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Carrie
A modern classic, Carrie introduced a distinctive new voice in American fiction -- Stephen King. The story of misunderstood high school girl Carrie White, her extraordinary telekinetic powers, and her violent rampage of revenge, remains one of the most barrier-breaking and shocking novels of all time.
Make a date with terror and live the nightmare that is...Carrie
--back cover
Make a date with terror and live the nightmare that is...Carrie
--back cover
272 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 5, 1974
About the author
Stephen King
2,620 books863k followersStephen Edwin King was born the second son of Donald and Nellie Ruth Pillsbury King. After his father left them when Stephen was two, he and his older brother, David, were raised by his mother. Parts of his childhood were spent in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where his father's family was at the time, and in Stratford, Connecticut. When Stephen was eleven, his mother brought her children back to Durham, Maine, for good. Her parents, Guy and Nellie Pillsbury, had become incapacitated with old age, and Ruth King was persuaded by her sisters to take over the physical care of them. Other family members provided a small house in Durham and financial support. After Stephen's grandparents passed away, Mrs. King found work in the kitchens of Pineland, a nearby residential facility for the mentally challenged.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
Stephen attended the grammar school in Durham and Lisbon Falls High School, graduating in 1966. From his sophomore year at the University of Maine at Orono, he wrote a weekly column for the school newspaper, THE MAINE CAMPUS. He was also active in student politics, serving as a member of the Student Senate. He came to support the anti-war movement on the Orono campus, arriving at his stance from a conservative view that the war in Vietnam was unconstitutional. He graduated in 1970, with a B.A. in English and qualified to teach on the high school level. A draft board examination immediately post-graduation found him 4-F on grounds of high blood pressure, limited vision, flat feet, and punctured eardrums.
He met Tabitha Spruce in the stacks of the Fogler Library at the University, where they both worked as students; they married in January of 1971. As Stephen was unable to find placement as a teacher immediately, the Kings lived on his earnings as a laborer at an industrial laundry, and her student loan and savings, with an occasional boost from a short story sale to men's magazines.
Stephen made his first professional short story sale ("The Glass Floor") to Startling Mystery Stories in 1967. Throughout the early years of his marriage, he continued to sell stories to men's magazines. Many were gathered into the Night Shift collection or appeared in other anthologies.
In the fall of 1971, Stephen began teaching English at Hampden Academy, the public high school in Hampden, Maine. Writing in the evenings and on the weekends, he continued to produce short stories and to work on novels.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 28,568 reviews
November 16, 2007
I want to start a shelf of "books-that-traumatized-me-as-a-child-with-stories-of-girls-who-just-could-not-stop-gushing-blood-Down-There," but I can't think of any others besides this and Bell Jar. I know in Are You There God, It's Me Margaret they just couldn't stop TALKING about it, but I think that was different, more just perplexing and annoying than actually traumatic.
Any suggestions?
Um, BTW, this book is AMAZING. I should give it more than three stars. There! Done. Four! This is one of those books where you're just like, DUDE, how did you even come UP with these THOUGHTS? I mean, I think we take it all for granted now but honestly, this book is amazing. I mean, there's just so MUCH, from the scary religious fanatic mom to the pig's blood to the downed telephone wires to the..... I haven't read this in a hundred years, but I remember many scenes in it so vividly, and not just because of the movie (which is, of course, also great).
I really think this took a lot of guts to write. I mean, the girls' locker room scene, come ON, I mean, who did he think he WAS when he WROTE that? I think he was still drinking then. He must have been. How much guts would that take, to be like, "I'm this guy and I'm going to write this completely balls-out preposterous scene of what I imagine it could be like inside a high school girls' locker room, even though I obviously have NO IDEA. Oh, yeah, and this unpopular naked teenage girl's going to be in there getting her period for the first time, and it's going to be INSANE. Insanely bloody, that's what it's gonna be! Yeah, that's right, blood EVERYWHERE. It's a horror novel! I'm gonna start out with gore! What could possibly be more disgusting and disturbing than bleeding out of one's most private orifice? Well, I'm sure I have no idea what that's like, really can't imagine it, the whole idea sounds totally crazy to me, that such a gross thing would happen to anyone... but being inside a girls' locker room, wow, well that really sounds intense too. Though come to think of it, I have no idea what THAT would realistically be like either! So yeah, but I'm gonna write this scene anyway, gushing blood and mean naked high school girls and it's going to be COMPETELY @#*%ing CRAZY." And he did. And it was.
But it WORKED. This novel was insane and fearless and obviously written by someone who had this story in him that needed to gush out like Carrie's menstrual blood and crazy telekinetic angst. This is one of the books I think of when I get depressed about the idea of workshopped writing and the internal observing critic and all the rest of that limiting quality-control type stuff. Sometimes people need to tell the nasally fact-checkers in their fevered brains to sit down and shut up, and drown out the voices of reason and temperance so they can let the wild stuff come out, and when they do, that's when they write Carrie.
Is this the Classic of Western Literature? No, not by most people's standards, and definitely not by mine. But it is a damn good story, and I'm glad he told it!
Any suggestions?
Um, BTW, this book is AMAZING. I should give it more than three stars. There! Done. Four! This is one of those books where you're just like, DUDE, how did you even come UP with these THOUGHTS? I mean, I think we take it all for granted now but honestly, this book is amazing. I mean, there's just so MUCH, from the scary religious fanatic mom to the pig's blood to the downed telephone wires to the..... I haven't read this in a hundred years, but I remember many scenes in it so vividly, and not just because of the movie (which is, of course, also great).
I really think this took a lot of guts to write. I mean, the girls' locker room scene, come ON, I mean, who did he think he WAS when he WROTE that? I think he was still drinking then. He must have been. How much guts would that take, to be like, "I'm this guy and I'm going to write this completely balls-out preposterous scene of what I imagine it could be like inside a high school girls' locker room, even though I obviously have NO IDEA. Oh, yeah, and this unpopular naked teenage girl's going to be in there getting her period for the first time, and it's going to be INSANE. Insanely bloody, that's what it's gonna be! Yeah, that's right, blood EVERYWHERE. It's a horror novel! I'm gonna start out with gore! What could possibly be more disgusting and disturbing than bleeding out of one's most private orifice? Well, I'm sure I have no idea what that's like, really can't imagine it, the whole idea sounds totally crazy to me, that such a gross thing would happen to anyone... but being inside a girls' locker room, wow, well that really sounds intense too. Though come to think of it, I have no idea what THAT would realistically be like either! So yeah, but I'm gonna write this scene anyway, gushing blood and mean naked high school girls and it's going to be COMPETELY @#*%ing CRAZY." And he did. And it was.
But it WORKED. This novel was insane and fearless and obviously written by someone who had this story in him that needed to gush out like Carrie's menstrual blood and crazy telekinetic angst. This is one of the books I think of when I get depressed about the idea of workshopped writing and the internal observing critic and all the rest of that limiting quality-control type stuff. Sometimes people need to tell the nasally fact-checkers in their fevered brains to sit down and shut up, and drown out the voices of reason and temperance so they can let the wild stuff come out, and when they do, that's when they write Carrie.
Is this the Classic of Western Literature? No, not by most people's standards, and definitely not by mine. But it is a damn good story, and I'm glad he told it!
August 23, 2020
When people talk about bathroom scenes, there is always this psychobabble, but I prefer to remember this ode on teenage dirtbag cruelty with psi.
I assume everyone knows the story, so there are unmarked spoilers in the spookhouse club.
King loves outsiders, losers, and outlaws, so what could be better than to start one´s career with a meanwhile legendary pop cultural reference to serious puberty issues and female problems? So that the unwilling antagonist unleashed, but sadly not controlled and cultivated, dark elemental forces, to become for instance instead a classy dark fantasy black witch and thematized premenstrual syndrome. Sorry, I couldn´t withstand the bad pun, please don´t high voltage energize and burn me.
There is definitively symbolism I should have had more focus on when reading it the first time, but even without that, the idea of using menstruation as a plot device is something predestined for the master of horror. Probably there are cultures censoring this part, but leaving the slaughter in it. Blood out of piles of corpses good, sexual related blood bad style.
I guess everyone knows the story that it nearly wouldn´t have come to King´s career if his wife wouldn´t have found the manuscript, but there is something else about the development of this book I keep asking myself. Did he get this inspiration while working as a teacher, was a young lady who asked to go to the toilet or home because she had cramps the reason why one of the best authors of all time had his breakthrough? Is human reproduction to thank for that we got all these amazing works?
The harshness and directness of this very young writing King is amazing, I remember so many details although there is close to no real action or plot until everyone gets a surprising finale event fun horror bloodbath.
Religion and its potential negative side effects on the wellbeing, extraversion, and self confidence, not too speak of sex education, play a key role here too, because all of this couldn´t have been possible without a mixture of hardliner extremism and madness, resulting in poor Carrie having anger management problems that are not really reduced by the sociodynamics of hormone high high schoolers with horrible attitudes highlighted through the hilariousness of human culture and tradition. I don´t know why I h ed so much, sorry, maybe possession, especially strange because I am a bit too old for that and have the wrong gender, possibly and hopefully it´s a succubus after long, hard years of trying to invoke one or, why not, as many as possible.
It could have happened so much earlier if there wouldn´t have been this lack of virginity and already inherent madness problems that made me look less attractive to possess than an innocent, naive virgin, I have to keep an aesthetic, erotic, sadomasochistic, love hate , sick roleplay, memory picture for the next resurgence to wait and save myself up for the perfect monster girl and discipline my weak flesh to not faint in the face of other, cheap, worthless, earthy, fading, seduction. But finally, the self flagellation, animal sacrifices, and sexy female devil worship have made sense and I bravely sacrifice myself to help expanding their power.
But whatever demon it might really be, if it´s true, beware many enemies mine. Everything is possible for a true believer in the dark forces. Mwahahaha
Fun fact: It speaks for itself that the movie adaption of a tale about a victimized girl exaggerating self defense had the German title „Carrie Des Satans jüngste Tochter.“ Carrie, the youngest daughter of Satan. I find it extremely inappropriate that she has been discriminated and falsely accused of satanism, when her only real crime was killing a few hundred people. Shame on my native tongue!
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
I assume everyone knows the story, so there are unmarked spoilers in the spookhouse club.
King loves outsiders, losers, and outlaws, so what could be better than to start one´s career with a meanwhile legendary pop cultural reference to serious puberty issues and female problems? So that the unwilling antagonist unleashed, but sadly not controlled and cultivated, dark elemental forces, to become for instance instead a classy dark fantasy black witch and thematized premenstrual syndrome. Sorry, I couldn´t withstand the bad pun, please don´t high voltage energize and burn me.
There is definitively symbolism I should have had more focus on when reading it the first time, but even without that, the idea of using menstruation as a plot device is something predestined for the master of horror. Probably there are cultures censoring this part, but leaving the slaughter in it. Blood out of piles of corpses good, sexual related blood bad style.
I guess everyone knows the story that it nearly wouldn´t have come to King´s career if his wife wouldn´t have found the manuscript, but there is something else about the development of this book I keep asking myself. Did he get this inspiration while working as a teacher, was a young lady who asked to go to the toilet or home because she had cramps the reason why one of the best authors of all time had his breakthrough? Is human reproduction to thank for that we got all these amazing works?
The harshness and directness of this very young writing King is amazing, I remember so many details although there is close to no real action or plot until everyone gets a surprising finale event fun horror bloodbath.
Religion and its potential negative side effects on the wellbeing, extraversion, and self confidence, not too speak of sex education, play a key role here too, because all of this couldn´t have been possible without a mixture of hardliner extremism and madness, resulting in poor Carrie having anger management problems that are not really reduced by the sociodynamics of hormone high high schoolers with horrible attitudes highlighted through the hilariousness of human culture and tradition. I don´t know why I h ed so much, sorry, maybe possession, especially strange because I am a bit too old for that and have the wrong gender, possibly and hopefully it´s a succubus after long, hard years of trying to invoke one or, why not, as many as possible.
It could have happened so much earlier if there wouldn´t have been this lack of virginity and already inherent madness problems that made me look less attractive to possess than an innocent, naive virgin, I have to keep an aesthetic, erotic, sadomasochistic, love hate , sick roleplay, memory picture for the next resurgence to wait and save myself up for the perfect monster girl and discipline my weak flesh to not faint in the face of other, cheap, worthless, earthy, fading, seduction. But finally, the self flagellation, animal sacrifices, and sexy female devil worship have made sense and I bravely sacrifice myself to help expanding their power.
But whatever demon it might really be, if it´s true, beware many enemies mine. Everything is possible for a true believer in the dark forces. Mwahahaha
Fun fact: It speaks for itself that the movie adaption of a tale about a victimized girl exaggerating self defense had the German title „Carrie Des Satans jüngste Tochter.“ Carrie, the youngest daughter of Satan. I find it extremely inappropriate that she has been discriminated and falsely accused of satanism, when her only real crime was killing a few hundred people. Shame on my native tongue!
Tropes show how literature is conceptualized and created and which mixture of elements makes works and genres unique:
https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.ph...
June 29, 2024
➳
4/5 Stars
Embarking on my first Stephen King adventure proved to be a journey filled with delight and intrigue. From the first page to the last, I found myself immersed in his masterful storytelling and drawn to the complexity of his characters. With each turn of the page, I felt a sense of anticipation, eager to unravel the mysteries woven within the narrative. It's clear that King's work comes highly recommended for a reason, and I'm eager to explore more of his literary treasures in the future.
Carrie unfolds the gripping tale of a young girl who discovers her telekinetic powers amidst a chaotic upbringing and relentless bullying at school. As she grapples with the oppressive influence of her religiously dedicated mother and the cruelty of her peers, her journey culminates in a fateful showdown at the senior prom. With her unleashed abilities, Carrie seeks vengeance against those who have wronged her, leaving an indelible mark on all who cross her path.
