Author: Stephen King
Pages: 1,156
Format: Paperback
Published: September 15, 1986
Publisher: Scribner
View on Goodreads
Date Completed: June 8, 2025
My rating: 
Thoughts
Stephen King’s It is a massive, ambitious novel that blends supernatural horror with the deep emotional resonance of a coming-of-age story—and for me, it was the latter that really made it shine. I listened to the audiobook as I read along, and Steven Weber’s narration is phenomenal. He gives each character a distinct voice, and his pacing grows more frenetic as the tension builds, adding a whole extra layer of immersion to the experience.
The childhood storyline of the Losers’ Club was easily the highlight. I loved the closeness between the kids and how they rallied around each other in the face of fear, bullies, and literal evil. Bill worked well as the leader, though his stutter occasionally felt a little overdone. Richie’s comic relief—especially his barrage of voices—was more irritating than endearing to me, and honestly hasn’t aged all that well. Ben, on the other hand, was probably my favorite. His quiet loyalty, his heartbreak over Bev, and his underlying strength made him the heart of the group in many ways.
I didn’t find Pennywise or the supernatural horror particularly scary, but I don’t think that took anything away from the story. The real horror is what the kids go through emotionally—loss, trauma, and growing up too fast. I was less drawn to the adult storyline, maybe because the characters were working through suppressed memories for so long, and the momentum dipped a bit there.
As for that scene—it’s infamous for a reason. I won’t go into detail, but I will say it was handled more delicately than I expected, even if I still found it uncomfortable and unnecessary. Honestly, it can be skipped without losing any key plot points or emotional impact.
Overall, It is a powerful story about memory, fear, and friendship. It wasn’t perfect, but I really enjoyed the journey. Solid 4 out of 5 stars.
