Carrie (Livre de Poche: Fantastique)

by Stephen King

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

CARRIE as a story is compelling and enraging - it's a perfect example of how a good writer can take an unremarkable character and rope the reader into rooting for them. It's all about an unforgivable environment, and CARRIE has that in spades. The story we have here in interesting, and I can see why it has resonated. But the book itself is not that interesting.

This is a piece of King's earlier work, and it shows in how scattered the narrative is and the lack of depth and surprise. Even without the cultural consciousness of the story (which permeates and leavens room for surprise), we are well aware of the ending leagues before it happens. And, to some extent, even the details fail to catch the reader unawares. The wrap up is too long, and we stop just short of really getting into the character's heads. I think if this book had come later in King's career, we'd've gotten a much darker story, one that crushed its readers hearts into a bloody paste. As it is, CARRIE is more of a dossier, a collection of recollections of a remarkable, injured girl and the thing she did.

I could take or leave this one.

For a more detailed review of this and other books as well as other bookish content, please swing by The Literary Phoenix.