The narrative's authenticity is enhanced by the inclusion of various media excerpts, several articles and poignant quotes, lending a palpable realism to Carrie's story. It's these details that bring her world to life, making every page a compelling exploration of horror and its aftermath.
°˖➴ "Overall, it’s a compact novel, won’t take much of your time to breeze through. And if you've watched any of the Stephen king movie adaptations, don't hesitate. Just dive in. You'll be glad you did." 🫶🏻
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
꒰🌷⊹ ࣪ pre-read review ᯓᡣ𐭩
im soo freaking excited to dive into my first Stephen King book! Heard so much about his writing, hoping it lives up to the hype. Fingers crossed for a thrilling read! 😙🤞🏻
Embarking on my first Stephen King adventure proved to be a journey filled with delight and intrigue. From the first page to the last, I found myself immersed in his masterful storytelling and drawn to the complexity of his characters. With each turn of the page, I felt a sense of anticipation, eager to unravel the mysteries woven within the narrative. It's clear that King's work comes highly recommended for a reason, and I'm eager to explore more of his literary treasures in the future.
Carrie unfolds the gripping tale of a young girl who discovers her telekinetic powers amidst a chaotic upbringing and relentless bullying at school. As she grapples with the oppressive influence of her religiously dedicated mother and the cruelty of her peers, her journey culminates in a fateful showdown at the senior prom. With her unleashed abilities, Carrie seeks vengeance against those who have wronged her, leaving an indelible mark on all who cross her path.
The narrative's authenticity is enhanced by the inclusion of various media excerpts, several articles and poignant quotes, lending a palpable realism to Carrie's story. It's these details that bring her world to life, making every page a compelling exploration of horror and its aftermath.
°˖➴ "Overall, it’s a compact novel, won’t take much of your time to breeze through. And if you've watched any of the Stephen king movie adaptations, don't hesitate. Just dive in. You'll be glad you did." 🫶🏻
-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈
꒰🌷⊹ ࣪ pre-read review ᯓᡣ𐭩
im soo freaking excited to dive into my first Stephen King book! Heard so much about his writing, hoping it lives up to the hype. Fingers crossed for a thrilling read! 😙🤞🏻
October 13, 2022
“The record changer clicked; another record dropped down. In the sudden, brief silence, she heard something within her turn over. Perhaps only her soul.”
It was nine-fifteen
Carrie is the story of a young girl and her sudden discovery of telekinetic abilities. Repressed by a domineering, ultra-religious mother and tormented by her peers at school, her efforts to fit in lead to a dramatic confrontation during the senior prom. With her full abilities unleashed, Carrie decides that she will make them all pay, and she does.
Carrie was the first book published by Stephen King in 1974 and to date has been a bestselling success and a book faithfully remembered among its countless fans. Which, I can now confirm that I am one of! Carrie, a beautiful, sweet and innocent girl tortured by her classmates and her mother. They pushed her too far, she snapped and all hell broke loose.
Stephen King lets the events in this story unfold so organically, with mishaps and road blocks, most of these events are in the form of reports, documents, journal entries, and police reports into an investigation of Carrie White, her supposed telekinesis and the events surrounding the deaths and fire at the town of Chamberlain.
I loved the layers in this book: fact vs. imagination, innocence & guilt, black and white mix to make grey... we see inside Carries head, hear her thoughts and feel her pain. You can't help but feel so heartbroken for Carrie and this is testament to Kings strength in his character building.
What a brilliant first novel this is. I can’t believe it took me so long to finally read it.
My Highest Recommendation.
Edit: Just read this quote online, not sure who from. Had to share. Nails it!
Edit 13/10/22: Thank you Julie for researching and finding the owner of this quote, the author Ramsey Campbell 🙏🏻💖
“what brings the novel to "its own unique life" is the author's intensely precise focus on his characters, his genius for inhabiting their core, so that we don't iust feel with them but seem almost to share their breaths".
It was nine-fifteen
Carrie is the story of a young girl and her sudden discovery of telekinetic abilities. Repressed by a domineering, ultra-religious mother and tormented by her peers at school, her efforts to fit in lead to a dramatic confrontation during the senior prom. With her full abilities unleashed, Carrie decides that she will make them all pay, and she does.
Carrie was the first book published by Stephen King in 1974 and to date has been a bestselling success and a book faithfully remembered among its countless fans. Which, I can now confirm that I am one of! Carrie, a beautiful, sweet and innocent girl tortured by her classmates and her mother. They pushed her too far, she snapped and all hell broke loose.
Stephen King lets the events in this story unfold so organically, with mishaps and road blocks, most of these events are in the form of reports, documents, journal entries, and police reports into an investigation of Carrie White, her supposed telekinesis and the events surrounding the deaths and fire at the town of Chamberlain.
I loved the layers in this book: fact vs. imagination, innocence & guilt, black and white mix to make grey... we see inside Carries head, hear her thoughts and feel her pain. You can't help but feel so heartbroken for Carrie and this is testament to Kings strength in his character building.
What a brilliant first novel this is. I can’t believe it took me so long to finally read it.
My Highest Recommendation.
Edit: Just read this quote online, not sure who from. Had to share. Nails it!
Edit 13/10/22: Thank you Julie for researching and finding the owner of this quote, the author Ramsey Campbell 🙏🏻💖
“what brings the novel to "its own unique life" is the author's intensely precise focus on his characters, his genius for inhabiting their core, so that we don't iust feel with them but seem almost to share their breaths".
March 7, 2022
After I read other 6 novels by The King I finally found the IT, the novel which deserves 5*. To many more, I am spoiled for choice.
Carrie is a young girl living with her extremist religious mother and is severely bullied at school. She also has telekinesis powers waiting to burst and to lead to mass murders during her prom. What I liked about this novel was the way the author blends 1st person narration with extracts from memoirs, articles and other documents which unveil what happened before and during the horrible events in Chamberlain, Maine.
It seems that King has been an expert in people’s psychology even from his 1st novel. I find it that he succeeds to write the horror and evil of human’s mind. I felt a lot of empathy for Carrie, I was invested in her destiny and was conflicted about the outcome of her revenge.
Carrie is a young girl living with her extremist religious mother and is severely bullied at school. She also has telekinesis powers waiting to burst and to lead to mass murders during her prom. What I liked about this novel was the way the author blends 1st person narration with extracts from memoirs, articles and other documents which unveil what happened before and during the horrible events in Chamberlain, Maine.
It seems that King has been an expert in people’s psychology even from his 1st novel. I find it that he succeeds to write the horror and evil of human’s mind. I felt a lot of empathy for Carrie, I was invested in her destiny and was conflicted about the outcome of her revenge.
October 3, 2024
5-MODERN CLASSIC STARS YET AGAIN!!!
Recently, I've started this thing. It's not unique to me. Many people have attempted it, some have even succeeded, but I'm currently reading all of King's books in publication order.
I've already read 52-books of King's extensive list of works, many multiple times, but I've never read them in order. I think this will be a fun way to experience the trajectory of his career, as well as his different eras, if you will.
I'm also annotating this time through and recording my final thoughts in a King-designated Book Journal, courtesy of Clever Fox planners. I'm so stoked for this journey, you have no idea.
With this being said, I don't plan on really updating any of my thoughts on this one. Please see my previous review below for full thoughts. I'm pretty proud of this one, and feel very much the same this time through, as far as the execution of this novel, its importance and my love for it.
I did notice a couple of fun little Easter Egg type things this time around though that I'll mention real quick. King gave Carrie his birthday, although he would have been turning 16 on the day she was born. Also, her English teacher that she turned a noted poem into was named Mr. Edwin King, and Stephen's middle name is Edwin -- that was fun.
Also, I believe I found some foreshadowing to Christine, Firestarter, and if you think about it, maybe even The Institute.
Oh, and did anyone else notice that in one of the news reports of what happened in Chamberlain on that fateful night, the first casualty was reported to be a firefighter, his first name escapes me now, but middle initial, B, last name, Mears? I found that fun, since King's protagonist in his 2nd-novel, a little known work called 'Salem's Lot, is Ben Mears.
Final thought, Margaret White is one of the most heinous villains King has ever created. Every scene with her makes me want to knock her head off a wall.
That's talent.
Previously:
Carrie, Stephen King's first published full-length novel was released in 1974 and at this point, I think it's fair to say it's a modern classic. This novel has been adapted to film four times, the most well-known being the original 1976-release starring Sissy Spacek as Carrie.
Incidentally, I did decide to listen to the audiobook for this reread, as I had only read the print copy before, and the audio was narrated by Spacek.
It was fantastic and I highly recommend that audio-version. Spacek clearly has an intimate connection with this story and with Carrie in particular. I felt like it made the audio experience extra special.
Assuming most people at least have a general idea of what this story is about, I will keep this short and simple. This story, through the incredible use of mixed media, tells the story of Carrie White, a bullied teen who lives in the small town of Chamberlain, Maine.
At the beginning, there's an infamous scene taking place in the girls locker room at school, wherein Carrie experiences her first menstruation. Raised by a single-mother, a religious fanatic, who believes only women who sin grow breasts, Carrie has no idea what her period is.
She's frightened at the sight of the blood and panics. Her peers, who have already been bullying her mercilessly for years, are brutal in their reaction to the event, pelting her with feminine products and screaming at her.
It's awful. The girls are awful. Carrie gets sent home for the day and the young women involved in torturing her are given a light slap on the wrist.
It's at that time, under distress, that the first public signs of Carrie's powers appear. At least since that rock incident when she was a child...
The plot progresses from there, advancing Carrie's story from that point forward, as well as filling in some of her backstory, including her gut-wrenching, abusive relationship with her mother.
When one of the girls involved, Sue Snell, starts to feel remorse for the locker room incident, she concocts a slightly hair-brained and uber-naive plot wherein her popular, jock boyfriend, Tommy Ross, will take Carrie to the Spring dance instead of her.
Tommy isn't crazy about the idea. Not because he has anything against Carrie, he's not that kind of guy, but because he doesn't feel like Sue's tepid attempt at ridding herself of guilt will make any real difference in Carrie's life.
Nevertheless, he loves Sue and is willing to do anything she asks. If only he hadn't...
I had such a blast listening to this. I haven't read this story in over 20-years and it was so great to revisit one of King's earliest hits. Imagine reading and reviewing this in 1974, like 'this Stephen King guy is an author to watch.'
I was struck immediately by the creative use of mixed media. I have read from other authors who have mentioned how this novel influenced them with that format and I can see why. It is so incredibly well done here. IMO, definitely still one of the best displays of that format published to date.
I think it is important to keep in mind how unique that would have been at the time of publication.
There have been numerous novels in the past few years that have embraced that narrative style, particularly if you think of all the ones including podcasting elements. It seems now an obvious choice as a way to tell a story, but it's really not traditionally.
I'll be honest, it did make me sad reading this though. I was reminded why I have never reread it until now. There are certain King's, mainly this and Cujo, that are so good, yet so painful to read, because of how much empathy I feel for the characters involved, that I sort of avoid them.
As a Horror story, one could categorize Carrie as the 'baddie', but you feel for her and I would assume that 99.9% of Readers will be on her side.
To me, it's a bit like Frankenstein, another book I could only read once because I felt so damn bad for Frankenstein's monster, and in a way, Carrie is the Frankenstein's monster of modern times.
Carrie was created by the abuse of her mother and the constant harassment and ridicule of her peers. Sure, there's an argument in the book that her powers are genetic and I get that, but having telekinetic powers doesn't necessarily equate to killing hundreds of your peers and burning down your entire town.
I feel like there could have been other options for Carrie if she hadn't been treated like complete trash her entire life.
I loved how this wrapped up too, how the speed that the mixed media jumped around in the aftermath of prom night increased the intensity of the conclusion. I just thought it was so well done and then that final little snippet, PERFECTION.
I'm so happy that I took the time to reread this one. Even though Carrie's story is a painful one, it's also powerful and absolutely one that will stick in your mind once you're done.
Recently, I've started this thing. It's not unique to me. Many people have attempted it, some have even succeeded, but I'm currently reading all of King's books in publication order.
I've already read 52-books of King's extensive list of works, many multiple times, but I've never read them in order. I think this will be a fun way to experience the trajectory of his career, as well as his different eras, if you will.
I'm also annotating this time through and recording my final thoughts in a King-designated Book Journal, courtesy of Clever Fox planners. I'm so stoked for this journey, you have no idea.
With this being said, I don't plan on really updating any of my thoughts on this one. Please see my previous review below for full thoughts. I'm pretty proud of this one, and feel very much the same this time through, as far as the execution of this novel, its importance and my love for it.
I did notice a couple of fun little Easter Egg type things this time around though that I'll mention real quick. King gave Carrie his birthday, although he would have been turning 16 on the day she was born. Also, her English teacher that she turned a noted poem into was named Mr. Edwin King, and Stephen's middle name is Edwin -- that was fun.
Also, I believe I found some foreshadowing to Christine, Firestarter, and if you think about it, maybe even The Institute.
Oh, and did anyone else notice that in one of the news reports of what happened in Chamberlain on that fateful night, the first casualty was reported to be a firefighter, his first name escapes me now, but middle initial, B, last name, Mears? I found that fun, since King's protagonist in his 2nd-novel, a little known work called 'Salem's Lot, is Ben Mears.
Final thought, Margaret White is one of the most heinous villains King has ever created. Every scene with her makes me want to knock her head off a wall.
That's talent.
Previously:
Carrie, Stephen King's first published full-length novel was released in 1974 and at this point, I think it's fair to say it's a modern classic. This novel has been adapted to film four times, the most well-known being the original 1976-release starring Sissy Spacek as Carrie.
Incidentally, I did decide to listen to the audiobook for this reread, as I had only read the print copy before, and the audio was narrated by Spacek.
