It (by Stephen King)
This summer, the in-person Constant Reader book club I attend read “It,” by Stephen King. It was an excellent choice for a summer read! Since the book is quite lengthy, our facilitator divided it into three parts to cover our meetings in July, August, and September. This was a reread for me, as I had first read it in 2017.
The story begins in June 1958, on the last day of school for the summer break. In Derry, Maine, seven friends—Bill, Eddie, Richie, Stan, Mike, Ben, and Bev—form the Losers Club. They discover an evil entity residing in the drains and embark on a summer-long quest to defeat it. Their quest ends mysteriously.
In 1985, Mike makes six phone calls to reunite the Losers Club in Derry. However, the adults have no recollection of their childhood adventures, except for a promise they made back in 1958. Gradually, their past begins to repeat itself, and they gradually start remembering their childhood quest. This time, it’s crucial that they put an end to It, once and for all.
One of the things I enjoy most about this book club is hearing others’ perspectives on the stories. They make connections and discoveries that I completely missed. I also love the hidden gems that King drops in one book that relate to a completely different book, which our members love pointing out.
I was delighted to reread “It” as I remembered loving it the first time. The development of the children who become best friends and deeply connected for decades is powerful. The tragedies and traumas they experience as children are horrific yet also bind them together. The character It, who transforms in various ways to tap into individual fears and terrors, is an intriguing villain. I was engrossed in all the side stories King presented in the narrative, such as Mike’s dad, the missing children in Derry, and the bullies.
However, I must admit that I didn’t particularly enjoy the ending this time around. I recall a specific scene that I didn’t like the first time I read the book, and I cared even less for it this time. The climax of the story between It and the main characters seemed rather strange and bizarre. One of my book club members aptly said, “We need to be on hallucinogens to fully comprehend that finale.”
Despite this, the most prominent and significant thread of the story is the relationship between the children who grew up and became adults.
Our book club also enjoys discussing the movie adaptations of Stephen King’s novels. We meet monthly at a library to discuss the month’s selection, and afterward, the group moves to a local wine bar where the owner, who also loves King, shows a movie of our choice. In July, we watched It Part 1, and in August, we watched It Part 2. Since there’s no movie to watch for our meeting in September, we’re planning to have dinner at a Chinese restaurant instead. Wish us luck!
I enjoyed the film series of It, which was released in two parts in 2017 and 2019. They were extremely well-directed and produced, and I was very pleased with both movies.
The 1990 miniseries is probably my favorite adaptation because it makes me feel nostalgic. That’s what happens when you get older.
Up next is the HBO Max television series, It: Welcome to Derry, which is coming out this fall. I’m not sure how I feel about another movie adaptation of this book. I’ve seen the trailer, and I just don’t know what to expect. It seems different, while still the same. I suppose we’ll find out.
Feel free to explore my reviews of other Stephen King books below.
Different Seasons The Institute
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