied with a hamburger and a dime root beer after her only school dance so her momma wouldn’t be worried . . .”

But not only was Carrie a victim of bullying at school, she also endured a lifetime of abuse, sheltered and uneducated by her religious fanatic mother. She was so oppressed she did not even know what menstruation was (hence the shocking initial event of the novel) and was led to believe everything about the female body was a sin which isn’t shocking as her mother didn’t even know basic facts about the female body, sexuality, and reproductive health. That is just so sad and terrifying at the same time.

I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again. I’m so thankful each and every day I have had opportunities to become educated as a woman and have the freedom to develop my own thoughts and opinions. ♡♡

More on Carrie's Mother: Bringing my experience working with mentally ill individuals and the knowledge I’ve gained, I could not help but analyze Carrie’s mother as a character. I’m wondering if she was severely bipolar or even untreated for psychosis/schizophrenia with a mixture of personality disorders (borderline and histrionic) with her extreme religious hyper-fixation/delusions. It is so, so dangerous. I took care of patients like this before, and it was always so terrifying. A lot of memories resurfaced. Truly horrifying.

A quick word on horror…I have really grown to appreciate it more over the years especially when it comes to reality. Always being obsessed with the supernatural my entire life, it’s been an interesting journey to face some of my own fears in a safe space. Horror is so broad and subjective. It isn’t always about blood and gore, shocking events, and repulsion yet that is often a big part of it. It is primarily about what deeply disturbs and frightens YOU!

◇Some cool things I noticed◇

• Carrie was given the same birthday as Stephen King himself—September 21st!

• Easter Eggs/Foreshadowing/Ideas for future books!?
-\\tChristine:
-\\t\\"And Billy suddenly felt his car turn traitor, come alive, slither in his hands.\\"
-\\tPet Sematary:
\\"Sue was reminded of dead animals she had seen on 95—woodchucks, groundhogs, skunks—that had been crushed by speeding trucks and station wagons.\\"

What do you think??

After finishing the novel, I rewarded myself and watched the Carrie remake film from 2013. Woah, it was amazingly done!

This is the first book I've read by this gentleman! Woohoo! It was about time!

Well, I liked it although it didn't really excite me either.

I had seen the mythical movie from the 70s ages ago, so the plot didn't surprise me much. But I loved the format that weaves together snippets of interviews, novels, and the perspectives of different characters.

The best thing is that it speaks very clearly about school bullying, but I even liked more that reflection on the obsessive need we humans have to belong to a social circle, especially in adolescence. It makes you think about how important it is for young people to feel accepted and part of something. And how sometimes, this need can lead to negative behaviors or situations. Overall, it was an interesting read that made me reflect on some important aspects of human nature and social interaction.

Story 5/5
Narration 5/5

You know a book is truly great when you find yourself completely unable to put it down. This was precisely the case with Stephen King's classic, "Carrie."

I was utterly captivated by this novel from the very first page. The story of Carrie White, a young girl with telekinetic powers and a troubled life, is both thrilling and deeply moving.

King's writing is masterful, painting a vivid picture of the characters and the events that unfold. The tension builds steadily throughout the book, keeping you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

I cannot recommend "Carrie" highly enough. It is a must-read for any fan of horror or psychological thrillers. Whether you're a long-time Stephen King enthusiast or new to his work, this book is sure to leave a lasting impression.

This was the very first Stephen King novel that I ever laid my hands on. I vividly remember snatching it from my dad's nightstand and instantly claiming it as my own. I was only eleven years old at that time. Eleven! It was this very book that kindled my desire and ignited my lifelong passion for reading. But when I think about it now, I'm a little appalled that I read it at such a tender age. The story contains quite a significant amount of sex and some truly disturbing scenes. However, since I turned out relatively normal, I guess no real harm was done ;)

This is a classic bully revenge story that remains just as relevant today as it was back in the day. Carrie White is depicted with such excruciating vulnerability that it will make your heart ache for her and cause you to cringe at many of the scenes. Carrie is an innocent soul, constantly abused by her religious fanatic of a mother who never offers any consolation but is always quick to dish out punishment for the most absurd of offenses (like simply talking to a neighbor).

"Go to your closet and pray!" her mother would shout when Carrie didn't want to eat her pie.

"It makes me have pimples, Momma," Carrie would protest.

"Your pimples are the Lord's way of chastising you. Now eat your pie," her mother would retort.

Can you even begin to imagine growing up with a mother like this? How could you not feel sympathy for Carrie?

Anyway, there isn't an abundance for me to say here. I had remembered it as a straightforward tale told from Carrie's perspective, but I think that's only because I've watched so many movie versions of it between the time I first read the book and now. It wasn't written that way at all. I thoroughly enjoyed the flashbacks, news reports, victim on the spot interviews, and all the other elements that composed the story. And I'm truly glad that I finally got around to rereading it. It held up incredibly well, and the audio version that I listened to was masterfully read by Sissy Spacek, who really understands the part.