It was fantastic and I highly recommend that audio-version. Spacek clearly has an intimate connection with this story and with Carrie in particular. I felt like it made the audio experience extra special.
Assuming most people at least have a general idea of what this story is about, I will keep this short and simple. This story, through the incredible use of mixed media, tells the story of Carrie White, a bullied teen who lives in the small town of Chamberlain, Maine.
At the beginning, there's an infamous scene taking place in the girls locker room at school, wherein Carrie experiences her first menstruation. Raised by a single-mother, a religious fanatic, who believes only women who sin grow breasts, Carrie has no idea what her period is.
She's frightened at the sight of the blood and panics. Her peers, who have already been bullying her mercilessly for years, are brutal in their reaction to the event, pelting her with feminine products and screaming at her.
It's awful. The girls are awful. Carrie gets sent home for the day and the young women involved in torturing her are given a light slap on the wrist.
It's at that time, under distress, that the first public signs of Carrie's powers appear. At least since that rock incident when she was a child...
The plot progresses from there, advancing Carrie's story from that point forward, as well as filling in some of her backstory, including her gut-wrenching, abusive relationship with her mother.
When one of the girls involved, Sue Snell, starts to feel remorse for the locker room incident, she concocts a slightly hair-brained and uber-naive plot wherein her popular, jock boyfriend, Tommy Ross, will take Carrie to the Spring dance instead of her.
Tommy isn't crazy about the idea. Not because he has anything against Carrie, he's not that kind of guy, but because he doesn't feel like Sue's tepid attempt at ridding herself of guilt will make any real difference in Carrie's life.
Nevertheless, he loves Sue and is willing to do anything she asks. If only he hadn't...
I had such a blast listening to this. I haven't read this story in over 20-years and it was so great to revisit one of King's earliest hits. Imagine reading and reviewing this in 1974, like 'this Stephen King guy is an author to watch.'
I was struck immediately by the creative use of mixed media. I have read from other authors who have mentioned how this novel influenced them with that format and I can see why. It is so incredibly well done here. IMO, definitely still one of the best displays of that format published to date.
I think it is important to keep in mind how unique that would have been at the time of publication.
There have been numerous novels in the past few years that have embraced that narrative style, particularly if you think of all the ones including podcasting elements. It seems now an obvious choice as a way to tell a story, but it's really not traditionally.
I'll be honest, it did make me sad reading this though. I was reminded why I have never reread it until now. There are certain King's, mainly this and Cujo, that are so good, yet so painful to read, because of how much empathy I feel for the characters involved, that I sort of avoid them.
As a Horror story, one could categorize Carrie as the 'baddie', but you feel for her and I would assume that 99.9% of Readers will be on her side.
To me, it's a bit like Frankenstein, another book I could only read once because I felt so damn bad for Frankenstein's monster, and in a way, Carrie is the Frankenstein's monster of modern times.
Carrie was created by the abuse of her mother and the constant harassment and ridicule of her peers. Sure, there's an argument in the book that her powers are genetic and I get that, but having telekinetic powers doesn't necessarily equate to killing hundreds of your peers and burning down your entire town.
I feel like there could have been other options for Carrie if she hadn't been treated like complete trash her entire life.
I loved how this wrapped up too, how the speed that the mixed media jumped around in the aftermath of prom night increased the intensity of the conclusion. I just thought it was so well done and then that final little snippet, PERFECTION.
I'm so happy that I took the time to reread this one. Even though Carrie's story is a painful one, it's also powerful and absolutely one that will stick in your mind once you're done.
June 28, 2018
I have decided to go back and reread all the Stephen King books as audiobooks this time. Ones I have read recently or that I have already reread I may not do. I am starting at the very beginning with Carrie which I originally read on Kindle in 2014.
You might be saying, ”But, Matthew, that was his first book! You didn’t read it for the first time until 2014!?” There are a couple of reasons for that:
1. Carrie is referenced a lot in pop culture. Growing up in the 80s and 90s you really didn’t need to read Carrie to know the story.
2. I did have a paperback copy once (mid 90s or so). It fell apart when I was part way through. I didn’t get back to it until 2014. I know, I know . . . serious procrastination!
Well, I have now read it twice and it really is quite an amazing book. Lots of suspense and terrifying scenes crammed into a small package. In the intro, King said that he was working on this as a short story when it expanded into a novel – and I can see that. He was mainly a short story guy at the time, but a bit more started pouring out and he just couldn’t stop! It’s amazing to think the same guy that started with short stories and short novels ended up writing books like The Stand and It!
One thing that I think people who do not read King but who only know him as the master of horror through movies and hearsay are missing a lot. He is not just horror. Certainly there are many horrific scenarios in Carrie, but there is so much in there about humanity; how we treat each other and how our actions toward others may have a wider effect than expected. 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 just look at it as a creepy horror novel.
King started here, so should you? Carrie is not usually a book I recommend to people wanting to try King for the first time. I am not sure why this is, but I usually recommend The Dead Zone or Pet Sematary. After my second time through, I stand by this. I think that Carrie is something to try out after you have given a few of his other books a try. But, you can try it first, too, probably doesn’t matter – it is just my gut feeling that you should wait!
You might be saying, ”But, Matthew, that was his first book! You didn’t read it for the first time until 2014!?” There are a couple of reasons for that:
1. Carrie is referenced a lot in pop culture. Growing up in the 80s and 90s you really didn’t need to read Carrie to know the story.
2. I did have a paperback copy once (mid 90s or so). It fell apart when I was part way through. I didn’t get back to it until 2014. I know, I know . . . serious procrastination!
Well, I have now read it twice and it really is quite an amazing book. Lots of suspense and terrifying scenes crammed into a small package. In the intro, King said that he was working on this as a short story when it expanded into a novel – and I can see that. He was mainly a short story guy at the time, but a bit more started pouring out and he just couldn’t stop! It’s amazing to think the same guy that started with short stories and short novels ended up writing books like The Stand and It!
One thing that I think people who do not read King but who only know him as the master of horror through movies and hearsay are missing a lot. He is not just horror. Certainly there are many horrific scenarios in Carrie, but there is so much in there about humanity; how we treat each other and how our actions toward others may have a wider effect than expected. 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 just look at it as a creepy horror novel.
King started here, so should you? Carrie is not usually a book I recommend to people wanting to try King for the first time. I am not sure why this is, but I usually recommend The Dead Zone or Pet Sematary. After my second time through, I stand by this. I think that Carrie is something to try out after you have given a few of his other books a try. But, you can try it first, too, probably doesn’t matter – it is just my gut feeling that you should wait!
December 6, 2024
Carrie, the debut novel by the legendary Stephen King, remains a timeless classic that delves deep into the dark and twisted realms of the human psyche. Published in 1974, this supernatural horror novel catapulted King to literary stardom and set the stage for his illustrious career. With its themes of power, isolation, and the consequences of unchecked cruelty, "Carrie" is a gripping and haunting tale that continues to captivate readers.
The story centers around the life of Carrie White, a shy and introverted high school girl who possesses telekinetic powers. Carrie is relentlessly tormented by her peers and subjected to constant bullying, both at school and at home under the oppressive influence of her fanatically religious mother. As her powers develop, Carrie finds herself caught between the yearning for acceptance and the desire for revenge against those who have wronged her.
One of the greatest strengths of "Carrie" lies in King's ability to depict the raw emotions and psychological trauma experienced by his characters. Through vivid prose and a deft narrative style, King allows readers to empathize with Carrie's isolation, her desperation for love, and her descent into madness. The depiction of high school dynamics and teenage cruelty feels all too real, capturing the essence of the adolescent experience and the damaging effects of bullying.
The character development in "Carrie" is exceptional, particularly in the portrayal of Carrie herself. From the innocent and naive girl to the terrifying force of nature she becomes, King masterfully crafts a believable transformation that elicits both sympathy and dread. The supporting characters, such as Sue Snell, Tommy Ross, and the malevolent Chris Hargensen, provide a diverse and multifaceted backdrop against which Carrie's story unfolds.
The narrative structure of "Carrie" is unique and engaging. It is presented through a combination of traditional prose, newspaper articles, magazine clippings, and excerpts from books, creating a collage of perspectives that adds depth and richness to the storytelling. This multi-perspective approach allows the reader to witness the events surrounding Carrie from different angles, enhancing the sense of suspense and building towards the cataclysmic climax.
As expected from Stephen King, the horror elements in "Carrie" are masterfully executed. The supernatural abilities of the protagonist are seamlessly woven into the narrative, amplifying the tension and terror. The novel's climax is an intense and unforgettable sequence that showcases King's talent for crafting suspenseful scenes that leave readers on the edge of their seats.
However, "Carrie" does have a few minor drawbacks. At times, the pacing can feel uneven, with certain sections progressing slowly while others rush ahead. Additionally, some readers may find the excessive use of religious symbolism and references overwhelming or heavy-handed.
Overall, "Carrie" remains a remarkable achievement in Stephen King's vast repertoire of horror literature. It combines a chilling exploration of the supernatural with an intimate portrayal of the human condition. Through its themes of power, isolation, and the devastating consequences of mistreatment, "Carrie" resonates with readers on a profound level. Whether you are a fan of the horror genre or simply appreciate a well-crafted tale, "Carrie" is a must-read that continues to leave an indelible mark on the literary landscape.
The story centers around the life of Carrie White, a shy and introverted high school girl who possesses telekinetic powers. Carrie is relentlessly tormented by her peers and subjected to constant bullying, both at school and at home under the oppressive influence of her fanatically religious mother. As her powers develop, Carrie finds herself caught between the yearning for acceptance and the desire for revenge against those who have wronged her.
One of the greatest strengths of "Carrie" lies in King's ability to depict the raw emotions and psychological trauma experienced by his characters. Through vivid prose and a deft narrative style, King allows readers to empathize with Carrie's isolation, her desperation for love, and her descent into madness. The depiction of high school dynamics and teenage cruelty feels all too real, capturing the essence of the adolescent experience and the damaging effects of bullying.
The character development in "Carrie" is exceptional, particularly in the portrayal of Carrie herself. From the innocent and naive girl to the terrifying force of nature she becomes, King masterfully crafts a believable transformation that elicits both sympathy and dread. The supporting characters, such as Sue Snell, Tommy Ross, and the malevolent Chris Hargensen, provide a diverse and multifaceted backdrop against which Carrie's story unfolds.
The narrative structure of "Carrie" is unique and engaging. It is presented through a combination of traditional prose, newspaper articles, magazine clippings, and excerpts from books, creating a collage of perspectives that adds depth and richness to the storytelling. This multi-perspective approach allows the reader to witness the events surrounding Carrie from different angles, enhancing the sense of suspense and building towards the cataclysmic climax.
As expected from Stephen King, the horror elements in "Carrie" are masterfully executed. The supernatural abilities of the protagonist are seamlessly woven into the narrative, amplifying the tension and terror. The novel's climax is an intense and unforgettable sequence that showcases King's talent for crafting suspenseful scenes that leave readers on the edge of their seats.
However, "Carrie" does have a few minor drawbacks. At times, the pacing can feel uneven, with certain sections progressing slowly while others rush ahead. Additionally, some readers may find the excessive use of religious symbolism and references overwhelming or heavy-handed.
Overall, "Carrie" remains a remarkable achievement in Stephen King's vast repertoire of horror literature. It combines a chilling exploration of the supernatural with an intimate portrayal of the human condition. Through its themes of power, isolation, and the devastating consequences of mistreatment, "Carrie" resonates with readers on a profound level. Whether you are a fan of the horror genre or simply appreciate a well-crafted tale, "Carrie" is a must-read that continues to leave an indelible mark on the literary landscape.
June 18, 2024
English (Carrie)/ Italiano
«News item from the Westover (Me) Weekly Enterprise, August 19, 1966:
RAIN OF STONES REPORTED
It was reliably reported by several persons that a rain of stones fell from a clear blue sky on Carlin Street in the town of Chamberlin on 17th August. The stones feel principally on the home of Mrs Margaret White, damaging the roof extensively and ruining two gutters and a downspout valued at $25. Mrs White, a widow, lives with her three year old daughter, Carrieta»
Carrie is a teenager chasing an ordinary life, never able to catch it. This is not due to her telekinetic powers, the problem has far more to do with her mother, a person that we will define religious zealot, to say the least. Consequence: Carrie is definitely fringe at school, she is constantly bullied. And unfortunately Carrie is about to reach her breaking point...
A history of bullying, a topic that the author describes so well also in many other pages, in my opinion. Object of the abuse each time is a character who, in the eyes of many, seems weird. The beautiful paradox of this novel is that, to other kids, Carrie's weird thing is not telekinesis. She always managed to bury this talent. Carrie's marginalisation simply results from her mum's fundamentalism, her real nemesis. It's not an horror novel: it's a drama, plain and simple.
I was expecting a bit green work, something testifying this is the first published novel of one of the most prolific author I know (and one of my favorites). But no. Carrie is a beautiful piece of art not because filled with that rough beauty typical of early works, revealing a blooming talent. No. This novel is a beautiful piece of art, that's all.
Vote: 8,5
«Notizia di cronaca riportata dal settimanale Enterprise di Westover (Maine) il 19 agosto 1966:
PIOGGIA DI PIETRE.
Ci viene riferito che una pioggia di pietre è caduta da un cielo perfettamente sereno su Carlin Street, nella città di Chamberlain, il 17 agosto. Diverse persone sarebbero state testimoni. Le pietre sono cadute sulla casa della signora Margaret White, rovinando gravemente il tetto e sfondando due grondaie e un tubo di scolo per un danno di circa 25 dollari. La signora White, vedova, abita nella casa di Grin Street con la figlioletta di tre anni, Carrie»
Carrie è una ragazzina che insegue una vita normale, senza mai raggiungerla. E questo non perché dotata di poteri telecinetici, ma perché si ritrova per madre una persona che a volerla definire fanatica per il suo modo di interpretare la religione cattolica significa farle un complimento. Conseguenza: Carrie a scuola è un'emarginata, viene costantemente bullizzata. E purtroppo, Carrie sta per raggiungere il limite di sopportazione...
Torna uno dei temi secondo me più cari all'autore, presente spesso in molte sue pagine: il bullismo. Oggetto delle prevaricazioni altrui è ogni volta un personaggio che agli occhi di molti appare strano, diverso. Il bellissimo paradosso di questo romanzo è che per gli altri ragazzi la stranezza di Carrie non sta nella telecinesi. Questo talento è sempre riuscita a tenerlo nascosto. L'emarginazione di Carrie deriva più semplicemente dal fondamentalismo della madre, la sua vera nemesi. Più che horror, questo è un dramma bello e buono.
Mi aspettavo un'opera un po' acerba, che testimoniasse insomma di essere il primo romanzo ad essere pubblicato da uno degli autori più prolifici che io conosca (nonché uno dei miei preferiti). E invece no. Carrie è un'opera bella non perché dotata di quella bellezza grezza delle opere prime, che lasciano intravedere un talento che sta per esplodere. No. Questo romanzo è bello e basta.
Voto: 8.5
October 10, 2021
Carrie, Stephen King
Carrie is a novel by American author Stephen King. It was his first published novel, released on April 5, 1974.
It revolves around the eponymous Carrie White, an unpopular friendless misfit and bullied high school girl who uses her newly discovered telekinetic powers to exact revenge on those who torment her.
While in this process, she causes one of the worst local disasters the town has ever had. King has commented that he finds the work to be "raw" and "with a surprising power to hurt and horrify."
It is one of the most frequently banned books in United States schools. Much of the book uses newspaper clippings, magazine articles, letters, and excerpts from books to tell how Carrie destroyed the fictional town of Chamberlain, Maine while exacting revenge on her sadistic classmates and her own mother Margaret.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز بیست و هشتم ماه ژانویه سال 2014میلادی
عنوان: کری؛ نویسنده: استیون کینگ؛ مترجم: بهاره ملازم؛ تهران، افراز، 1390؛ ئدر 280ص؛ شابک 9789642435821؛ موضوع: داستانهای ترسناک از نویسندگان ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده 20م
داستان بلوغ و قدرتهای فرابشری «کری وایت» است، «کری وایت»، دختر خجالتی و کمروی مدرسه، به شدت از سوی دوستانش مورد تمسخر قرار میگیرد؛ او در خانه هم با مادری به شدت مذهبی و پریشان، زندگی میکند، که به «کری» اجازه ی ارتباط با دیگران را نمیدهد؛ روزی که دخترِ شلوغ و شرّ مدرسه، «کریس»، که از «کری» متنفر است، تصمیم میگیرد بلایی سرِ او بیاورد، روزی است که خشمِ فرا طبیعیِ «کری» را به دنبال دارد؛ از این داستان دو فیلم زیر نیز اقتباس و ساخته و پرداخته شده اند
نام فیلم: کری؛ کارگردان: برایان دی پالما؛ نویسنده: استیون کینگ؛ بازیگران: سیسی اسپیسک؛ جان تراولتا؛ پایپر لوری؛ پاملا جین سولز؛ موسیقی: پینو دوناجو؛ تدوین: پال هرش؛ توزیع کننده: یونایتد آرتیستس؛ تاریخهای انتشار: روز سوم ماه نوامبر سال 1976میلادی؛ مدت زمان: 98دقیقه؛ کشور: ایالات متحده؛ زبان: انگلیسی؛ هزینهٔ فیلم: یک میلیون و هشتصد هزار دلار؛ فروش گیشه: 33میلیون و هشتصد هزار دلار
نام فیلم: کری؛ کارگردان: کیمبرلی پرس؛ تهیه کننده: کوین میشر؛ فیلمنامه نویس: روبرتو آگیر-سکزا؛ بر پایه داستان کری اثر: استیون کینگ؛ بازیگران: کلویی مورتز؛ جولیان مور؛ جودی گریر؛ گابریلا وایلد؛ پورتیا دوبلدی؛ درک مکگرث؛ بری شاباکا هنلی؛ موسیقی: مارکو بلترامی؛ فیلمبرداری: استیو یدلین؛ تدوین: لی پرسی؛ شرکت تولید: میشر فیلمز؛ توزیع کننده: مترو گلدوین مایر؛ اسکرین جمز؛ تاریخ (های) انتشار: روز هجدهم ماه اکتبر سال2013میلادی؛ مدت: 99دقیقه؛ کشور: آمریکا؛ زبان: انگلیسی؛ بودجه: 30میلیون دلار؛ گیشه: 84790678دلار؛
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 15/09/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 17/07/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
Carrie is a novel by American author Stephen King. It was his first published novel, released on April 5, 1974.
It revolves around the eponymous Carrie White, an unpopular friendless misfit and bullied high school girl who uses her newly discovered telekinetic powers to exact revenge on those who torment her.
While in this process, she causes one of the worst local disasters the town has ever had. King has commented that he finds the work to be "raw" and "with a surprising power to hurt and horrify."
It is one of the most frequently banned books in United States schools. Much of the book uses newspaper clippings, magazine articles, letters, and excerpts from books to tell how Carrie destroyed the fictional town of Chamberlain, Maine while exacting revenge on her sadistic classmates and her own mother Margaret.
تاریخ نخستین خوانش: روز بیست و هشتم ماه ژانویه سال 2014میلادی
عنوان: کری؛ نویسنده: استیون کینگ؛ مترجم: بهاره ملازم؛ تهران، افراز، 1390؛ ئدر 280ص؛ شابک 9789642435821؛ موضوع: داستانهای ترسناک از نویسندگان ایالات متحده آمریکا - سده 20م
داستان بلوغ و قدرتهای فرابشری «کری وایت» است، «کری وایت»، دختر خجالتی و کمروی مدرسه، به شدت از سوی دوستانش مورد تمسخر قرار میگیرد؛ او در خانه هم با مادری به شدت مذهبی و پریشان، زندگی میکند، که به «کری» اجازه ی ارتباط با دیگران را نمیدهد؛ روزی که دخترِ شلوغ و شرّ مدرسه، «کریس»، که از «کری» متنفر است، تصمیم میگیرد بلایی سرِ او بیاورد، روزی است که خشمِ فرا طبیعیِ «کری» را به دنبال دارد؛ از این داستان دو فیلم زیر نیز اقتباس و ساخته و پرداخته شده اند
نام فیلم: کری؛ کارگردان: برایان دی پالما؛ نویسنده: استیون کینگ؛ بازیگران: سیسی اسپیسک؛ جان تراولتا؛ پایپر لوری؛ پاملا جین سولز؛ موسیقی: پینو دوناجو؛ تدوین: پال هرش؛ توزیع کننده: یونایتد آرتیستس؛ تاریخهای انتشار: روز سوم ماه نوامبر سال 1976میلادی؛ مدت زمان: 98دقیقه؛ کشور: ایالات متحده؛ زبان: انگلیسی؛ هزینهٔ فیلم: یک میلیون و هشتصد هزار دلار؛ فروش گیشه: 33میلیون و هشتصد هزار دلار
نام فیلم: کری؛ کارگردان: کیمبرلی پرس؛ تهیه کننده: کوین میشر؛ فیلمنامه نویس: روبرتو آگیر-سکزا؛ بر پایه داستان کری اثر: استیون کینگ؛ بازیگران: کلویی مورتز؛ جولیان مور؛ جودی گریر؛ گابریلا وایلد؛ پورتیا دوبلدی؛ درک مکگرث؛ بری شاباکا هنلی؛ موسیقی: مارکو بلترامی؛ فیلمبرداری: استیو یدلین؛ تدوین: لی پرسی؛ شرکت تولید: میشر فیلمز؛ توزیع کننده: مترو گلدوین مایر؛ اسکرین جمز؛ تاریخ (های) انتشار: روز هجدهم ماه اکتبر سال2013میلادی؛ مدت: 99دقیقه؛ کشور: آمریکا؛ زبان: انگلیسی؛ بودجه: 30میلیون دلار؛ گیشه: 84790678دلار؛
تاریخ بهنگام رسانی 15/09/1399هجری خورشیدی؛ 17/07/1400هجری خورشیدی؛ ا. شربیانی
February 11, 2021
It was 13 years since the last time I read this book; this remarkable epistolary debut novel by King. When first published it was ahead of its time, and still feels pertinent today. In this work there are so many brave choices for a debut novelistl; with this debut King came out the blocks all-guns blazing in is career as a writer. Utterly and totally a classic old school King read. Typifying his future work, this story focuses on the outsiders, on how they're treated by the majority, and where that story goes from there. In addition it starts his over-bearing parent theme that continually reappears in his subsequent works. 8 out of 12.
September 12, 2017
Everybody is invited to the Prom Dance!
THAT ENDING THAT YOU'RE EXPECTING...
It's very interesting to read Carrie finally.
I have watched the Brian de Palma's adaptation, so I wasn't unfamiliar with what would happen.
However, the way as Stephen King wrote this book was in such great way that the novel is still engaging not matter if you already know the main highlights.
There are some books that if you knew what will happen...kaput! All the fun was spoiled and you won't get interested on reading the book.
BUT in here, Stephen King gave you the highlights right away.
You haven't advanced even few pages and you already know that Carrie White has Telekinetic powers and something really bad happened in the Prom Night.
THE BOOK WHICH STARTED STEPHEN KING'S CAREER
I think that it's the best testimony to Stephen King's genius in this, his very first novel (the first to be published but in reality the fourth that he wrote). He wasn't able to know then that the book will became a success and a staple book in the horror genre, however thinking that that will happen, it is clever not waiting long in the narrative to give the main highlights.
Since if before, you still have to get spoiled of key events in stories,...
...nowadays with internet, social networks, online news, chatting forums, etc... it's really REALLY HARD to avoid getting spoiled when something that became so successful.
But with Stephen King's debut published novel?
No sweat, you can read almost 40 years later the novel, knowing ahead the story, and still you get engaged into the book due the great management of the author on the presentation of the story.
UNUSUAL BUT BRILLIANT NARRATIVE STYLE
Maybe, nowadays, it could be a pretty standard way to tell the story, but 40 years ago?
Visionary style!
The narrative plays with "current" events in the story with excerpts of supposed books and documents written in the "future" of the story. Even you have to take in account that the very novel is kinda an alternate history story due that it's set in "1979" but the publication was on 1974, and there are many references on the supposed investigative books there with dates even more in the future.
Other powerful element on Carrie is that its main topic is still as relevant now than in 1974, since that topic is BULLLYING.
The bullying is main trigger in the story and you can't deny that it's a topic that, sadly, is the same as important now (if not more) than in 1974.
Because of that, Carrie didn't age and it didn't lose its appealing to new readers. I think that main storyline and plot are well set and developed.
GETTING INTO THEIR SKINS
My only complains would be in the character developing area, and/or the justification of some actions.
I say this that while the "evil" characters like Chris Hargensen and Billy Nolan are satisfying developed and with really interesting reactions of both.
In the case of Miss Dejardin and Sue Snell, I think that they could use a better setting of their motivations to help Carrie White and not a sudden impulse of being good samaritans. More interaction between Carrie White and her mother could be appreciated.
Changing to other subjects...
I think that it's a general misconception that Carrie White went insane, crazy, etc...
Oh, no, no, my friends.
She wasn't crazy.
A crazy person don't think in a clear way and it's obvious that Carry once she unleashed her rage, she took steps to protect her work that a crazy person wouldn't do.
Of course, I am not saying that Carrie was a "sane" person.
Definitely she was a psychopathic person that it's waaaaay different than a "crazy person".
Even some events in her confrontation with her mother and later her encounter with Sue Snell, leave clear evidence that Carrie White was thinking in a certain level of "rational logic", maybe irrational for you but when you try to think what could mean to be Carrie White...
...you can realize why some "odd" events, have all the logic in the odd world of Carrie.
Changing the subject again. (Please, indulge me, I promise that's the last time)
The novel even leave a certain open frame for a potential sequel.
Forty years later, you could think that that would never happens, BUT seeing a recently published sequel for The Shining,...
...so anything can happens.
THAT ENDING THAT YOU'RE EXPECTING...
It's very interesting to read Carrie finally.
I have watched the Brian de Palma's adaptation, so I wasn't unfamiliar with what would happen.
However, the way as Stephen King wrote this book was in such great way that the novel is still engaging not matter if you already know the main highlights.
There are some books that if you knew what will happen...kaput! All the fun was spoiled and you won't get interested on reading the book.
BUT in here, Stephen King gave you the highlights right away.
You haven't advanced even few pages and you already know that Carrie White has Telekinetic powers and something really bad happened in the Prom Night.
THE BOOK WHICH STARTED STEPHEN KING'S CAREER
I think that it's the best testimony to Stephen King's genius in this, his very first novel (the first to be published but in reality the fourth that he wrote). He wasn't able to know then that the book will became a success and a staple book in the horror genre, however thinking that that will happen, it is clever not waiting long in the narrative to give the main highlights.
Since if before, you still have to get spoiled of key events in stories,...
...nowadays with internet, social networks, online news, chatting forums, etc... it's really REALLY HARD to avoid getting spoiled when something that became so successful.
But with Stephen King's debut published novel?
No sweat, you can read almost 40 years later the novel, knowing ahead the story, and still you get engaged into the book due the great management of the author on the presentation of the story.
UNUSUAL BUT BRILLIANT NARRATIVE STYLE
Maybe, nowadays, it could be a pretty standard way to tell the story, but 40 years ago?
Visionary style!
The narrative plays with "current" events in the story with excerpts of supposed books and documents written in the "future" of the story. Even you have to take in account that the very novel is kinda an alternate history story due that it's set in "1979" but the publication was on 1974, and there are many references on the supposed investigative books there with dates even more in the future.
Other powerful element on Carrie is that its main topic is still as relevant now than in 1974, since that topic is BULLLYING.
The bullying is main trigger in the story and you can't deny that it's a topic that, sadly, is the same as important now (if not more) than in 1974.
Because of that, Carrie didn't age and it didn't lose its appealing to new readers. I think that main storyline and plot are well set and developed.
GETTING INTO THEIR SKINS
My only complains would be in the character developing area, and/or the justification of some actions.
I say this that while the "evil" characters like Chris Hargensen and Billy Nolan are satisfying developed and with really interesting reactions of both.
In the case of Miss Dejardin and Sue Snell, I think that they could use a better setting of their motivations to help Carrie White and not a sudden impulse of being good samaritans. More interaction between Carrie White and her mother could be appreciated.
Changing to other subjects...
I think that it's a general misconception that Carrie White went insane, crazy, etc...
Oh, no, no, my friends.
She wasn't crazy.
A crazy person don't think in a clear way and it's obvious that Carry once she unleashed her rage, she took steps to protect her work that a crazy person wouldn't do.
Of course, I am not saying that Carrie was a "sane" person.
Definitely she was a psychopathic person that it's waaaaay different than a "crazy person".
Even some events in her confrontation with her mother and later her encounter with Sue Snell, leave clear evidence that Carrie White was thinking in a certain level of "rational logic", maybe irrational for you but when you try to think what could mean to be Carrie White...
...you can realize why some "odd" events, have all the logic in the odd world of Carrie.
Changing the subject again. (Please, indulge me, I promise that's the last time)
The novel even leave a certain open frame for a potential sequel.
Forty years later, you could think that that would never happens, BUT seeing a recently published sequel for The Shining,...
...so anything can happens.
October 28, 2021
I wanted to love it but I thought it was so boring 😭 one of my least favorite Stephen King books unfortunately
Reading vlog: https://youtu.be/gwB2D-8KlqI
Reading vlog: https://youtu.be/gwB2D-8KlqI
Want to read
February 10, 2020I'm taking this off the currently reading shelf at the moment because I really can't get into this book.
April 24, 2015
“People don't get better, they just get smarter. When you get smarter you don't stop pulling the wings off flies, you just think of better reasons for doing it.”
This is pizza, the freaky flavor.
I loved how intertwined with religion it was. Not churches and stuff like that. I mean hardcore stuff about the point where religion stops being religion and transforms into fanaticism and how a person can drive themselves crazy with it, especially if you already have the tendency towards the crazy.
And Margaret White definitely had the tendency towards craziness. She’s a prejudiced, maniacal, insane person who believes that women are constantly living in sin because of their gender. Sex is poison, sexual pleasure is a sin. When she got pregnant she tried to kill the baby. Now, after 17 years she self-harms herself to stop her daughter from disobeying her like a nice little sheep.
Carrie is the kind of girl who gets period and thinks she’s bleeding to death. Yes, that’s what happens when you have no friends, or people to stand by you or a mother who’s supportive and can guide you through stuff like this. Every time, Carrie commits a sin, she’s forced by Margaret to get locked inside a closet until she’s repented for her sins by asking for forgiveness.
If you’ve seen the movie – or better yet, the movies – then you’re all too familiar with the plot and what happens. What’s worth the mention though, it’s the fact that while, I, too, was familiar with the plot I felt like reading something new, something I’d never heard or seen before and that’s the magic of Mr. King’s writing.
The way he combines the past with the present and horror seems all too real. It’s mouth-watering and it leaves you wanting more and more of that horror and terror.
It’s a small enough novel, it’ll take you no time at all to read it. So, if you’ve seen the movies then don’t be hesitant about it. Just do it. You won’t regret it.
February 1, 2023
I first read Carrie in secondary school, I was 13/14 and I distinctly remember ignoring the whole world until I had finished this book, I didn't eat or talk (I was at my nans that day and I ignored her all day) until I'd read every single sentence. This reread has been pretty much on the same lines.
I love this book and I love Carrie, for entirely different reasons today than 20 years ago.
On my first read of Carrie I loved Carrie because the whole book consumed me, engaged me, and after the last sentence I was like, wow that ride!
Now in my thirties this book has a whole new perspective. I love Carrie because every single person let her down, I love Carrie because no one else did and I love her for kicking back at a world that kicked at her every day of her miserable 17 years. I love Carrie because she was a human, a kid and I can emphasize with her. People who say your school days are the best days of your life are deluded, wherever a kid stands in the popular social order has their crosses to bare.
The one thing that I felt strongly through both readings is that I so badly wanted a different outcome of the Prom, even during this reread I found myself internally begging King to change it up, but that's Carrie for you, she crawls into your head, under your skin, until she is all you can think about and you just so badly want the sun to shine down on her.
Carrie will always be my all time most consuming read, my feelings on this girl are overwhelming.
A solid 5 star book and an all time favorite.
I love this book and I love Carrie, for entirely different reasons today than 20 years ago.
On my first read of Carrie I loved Carrie because the whole book consumed me, engaged me, and after the last sentence I was like, wow that ride!
Now in my thirties this book has a whole new perspective. I love Carrie because every single person let her down, I love Carrie because no one else did and I love her for kicking back at a world that kicked at her every day of her miserable 17 years. I love Carrie because she was a human, a kid and I can emphasize with her. People who say your school days are the best days of your life are deluded, wherever a kid stands in the popular social order has their crosses to bare.
The one thing that I felt strongly through both readings is that I so badly wanted a different outcome of the Prom, even during this reread I found myself internally begging King to change it up, but that's Carrie for you, she crawls into your head, under your skin, until she is all you can think about and you just so badly want the sun to shine down on her.
Carrie will always be my all time most consuming read, my feelings on this girl are overwhelming.
A solid 5 star book and an all time favorite.
October 14, 2017
Outcast Carrie White has a secret. She's telekinetic. When a popular girl's boyfriend invites her to prom as atonement, she accepts, completely unaware of the horrors lurking on the horizon...
Carrie is Stephen King's first novel and has been part of our cultural landscape since it was made into a movie in the late 1970s. Somehow, I've escaped reading it or seeing the movie until now. I knew (or thought I knew) most of the wrinkles of the plot going in, due to sai King's On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft and numerous cultural references over the years.
Carrie is told using an interesting structure, alternating passages from Carrie's timeline as it unfolds and excepts from accounts of what happened at the prom in the far future. The structure reminded me of Not Comin' Home to You at times. I think Block did it better.
The story itself is pretty good. It's a story of rejection, acceptance, betrayal, and bloody, horrible vengeance. It very much feels like a first novel, over written in places, but there's still a certain Kingliness to it.
While I wouldn't say I disliked the story, I wasn't in love with it. It feels like a novellette that was padded to bring up to novel length to me. Maybe it's because I already knew where the story was headed, both because of the structure and because it's been part of our pop culture for so long, I just wasn't hooked by it. The ending was much more horrific than I thought it would be, though. The rampage was by far the best part of the book.
Possible connection with another Stephen King story: Teddy DuChamp, owner of Teddy's Amoco, is mentioned as having died in 1968 but his son still locks up the gas pumps. The age doesn't seem right for Teddy DuChamp of The Body, though.
I'm glad Stephen King broke into the business with Carrie but it just wasn't my bucket of pigs' blood. Two out of five stars.
Carrie is Stephen King's first novel and has been part of our cultural landscape since it was made into a movie in the late 1970s. Somehow, I've escaped reading it or seeing the movie until now. I knew (or thought I knew) most of the wrinkles of the plot going in, due to sai King's On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft and numerous cultural references over the years.
Carrie is told using an interesting structure, alternating passages from Carrie's timeline as it unfolds and excepts from accounts of what happened at the prom in the far future. The structure reminded me of Not Comin' Home to You at times. I think Block did it better.
The story itself is pretty good. It's a story of rejection, acceptance, betrayal, and bloody, horrible vengeance. It very much feels like a first novel, over written in places, but there's still a certain Kingliness to it.
While I wouldn't say I disliked the story, I wasn't in love with it. It feels like a novellette that was padded to bring up to novel length to me. Maybe it's because I already knew where the story was headed, both because of the structure and because it's been part of our pop culture for so long, I just wasn't hooked by it. The ending was much more horrific than I thought it would be, though. The rampage was by far the best part of the book.
Possible connection with another Stephen King story: Teddy DuChamp, owner of Teddy's Amoco, is mentioned as having died in 1968 but his son still locks up the gas pumps. The age doesn't seem right for Teddy DuChamp of The Body, though.
I'm glad Stephen King broke into the business with Carrie but it just wasn't my bucket of pigs' blood. Two out of five stars.
July 27, 2018
“Jesus watches from the wall,
But his face is cold as stone,
And if he loves me
As she tells me
Why do I feel so all alone?”
I remember watching the movie when I was very little, I was pretty much petrified by it. The image of a poor girl covered in pig blood, going on a killing spree haunted me, and here I am today reading it for the first time awfully distraught and yet incredibly mesmerized by King's writing. No wonder he is where he is today. A true genius!
But his face is cold as stone,
And if he loves me
As she tells me
Why do I feel so all alone?”
I remember watching the movie when I was very little, I was pretty much petrified by it. The image of a poor girl covered in pig blood, going on a killing spree haunted me, and here I am today reading it for the first time awfully distraught and yet incredibly mesmerized by King's writing. No wonder he is where he is today. A true genius!
October 24, 2020
“Nobody was really surprised when it happened, not really, not at the subconscious level where savage things grow. On the surface, all the girls in the shower room were shocked, thrilled, ashamed, or simply glad that the White b---h had taken it in the mouth again. Some of them might also have claimed surprise, but of course their claim was untrue. Carrie had been going to school with some of them since the first grade, and this had been building since that time, building slowly and immutably, in accordance with all the laws that govern human nature, building with all the steadiness of a chain reaction approaching critical mass. What none of them knew, of course, was that Carrie White was telekinetic…”
- Stephen King, Carrie
Even if Carrie was terrible, it would be worth checking out, simply because it is Stephen King’s first published novel. The author of more than sixty books and some two-hundred short stories, the unbelievably prolific King can write a 600-page behemoth in the time it takes most people to tap out a Tweet. Besides the output is the quality. King’s works are typically huge bestsellers, many of them so inherently cinematic that they have become beloved televisions shows, miniseries, and movies. The popularity is deserved. Despite often being reduced to a “horror writer,” many of King’s novels transcend genre and can only be judged as literary classics.
Carrie, thankfully, is not terrible. It is also – unlike some King tomes – short and to the point, meaning that it is no chore to read.
That said, Carrie isn’t all that great either, and for me falls under the heading of interesting more than anything else. If you were to ask whether the King novel or Brian DePalma’s iconic film version is better, I’d have to say it’s a push.
The plot is simplicity itself. It is a revenge narrative with a supernatural twist. Carrie White, the hemmed-in daughter of a hyper-religious mother is getting bullied at school, especially after having her period in the shower. Unlike many of the dweebs and nerds and geeks who’ve been hung in lockers or received wedgies during gym class, Carrie has an unusual gift to get back at her tormentors.
She is telekinetic.
And prom is coming up.
That’s it in a nutshell. King can often be meandering in his plots, but this one is straightforward as it gets. Well, at least relative to King. There are still some throwaway scenes that aren’t really necessary, and hint at the digressionary style King would later put to use in The Stand and It. These isolated moments are not necessarily bad – a confrontation between a principal and an irate parent is quite good – but they stand out in an otherwise lean piece of fiction.
The legendary filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock once described the difference between surprise and suspense. Surprise is when a bomb goes off, without you knowing of its prior existence. Suspense is when you see the bomb get set, and the timer starts to count down. Both can be thrilling experiences, but suspense lasts longer, and depending on the skill of the conductor, can be drawn out to agonizing lengths.
Suspense, I believe, it was King was going for with Carrie. Early on, he tells you that something terrible happens at prom. Though he is vague about the details, he keeps dropping hints as the story unspools. King also begins telegraphing who is going to live and who is going to die. The mystery – and the book’s tension – comes from discovering how all these destinations get reached.
Thus, whether Carrie works for you or not depends on how well you think that King modulates the rhythms of suspense, and how well you think he delivers the climax.
I’m going to be honest when I say that it didn’t work as well for me as I expected, despite King’s self-evident talent and full-throttle imagination. The problem, I think, is in the way Carrie is structured.
Instead of being a chronological narrative, King turns this into a partially epistolary novel. There are sections in the main timeline that are told from the third-person. These sections, though, are intercut – sometimes frustratingly – with “excerpts” from books, magazine and newspaper articles, and the testimony of a post-prom board of inquiry. I imagine that King thought he was increasing the tension with these cutaways, giving us fragments of a puzzle without showing us the picture on the box. For me, though, these acted as relief valves, deflating the tension – and my interest – by drifting away from the main character.
Carrie has top billing, and has achieved cultural name recognition, but due to King’s framework, she is an elusive central figure. The time we spend with her is fascinating. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, King’s true interest lies elsewhere. There are, for instance, long discussions taken from a fictional book about the science of telekinesis. These portions are doubly irritating because they both drop the main plot thread and indulge in the sin of overexplaining. It’s as though King thought no one would buy his story unless he convinced them that telekinesis was possible. As King would later learn, explaining the supernatural is not only unnecessary, but entirely besides the point. I don’t need to know where the dome comes from in Under the Dome or why the pet cemetery in Pet Sematary brings the dead back to life. I only need a good tale to be derived from these notions.
The epistolary interjections become fatal – in my opinion – during the extended denouement. Showing surprising restraint – this is violent, but not graphic, at least by King standards – King delivers a rather long sequence in which Carrie’s bottled-up emotions come pouring forth. Rather than arriving at a powerful conclusion, though, King keeps interrupting the flow by cutting to the transcripts of a board of inquiry. The start-stop nature of the endgame does not maintain suspense, it empties it out.
That said, Carrie is a legacy. It was fine to read, buoyed by King’s innate abilities. More than that, it is a sign of things to come, showcasing King’s genius for unforgettable characters colliding in unforgettable contexts.
- Stephen King, Carrie
Even if Carrie was terrible, it would be worth checking out, simply because it is Stephen King’s first published novel. The author of more than sixty books and some two-hundred short stories, the unbelievably prolific King can write a 600-page behemoth in the time it takes most people to tap out a Tweet. Besides the output is the quality. King’s works are typically huge bestsellers, many of them so inherently cinematic that they have become beloved televisions shows, miniseries, and movies. The popularity is deserved. Despite often being reduced to a “horror writer,” many of King’s novels transcend genre and can only be judged as literary classics.
Carrie, thankfully, is not terrible. It is also – unlike some King tomes – short and to the point, meaning that it is no chore to read.
That said, Carrie isn’t all that great either, and for me falls under the heading of interesting more than anything else. If you were to ask whether the King novel or Brian DePalma’s iconic film version is better, I’d have to say it’s a push.
The plot is simplicity itself. It is a revenge narrative with a supernatural twist. Carrie White, the hemmed-in daughter of a hyper-religious mother is getting bullied at school, especially after having her period in the shower. Unlike many of the dweebs and nerds and geeks who’ve been hung in lockers or received wedgies during gym class, Carrie has an unusual gift to get back at her tormentors.
She is telekinetic.
And prom is coming up.
That’s it in a nutshell. King can often be meandering in his plots, but this one is straightforward as it gets. Well, at least relative to King. There are still some throwaway scenes that aren’t really necessary, and hint at the digressionary style King would later put to use in The Stand and It. These isolated moments are not necessarily bad – a confrontation between a principal and an irate parent is quite good – but they stand out in an otherwise lean piece of fiction.
The legendary filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock once described the difference between surprise and suspense. Surprise is when a bomb goes off, without you knowing of its prior existence. Suspense is when you see the bomb get set, and the timer starts to count down. Both can be thrilling experiences, but suspense lasts longer, and depending on the skill of the conductor, can be drawn out to agonizing lengths.
Suspense, I believe, it was King was going for with Carrie. Early on, he tells you that something terrible happens at prom. Though he is vague about the details, he keeps dropping hints as the story unspools. King also begins telegraphing who is going to live and who is going to die. The mystery – and the book’s tension – comes from discovering how all these destinations get reached.
Thus, whether Carrie works for you or not depends on how well you think that King modulates the rhythms of suspense, and how well you think he delivers the climax.
I’m going to be honest when I say that it didn’t work as well for me as I expected, despite King’s self-evident talent and full-throttle imagination. The problem, I think, is in the way Carrie is structured.
Instead of being a chronological narrative, King turns this into a partially epistolary novel. There are sections in the main timeline that are told from the third-person. These sections, though, are intercut – sometimes frustratingly – with “excerpts” from books, magazine and newspaper articles, and the testimony of a post-prom board of inquiry. I imagine that King thought he was increasing the tension with these cutaways, giving us fragments of a puzzle without showing us the picture on the box. For me, though, these acted as relief valves, deflating the tension – and my interest – by drifting away from the main character.
Carrie has top billing, and has achieved cultural name recognition, but due to King’s framework, she is an elusive central figure. The time we spend with her is fascinating. Unfortunately, for whatever reason, King’s true interest lies elsewhere. There are, for instance, long discussions taken from a fictional book about the science of telekinesis. These portions are doubly irritating because they both drop the main plot thread and indulge in the sin of overexplaining. It’s as though King thought no one would buy his story unless he convinced them that telekinesis was possible. As King would later learn, explaining the supernatural is not only unnecessary, but entirely besides the point. I don’t need to know where the dome comes from in Under the Dome or why the pet cemetery in Pet Sematary brings the dead back to life. I only need a good tale to be derived from these notions.
The epistolary interjections become fatal – in my opinion – during the extended denouement. Showing surprising restraint – this is violent, but not graphic, at least by King standards – King delivers a rather long sequence in which Carrie’s bottled-up emotions come pouring forth. Rather than arriving at a powerful conclusion, though, King keeps interrupting the flow by cutting to the transcripts of a board of inquiry. The start-stop nature of the endgame does not maintain suspense, it empties it out.
That said, Carrie is a legacy. It was fine to read, buoyed by King’s innate abilities. More than that, it is a sign of things to come, showcasing King’s genius for unforgettable characters colliding in unforgettable contexts.
October 9, 2024
With Carrie being Stephen King’s debut novel, I was impressed!
The plot was concise with not a lot of fluff, the pacing was great and the characters are highly memorable.
Most people have read Carrie and yet, I still haven’t read it until this year.
It’s unreal that it’s taken me this long to get to this book with being a Stephen King fan for years. Better late then never?!
Stephen King gives us a flawed and broken character that will be remembered for decades along with multiple movies made about her.
While flipping the pages, I felt her pain and humiliation. It broke my heart a bit!
The suspense was fantastic and the action is nonstop.
I liked how the book was written in present tense with the day-to-day bullying of Carrie and the perspective of others after hell came to Chamberlain.
There were a few moments in the book that felt a bit dated but it is dated since it was wrote in 1974. I do not judge books harshly that were written 50 years ago with todays standards.
Would Carrie White have had a different life if her mother wasn’t demented, evil and so nasty to her? I think Carrie would always be special with her telekinesis ability but with the right love in her life, it might not have become so dangerous.
Definitely read this one even if you know the plot!
I’ve seen the movie but the book is much more disturbing, intense and there’s quite a few differences between the two.
The plot was concise with not a lot of fluff, the pacing was great and the characters are highly memorable.
Most people have read Carrie and yet, I still haven’t read it until this year.
It’s unreal that it’s taken me this long to get to this book with being a Stephen King fan for years. Better late then never?!
Stephen King gives us a flawed and broken character that will be remembered for decades along with multiple movies made about her.
While flipping the pages, I felt her pain and humiliation. It broke my heart a bit!
The suspense was fantastic and the action is nonstop.
I liked how the book was written in present tense with the day-to-day bullying of Carrie and the perspective of others after hell came to Chamberlain.
There were a few moments in the book that felt a bit dated but it is dated since it was wrote in 1974. I do not judge books harshly that were written 50 years ago with todays standards.
Would Carrie White have had a different life if her mother wasn’t demented, evil and so nasty to her? I think Carrie would always be special with her telekinesis ability but with the right love in her life, it might not have become so dangerous.
Definitely read this one even if you know the plot!
I’ve seen the movie but the book is much more disturbing, intense and there’s quite a few differences between the two.
July 19, 2018
Δεύτερο βιβλίο του King που διαβάζω, και καταλαβαίνω πια, ότι το επίθετό του καθρεπτίζει απόλυτα το συγγραφικό του ταλέντο. Τι πήγες και δημιούργησες King?
Η σκιαγράφηση των χαρακτήρων, ο τρόπος σκέψης τους, τα μοτίβα τους, ο εύθραυστος και συνάμα δυνατός κόσμος της Κάρυ ήταν μερικά από τα δυνατά σημεία του βιβλίου.
Μου άρεσε υπερβολικά η δομή της ιστορίας. Όλα αυτά τα αποσπάσματα από τις καταθέσεις μαρτύρων, τα βιβλία και τα άρθρα για την περίπτωση των γεγονότων που περιγράφονται, έδωσαν μια τελείως σουρεαλιστική αίσθηση. Είχα την εντύπωση πως πρόκειται για γεγονότα, που πράγματι είχαν λάβει χώρα κάπου κάποτε. Βρε, τώρα που το σκέφτομαι πρέπει να πάω να δω αν όντως κάτι τέτοιο συνέβη.
Συνδύασε με απόλυτη μαεστρία όλα τα στοιχεία της ιστορίας από τρίτα πρόσωπα (σκέψεις, εικασίες) με την πηγή, δηλαδή την Κάρυ και τη μητέρα της. Μας έδειξε που μπορεί να οδηγήσει η υπερβολή, η φανατική πίστη και το bulling. Μέσα σε αυτές τις λίγες σελίδες παρουσίασε την σκληρότητα των εφήβων και την απροθυμία των ανθρώπων από τη φύση τους να δεχτούν την διαφορετικότητα. Μέσα από την ιστορία του πέρασε ότι όσο διαφορετικός και να φαίνεται ο άνθρωπος, στη πραγματικότητα δεν διαφέρει πολύ. Ο κάθε διαφορετικός άνθρωπος δεν παύει να έχει τις ίδιες επιθυμίες, τα ίδια συναισθήματα, μια εύθραυστη ψυχολογία και ψυχή. Και το σημαντικότερο από όλα, διαβάζοντας πίσω από τις γραμμές αντιλαμβανόμαστε πως πολλά δεινά μπορούν να αποφευχθούν αν δείξουμε λίγη καλοσύνη ο ένας απέναντι στον άλλον. Γιατί τα τόσα απλά και αυτονόητα πράγματα να είναι…. Δύσκολα να τα πω; Δεν είναι δύσκο��α. Πολύπλοκα; Ούτε.
Πόσο κοστίζει να είσαι καλός άνθρωπος?
Πόσες Κάρυ θα είχαν σωθεί?
Πόσες συνειδήσεις θα εφησύχαζαν?
Πόσες….?
Μπορεί να είναι ένα βιβλίο τρόμου και φαντασίας αλλά στη πραγματικότητα δίνει τροφή για σκέψη και αναθεώρηση αν όχι του κόσμου τότε του ίδιου μας του εαυτού. Κι ο κόσμος όλος ξεκινάει από τον ίδιο μας τον εαυτό.
Η σκιαγράφηση των χαρακτήρων, ο τρόπος σκέψης τους, τα μοτίβα τους, ο εύθραυστος και συνάμα δυνατός κόσμος της Κάρυ ήταν μερικά από τα δυνατά σημεία του βιβλίου.
Μου άρεσε υπερβολικά η δομή της ιστορίας. Όλα αυτά τα αποσπάσματα από τις καταθέσεις μαρτύρων, τα βιβλία και τα άρθρα για την περίπτωση των γεγονότων που περιγράφονται, έδωσαν μια τελείως σουρεαλιστική αίσθηση. Είχα την εντύπωση πως πρόκειται για γεγονότα, που πράγματι είχαν λάβει χώρα κάπου κάποτε. Βρε, τώρα που το σκέφτομαι πρέπει να πάω να δω αν όντως κάτι τέτοιο συνέβη.
Συνδύασε με απόλυτη μαεστρία όλα τα στοιχεία της ιστορίας από τρίτα πρόσωπα (σκέψεις, εικασίες) με την πηγή, δηλαδή την Κάρυ και τη μητέρα της. Μας έδειξε που μπορεί να οδηγήσει η υπερβολή, η φανατική πίστη και το bulling. Μέσα σε αυτές τις λίγες σελίδες παρουσίασε την σκληρότητα των εφήβων και την απροθυμία των ανθρώπων από τη φύση τους να δεχτούν την διαφορετικότητα. Μέσα από την ιστορία του πέρασε ότι όσο διαφορετικός και να φαίνεται ο άνθρωπος, στη πραγματικότητα δεν διαφέρει πολύ. Ο κάθε διαφορετικός άνθρωπος δεν παύει να έχει τις ίδιες επιθυμίες, τα ίδια συναισθήματα, μια εύθραυστη ψυχολογία και ψυχή. Και το σημαντικότερο από όλα, διαβάζοντας πίσω από τις γραμμές αντιλαμβανόμαστε πως πολλά δεινά μπορούν να αποφευχθούν αν δείξουμε λίγη καλοσύνη ο ένας απέναντι στον άλλον. Γιατί τα τόσα απλά και αυτονόητα πράγματα να είναι…. Δύσκολα να τα πω; Δεν είναι δύσκο��α. Πολύπλοκα; Ούτε.
Πόσο κοστίζει να είσαι καλός άνθρωπος?
Πόσες Κάρυ θα είχαν σωθεί?
Πόσες συνειδήσεις θα εφησύχαζαν?
Πόσες….?
Μπορεί να είναι ένα βιβλίο τρόμου και φαντασίας αλλά στη πραγματικότητα δίνει τροφή για σκέψη και αναθεώρηση αν όχι του κόσμου τότε του ίδιου μας του εαυτού. Κι ο κόσμος όλος ξεκινάει από τον ίδιο μας τον εαυτό.
May 25, 2016
Este es mi tipo de terror: un terror más psicológico, mas sutil, con una excelente historia, es todo lo que podría pedir
El hecho de que esté narrado por científicos, sobrevivientes de la catástrofe del pueblo, con declaraciones oficiales del caso White, para mi fue lo mejor del libro, porque le dio un realismo escalofriante.
Mucha gente pone como personaje de terror a Carrie, pero yo creo que ella, a pesar de tener los poderes, sólo era una víctima del bullying y del acoso excesivo en casa.
La que de verdad da miedo en este libro es la madre de Carrie, Mrs White, que es, probablemente el mejor personaje que he leído de Stephen King... Es una mujer completamente demente, con creencias religiosas exageradísimas hasta el punto de llegar al fanatismo(ej: a los senos de la mujer le dice "bultoscochinos" Carrie no puede dormir con almohada xq es pecado, no puede bañarse en una ducha, tienen misas en su casa 3 veces a la semana, solo ellas dos, puede encerrar a Carrie durante días en un armario, sin comida, sin baño, para que rece por sus pecados, etc) Creo que ni Dios la hubiera querido en el cielo a esta mujer.
La mamá de Carrie es hasta ahora mi personaje favorito del Rey del terror.
Recomiendo muchísimo este libro para las personas que quieren comenzar con King, sabiendo que este es un terror más psicológico y con una historia increíble y atrapante
El hecho de que esté narrado por científicos, sobrevivientes de la catástrofe del pueblo, con declaraciones oficiales del caso White, para mi fue lo mejor del libro, porque le dio un realismo escalofriante.
Mucha gente pone como personaje de terror a Carrie, pero yo creo que ella, a pesar de tener los poderes, sólo era una víctima del bullying y del acoso excesivo en casa.
La que de verdad da miedo en este libro es la madre de Carrie, Mrs White, que es, probablemente el mejor personaje que he leído de Stephen King... Es una mujer completamente demente, con creencias religiosas exageradísimas hasta el punto de llegar al fanatismo(ej: a los senos de la mujer le dice "bultoscochinos" Carrie no puede dormir con almohada xq es pecado, no puede bañarse en una ducha, tienen misas en su casa 3 veces a la semana, solo ellas dos, puede encerrar a Carrie durante días en un armario, sin comida, sin baño, para que rece por sus pecados, etc) Creo que ni Dios la hubiera querido en el cielo a esta mujer.
La mamá de Carrie es hasta ahora mi personaje favorito del Rey del terror.
Recomiendo muchísimo este libro para las personas que quieren comenzar con King, sabiendo que este es un terror más psicológico y con una historia increíble y atrapante
November 20, 2018
been a while since i've read a book very clearly written by a man
March 25, 2022
She felt--actually, physically--her whole miserable life narrow to a point that might be an end or the beginning of a widening beam.
I'm a Stephen King fan, but I don't read his horror stories, so I'm an unlikely reader for this particular novel. I debated, for almost a year, if I wanted to include any of King's work in my 1970s reading project, and I finally decided I should; he was too big of a literary presence in that decade to omit at least one of his novels.
Yet. . . strangely enough, although Carrie was published in 1974, it was written many years before that, and it doesn't capture my favorite decade in almost any way.
This was completely irksome to me. None of it: the clothes, the music, the expressions, the hairstyles, were indicative of the 1970s. This isn't a 70s story, despite its popularity at the time. Instead, I believe it was a story inspired by what a young Stephen King knew about his days in high school: the mid-1960s.
Putting this quirk aside, here's another one: why does this novel, that was published in 1974, offer a story that takes place in May of 1979? You may argue that this is fantasy, but this isn't science fiction, and it was already annoying enough that the story didn't even depict the 1970s. The setting is closer to 1958 than it was to 1980.
In case you think I'm being critical of Stephen King, you mistake me. The man is a writing god to me, and three of his stories fall into my “top 10 of all time” list. Truly, he's a madman writer, and I'm nuts about him.
But, let's be honest. . . this was a young man's debut, and, in many ways, it is one hot mess.
The dialogue was borderline brutal, the plot was just strong enough to deliver a punch as an 80 page novela, and there are parts of this story (most especially the ending) that made me sigh with boredom.
So, what's good about this iconic novel? Why would an editor have stuck their neck on the line to take a chance on this no name author in the early 1970s with this unusual story of a high school girl with powers of telekinesis?
Abuse. King's understanding of the devastating nature of abuse.
Forget pig blood (if you can), forget tampons being thrown as missiles, forget telekinesis. Where King establishes himself as a force to be reckoned with here is in his greater understanding of what can happen when a person is abused and bullied and is never lifted up to the light.
If what is base in us is never elevated, but is always reinforced, we can become something akin to a mistreated farm animal. And that is what Carrie is. Or, how she feels, how she is described.
This isn't a book about parlor tricks; it's about the irrevocable damage we do to others when we abuse them.
I can't stand stories of abuse, real or fictional, and my stomach has hurt all week, reading this. At the same time, I can honestly contribute that I was ready for Carrie to burn down the whole town.
Despite my three stars for this one, Mr. King can laugh freely in my face. He set the world on fire (or at least one high school) with his fiction, and he just got better and better and better from here.
I'm a Stephen King fan, but I don't read his horror stories, so I'm an unlikely reader for this particular novel. I debated, for almost a year, if I wanted to include any of King's work in my 1970s reading project, and I finally decided I should; he was too big of a literary presence in that decade to omit at least one of his novels.
Yet. . . strangely enough, although Carrie was published in 1974, it was written many years before that, and it doesn't capture my favorite decade in almost any way.
This was completely irksome to me. None of it: the clothes, the music, the expressions, the hairstyles, were indicative of the 1970s. This isn't a 70s story, despite its popularity at the time. Instead, I believe it was a story inspired by what a young Stephen King knew about his days in high school: the mid-1960s.
Putting this quirk aside, here's another one: why does this novel, that was published in 1974, offer a story that takes place in May of 1979? You may argue that this is fantasy, but this isn't science fiction, and it was already annoying enough that the story didn't even depict the 1970s. The setting is closer to 1958 than it was to 1980.
In case you think I'm being critical of Stephen King, you mistake me. The man is a writing god to me, and three of his stories fall into my “top 10 of all time” list. Truly, he's a madman writer, and I'm nuts about him.
But, let's be honest. . . this was a young man's debut, and, in many ways, it is one hot mess.
The dialogue was borderline brutal, the plot was just strong enough to deliver a punch as an 80 page novela, and there are parts of this story (most especially the ending) that made me sigh with boredom.
So, what's good about this iconic novel? Why would an editor have stuck their neck on the line to take a chance on this no name author in the early 1970s with this unusual story of a high school girl with powers of telekinesis?
Abuse. King's understanding of the devastating nature of abuse.
Forget pig blood (if you can), forget tampons being thrown as missiles, forget telekinesis. Where King establishes himself as a force to be reckoned with here is in his greater understanding of what can happen when a person is abused and bullied and is never lifted up to the light.
If what is base in us is never elevated, but is always reinforced, we can become something akin to a mistreated farm animal. And that is what Carrie is. Or, how she feels, how she is described.
This isn't a book about parlor tricks; it's about the irrevocable damage we do to others when we abuse them.
I can't stand stories of abuse, real or fictional, and my stomach has hurt all week, reading this. At the same time, I can honestly contribute that I was ready for Carrie to burn down the whole town.
Despite my three stars for this one, Mr. King can laugh freely in my face. He set the world on fire (or at least one high school) with his fiction, and he just got better and better and better from here.
April 13, 2019
Carrie is Stephen King's debut novel and you can tell. That's not "shade" because Carrie is still fucking great but as a "Constant Reader" I could see how his writing has improved over the years. I first read Carrie when I was 13 or 14 years old and it was my first King book. Back then I would've giving it 10 Stars because I absolutely loved it. I watched the movie (the original) and I raided my sister's (she's a huge King fan) King collection and while everyone else my age was reading Harry Potter I was reading The Shining & The Stand.
Carrie is about a weird teenage girl who's mother is obviously severely mentally ill and who at school is constantly bullied. Carrie has a special "gift"? She has Telekinetic powers. Carrie is a horror novel with Sci Fi mixed in but I consider this one of Uncle Stevie's more realistic novels. Substitute telekinesis for a gun and Carrie is just as horrifying if not more because every week a kid takes a gun to school and violence follows. Carrie has a hellish family life and she's bullied non-stop at school, Carrie is a ticking time bomb.
Stephen King is so good at writing stories about bullied or mistreated people. In the forward to this book he talks about the 2 girls he went to school with that inspired Carrie. These girls were weird and shy and because of that they were bullied. Uncle Stevie laments the fact that while he wasn't a bully he also never stood up for them. So he wrote Carrie as a way of sort of giving them their revenge.
Carrie isn't in my opinion Stephen King's best novel but I think its a good gateway novel to get you started on your King addiction.
Carrie is about a weird teenage girl who's mother is obviously severely mentally ill and who at school is constantly bullied. Carrie has a special "gift"? She has Telekinetic powers. Carrie is a horror novel with Sci Fi mixed in but I consider this one of Uncle Stevie's more realistic novels. Substitute telekinesis for a gun and Carrie is just as horrifying if not more because every week a kid takes a gun to school and violence follows. Carrie has a hellish family life and she's bullied non-stop at school, Carrie is a ticking time bomb.
Stephen King is so good at writing stories about bullied or mistreated people. In the forward to this book he talks about the 2 girls he went to school with that inspired Carrie. These girls were weird and shy and because of that they were bullied. Uncle Stevie laments the fact that while he wasn't a bully he also never stood up for them. So he wrote Carrie as a way of sort of giving them their revenge.
Carrie isn't in my opinion Stephen King's best novel but I think its a good gateway novel to get you started on your King addiction.
October 5, 2018
تخيل امتلاكك قدرة خارقة لتدمير كل من جرحك والمتنمرين، فقط بعقلك
فكرة جهنمية لكنها ليست،فحسب، سر نجاح الكينج
كيف بدأ الكينج؟
في البدء كانت كــاري
دلو من الدماء ينسكب علي رؤوس القراء في روايته المنشورة الأولي
رواية جريئة عن المرأة، الظلم، التنمر والتعصب الديني
وإضطهاد المرأة حتي لنفسها
فهذا أمرا دوما ما يلصق بالدين
كان صادما وقتها ان تقرأ عن أم متزمتة دينيا بذلك الشكل الجنوني... لا تبوح لابنتها حتي عن أهم أدق الأمور في حياة اي فتاة علي وشك البلوغ
وتخيل كم الرعب الذي أصاب 'كــاري' في غرف الإستحمام بمدرستها بعد حصة التمارين الرياضية، حين يباغت 'كــاري' نزيف يعلن بلوغها كأمراة، لكنها لا تدري ... بل وتهلع من كل هذه الدماء...أمام زميلاتها
تربيتها في بيئة منغلقة كليا...معقدة..لم يجعل 'كــاري' محبوبة في مدرستها...بالعكس جعلها منطوية تماما..غريبة الأطوار في نظر زميلاتها..عرضة للتنمر والسخرية
تخيل الان رد فعلهن...تخيل وحشية وقسوة الفتيات في مثل ذلك السن ضد المنطويات غريبات الأطوار، البريئات بالفطرة مثل 'كــاري' ... بطلة أولي روايات ال'كينج' ، ملك روايات الرعب المتوج من وقت نشرها في 1974 ولعصور قادمة
ولا تنس...إنها ليست قصة رعب قدر ما هي قصة كــاري...الفتاة
والكينج
في يدايات السبعينات لم يكن "ستيفين كينج" سوي مدرس لغة انجليزية وكاتب هاو لقصص قصيرة مبنية علي عشقه للقراءة والأفلام بالاخص المرعب والمثير منها
لم يكمل رواية كاملة بعد وينشرها.. بل يكتب قصص قصيرة و ينشرها في بعض المجلات المنتشرة وقتها...حتي جاء التحدي
تحدته إمراة أن كل رواياته عن الرجال..وإنه لا يستطيع الكتابة عن المرأة
Challenge Accepted
قرر أن يكتب قصة قصيرة عن فتاة...بل وموضوع حساس للغاية..كتب تلك القصة ، الجزء سابق الذكر بالمراجعة
مشهد اكتشاف 'كــاري' للدماء امام زميلاتها في غرف الإستحمام بالمدرسة
وأن 'كــاري' أيضا لديها "قدرة التحريك بالعقل" وببلوغها وشعورها بكل هذا الخجل والعار ستلحق دمارا بكل من سخر منها بقدرتها الفائقة تلك
كتب هذا المشهد ، وألقى بالصفحات الثلاث في سلة المهملات
من سيقرأ قصة عن موضوع كهذا؟
لتأتي زوجته، تنتشل الورقات الثلاث وتبدي إعجابها بالفكرة التي لم يقتنع بها.. وتشجعه لتكون رواية كاملة بل وستساعده في الكتابة عن الأمور النسائية حيث أن الحكاية كلها محورها المراة
واكتملت قصة كاري كرواية طويلة .. لم يتصور كينج أن يأتيه تلغراف بقبول نشرها بمبلغ محترم، ولأول مرة سينشر كتاب بإسمه في حياته
وربما لم يتصور أبدا ان تلق كل هذا النجاح والمبيعات
ولكن الرواية متقنة، وذات أسلوب فريد ...لذا استحقت هذا لتتوجه ك'كينج' من اول رواية
من روايته الأولي يظهر أسلوب "ستيفين كينج" السردي سينمائي أو واقعي.. بشكل يجعلك تقرأه وكانك تراه بل وتعيشه
(لاحظ ايضا من اسلوب الروايات المبكرة لكينج تلك الاقواس الفاصلة التي تقطع السرد، والتي يكتب بها ما يدور بعقل الشخصية المكتوبة في الوقت الذي يسير فيه الاحداث)
بل بناء الرواية نفسها متناسق بامتياز...مقسمة لثلاث أجزاء بها تماثل بين بداية كل جزء ونهايته
(الجزء الاول، سقوط الدماء : يبدأ بسقوط الدماء وينتهي بدلو من الدماء
الجزء الثاني، حفل التخرج : يبدأ بالاستعداد للحفل وينتهي بنهاية الحفل غير المتوقع
الجزء الثالث، الدمار : هو تماثل يغلق دائرة الرواية من السرد القصة أو مقتطفات الكتب )
ف'كــاري' تعتبر من الروايات الرسائلية
ولمن يهوي قراءة روايات احمد خالد توفيق بالاخص سلسلة ماوراء الطبيعة بالتأكيد علي علم بها
هي اسلوب قديم، ستجد مثيله في رواية دراكولا لبرام ستوكر، 1984 وغيره
معناه هو إن الرواية بجانب سرد الاحداث الروائي الطبيعي يتخلل ذلك السرد رسائل، مقالات من جرائد ومجلات، مقاطع من كتب اخري خيالية غالبا، اوراق من تحقيقات...وغيرها
كل هذه المقاطع تستكمل الحكاية ولازمة لسير الأحداث
هنا الرواية تبدأ بخبر من جريدة عن سقوط امطار من الحجارة علي محيط بيت واحد فقط بالحي، بيت عائلة 'وايت' حيث تعيش مارجريت وايت وابنتها كاريتا ذات الثلاث اعوام بمفردهن بعد وفاة الأب
ثم تبدأ الاحداث بعد 13 عاما بمشهد الإستحمام الرهيب المثير للشفقة
ولكنك بين كل مشهد وأخر ستجد مقاطع من كتب تتحدث عن حادث مروع حدث ببلدة شامبرلينج بولاية ماين
حادث مروع يسمي بإسم 'كــاري' نفسها
لتسير ا��أحداث بين تساقط الدماء بالبداية من كاري بالسرد العادي، وبين المقالات عن الدمار بالنهاية
جزء يسير للأمام وجزء يعود للخلف
حتي تصل للذروة التي لا تحتاج لحرق ؛ أيقونة روايات كينج وافلام رعب السبعينات وحتي التسعينات
سقوط الدماء علي كاري
ليست المقالات عن نهاية الأحداث فحسب ، بل أيضا هناك وسط المقالات سرد حول ماضي عائلة وايت والتزمت الديني الشديد للأم وحادث سقوط الأحجار مثلا
وأيضا هناك مقالات علمية وفكرية حول فكرة 'قدرة التحريك بالعقل' وخطورتها -علي ضوء ما حدث با��رواية- بل وكيف أن فكرة أجراء اختبارات علي الأطفال والمراهقين لإكتشاف من يملك تلك القدرة هي فكرة خطيرة إجتماعيا قد تؤدي للإستخدام الخاطئ، العزل بل وحتي التصفية (الإعدام) دون ذنب
-يذكرني هذا الجزء بتيمة قصص كوميكس 'الرجال إكس" بشكل قوي، ثم لاحقا بالطبع مجتمع السحرة بهاري بوتر، والاوبسكيورس بفيلم الوحوش المذهلة-
حسنا ، بناء الرواية العجيب هذا أمرا ممتعا.. رغم إنك تقريبا تعرف النهاية منذ الربع الأول بالرواية ولكنك ستجد نفسك تتابع بإثارة لتعرف كيف حدث كل هذا
ليس للأسلوب فحسب ، بل أيضا الشخصيات
من الصعب أن تحب 'كــاري' حقا بل ربما تعاطفك معها ربما لا يأتي إلا متاخرا
ربما كان ستيفين كينج محقا عندما شعر ذلك بكتابته المشهد الأول الذي بنيت الأحداث عليه
ربما شعرت بمزيج من الحزن علي مثل تلك الشخصية...الشفقة الممزوجة بشئ من التقزز
لكن صفحة تلو الاخري بمنتصف الأحداث لابد وأن يلين قلبك
عندما تتعرف عليها اكثر
تتعرف علي 'كــاري'..الفتاة
عندما تدرك انها مثل اي فتاة..فقط قتلت امها طفولتها وانوثتها بتزمتها الديني
عندما تدرك أنها فتاة قلبها مازال نقيا رغم الكراهية والمقت الذي يبثه لها كل هؤلاء
هي فتاة فحسب تريد ان يتم تقبلها بشكل طبيعي
يتم تقبلها بشكل عادي بحق الله
هي فقط فتاة تشعر بأنها وحيدة
هي فقط فتاة فحسب
(أوه ماما، انا خائفة ماما )
بل، وبعد كل شىء بذروة الأحداث إن لم تتأثر ولو بشكل طفيف وأنت تقرأ مشاعرها بالنهاية...صرختها وهي تنادي أمها بعد كل هذا...فأعتقد انك لم تمنح الرواية قراءة جيدة
لقد أثر المشهد هذا بي بشدة لدرجة الدمع...إنها مجرد فتاة...تنادي أمها
(أووه ماما انا اسفة ماما أين)
أما امها فهي شخصية أثيرة بروايات ستيفين كينج
مارجريت وايت
المتعصبة دينيا بهوس شديد...التي تري ان المرأة عارا والدماء هي عقاب الرب للأنثي
من تتخذ من الدين وسيلة ترهيب وقتل الحياة بدلا من تنميتها
تماما كشيوخ الظلام وكهنته
أما الفتيات...فبين مشاعر المراهقة المتمردة المتنمرة المغرورة ككرستين...وبين الفتاة العادية التي رغم عيوبها مازال لها ضميرا يقظا كسوزي سنيل... بين معلمة وناظر مدرسة من لا يولون الإهتمام الكافي لمشاكل الطلاب، المشاكل التي قد تؤدي لمصائب
بين كل هذه الشخصيات ستجد تنوعا جيدا...ربما رسم الشخصيات -بخلاف 'كــاري' وامها- لن تجد به تطور وعمق قدر ما هو يحركه
سير الأحداث غالبا
لكن سير الأحداث هذا ووصف الشخصيات وتعاملها بواقعية كأنها شخصيات حية ستجعلك تتابع الأحداث حتي النهاية بإستمتاع رغم كل الثرثرة الجانبية -كعادة كينج والتي ستزيد في رواياته القادمة
نعم، لقد تمت الدعاية للرواية منذ صدورها إنها عن الفتاة العادية ذات القوة الخارقة
ودعاية الفيلم المقتبس عنها بعدها بعامين فحسب 1976 انك إن كنت تريد نصيبا من الرعب فلتصطحب كاري لحفل التخرج
بحق الله الا تري ان هذا ظلما ل 'كــاري'؟
تظل قدرة كاري العجيبة للتحريك ، للدمار، هي مجاز ورمز للفكرة.. تلك القوة هي طبيعتها كأنثي، التي يريد قمعها التزمت الديني والرجل بل وغيرة بعض الفتيات من نقاءها
والقمع لايؤدي إلا لإنفجار
لاحظ ان القوي ازدادت ونمت ببلوغها ..رغم ان الظاهرة بدأت حتي بسقوط الأحجار علي البيت
(لاحظ انها جائت بأول تعارف لكاري علي الأنوثة )
(لاحظ تأثر كينج بشيرلي جاكسون مؤلفة
The Haunting of Hill House
والتي في كتابها هذا أيضا ربطت قدرة التحريك بالعقل بسقوط الأحجار وقت التوتر الشديد)
نعم يمكنك التغاضي عن كل هذه الرموز والمجازات...وتستمتع بها كرواية مرعبة مثيرة بها جزء مثير مبني علي علم حقيقي ، مقدمة بشكل واقعي متقن
ويمكنك ايضا ان تر لم ظل كينج متربعا علي عرش كتابة هذا النوع
فروايته كما تقدم التسلية، الإثارة، الرعب والخيال والعلم
تقدم ايضا رمزا ورسالة وهدف
واكتمل التحدي، ونجح ستيفين كينج في الرد علي تلك السيدة التي قالت انه لا يستطيع الكتابة عن المراة
فاكتملت رواية كــاري
بمساعدة اساسية من زوجته وتشجيعها
أليس وراء كل رجل عظيم...إمرأة؟
محمد العربي
من 28 فبراير 2018
إلى 5 مارس 2018
-بعد قراءة رواية ستيفين كينج الاخيرة...عن المرأة ايضا-
Sleeping Beauties
فكرة جهنمية لكنها ليست،فحسب، سر نجاح الكينج
كيف بدأ الكينج؟
في البدء كانت كــاري
دلو من الدماء ينسكب علي رؤوس القراء في روايته المنشورة الأولي
رواية جريئة عن المرأة، الظلم، التنمر والتعصب الديني
وإضطهاد المرأة حتي لنفسها
“Jesus watches from the wall,رواية نشرت في 1974، قبل الثورة الإسلامية في إيران، قبل المد الوهابي في الوطن العربي...قبل عودة اعتبار ان المرأة عورة وخطيئة يجب كبتها وإخفاء وجودها
But his face is cold as stone,
And if he loves me
As she tells me
Why do I feel so all alone?”
فهذا أمرا دوما ما يلصق بالدين
كان صادما وقتها ان تقرأ عن أم متزمتة دينيا بذلك الشكل الجنوني... لا تبوح لابنتها حتي عن أهم أدق الأمور في حياة اي فتاة علي وشك البلوغ
وتخيل كم الرعب الذي أصاب 'كــاري' في غرف الإستحمام بمدرستها بعد حصة التمارين الرياضية، حين يباغت 'كــاري' نزيف يعلن بلوغها كأمراة، لكنها لا تدري ... بل وتهلع من كل هذه الدماء...أمام زميلاتها
تربيتها في بيئة منغلقة كليا...معقدة..لم يجعل 'كــاري' محبوبة في مدرستها...بالعكس جعلها منطوية تماما..غريبة الأطوار في نظر زميلاتها..عرضة للتنمر والسخرية
تخيل الان رد فعلهن...تخيل وحشية وقسوة الفتيات في مثل ذلك السن ضد المنطويات غريبات الأطوار، البريئات بالفطرة مثل 'كــاري' ... بطلة أولي روايات ال'كينج' ، ملك روايات الرعب المتوج من وقت نشرها في 1974 ولعصور قادمة
ولا تنس...إنها ليست قصة رعب قدر ما هي قصة كــاري...الفتاة
والكينج
*** حكاية كــاري و كينج ***
في يدايات السبعينات لم يكن "ستيفين كينج" سوي مدرس لغة انجليزية وكاتب هاو لقصص قصيرة مبنية علي عشقه للقراءة والأفلام بالاخص المرعب والمثير منها
لم يكمل رواية كاملة بعد وينشرها.. بل يكتب قصص قصيرة و ينشرها في بعض المجلات المنتشرة وقتها...حتي جاء التحدي
تحدته إمراة أن كل رواياته عن الرجال..وإنه لا يستطيع الكتابة عن المرأة
Challenge Accepted
قرر أن يكتب قصة قصيرة عن فتاة...بل وموضوع حساس للغاية..كتب تلك القصة ، الجزء سابق الذكر بالمراجعة
مشهد اكتشاف 'كــاري' للدماء امام زميلاتها في غرف الإستحمام بالمدرسة
وأن 'كــاري' أيضا لديها "قدرة التحريك بالعقل" وببلوغها وشعورها بكل هذا الخجل والعار ستلحق دمارا بكل من سخر منها بقدرتها الفائقة تلك
كتب هذا المشهد ، وألقى بالصفحات الثلاث في سلة المهملات
من سيقرأ قصة عن موضوع كهذا؟
لتأتي زوجته، تنتشل الورقات الثلاث وتبدي إعجابها بالفكرة التي لم يقتنع بها.. وتشجعه لتكون رواية كاملة بل وستساعده في الكتابة عن الأمور النسائية حيث أن الحكاية كلها محورها المراة
واكتملت قصة كاري كرواية طويلة .. لم يتصور كينج أن يأتيه تلغراف بقبول نشرها بمبلغ محترم، ولأول مرة سينشر كتاب بإسمه في حياته
وربما لم يتصور أبدا ان تلق كل هذا النجاح والمبيعات
ولكن الرواية متقنة، وذات أسلوب فريد ...لذا استحقت هذا لتتوجه ك'كينج' من اول رواية
*** أسلوب كــاري و كينج ***
من روايته الأولي يظهر أسلوب "ستيفين كينج" السردي سينمائي أو واقعي.. بشكل يجعلك تقرأه وكانك تراه بل وتعيشه
(لاحظ ايضا من اسلوب الروايات المبكرة لكينج تلك الاقواس الفاصلة التي تقطع السرد، والتي يكتب بها ما يدور بعقل الشخصية المكتوبة في الوقت الذي يسير فيه الاحداث)
بل بناء الرواية نفسها متناسق بامتياز...مقسمة لثلاث أجزاء بها تماثل بين بداية كل جزء ونهايته
(الجزء الاول، سقوط الدماء : يبدأ بسقوط الدماء وينتهي بدلو من الدماء
الجزء الثاني، حفل التخرج : يبدأ بالاستعداد للحفل وينتهي بنهاية الحفل غير المتوقع
الجزء الثالث، الدمار : هو تماثل يغلق دائرة الرواية من السرد القصة أو مقتطفات الكتب )
ف'كــاري' تعتبر من الروايات الرسائلية
ولمن يهوي قراءة روايات احمد خالد توفيق بالاخص سلسلة ماوراء الطبيعة بالتأكيد علي علم بها
هي اسلوب قديم، ستجد مثيله في رواية دراكولا لبرام ستوكر، 1984 وغيره
معناه هو إن الرواية بجانب سرد الاحداث الروائي الطبيعي يتخلل ذلك السرد رسائل، مقالات من جرائد ومجلات، مقاطع من كتب اخري خيالية غالبا، اوراق من تحقيقات...وغيرها
كل هذه المقاطع تستكمل الحكاية ولازمة لسير الأحداث
هنا الرواية تبدأ بخبر من جريدة عن سقوط امطار من الحجارة علي محيط بيت واحد فقط بالحي، بيت عائلة 'وايت' حيث تعيش مارجريت وايت وابنتها كاريتا ذات الثلاث اعوام بمفردهن بعد وفاة الأب
ثم تبدأ الاحداث بعد 13 عاما بمشهد الإستحمام الرهيب المثير للشفقة
ولكنك بين كل مشهد وأخر ستجد مقاطع من كتب تتحدث عن حادث مروع حدث ببلدة شامبرلينج بولاية ماين
حادث مروع يسمي بإسم 'كــاري' نفسها
لتسير ا��أحداث بين تساقط الدماء بالبداية من كاري بالسرد العادي، وبين المقالات عن الدمار بالنهاية
جزء يسير للأمام وجزء يعود للخلف
حتي تصل للذروة التي لا تحتاج لحرق ؛ أيقونة روايات كينج وافلام رعب السبعينات وحتي التسعينات
سقوط الدماء علي كاري
ليست المقالات عن نهاية الأحداث فحسب ، بل أيضا هناك وسط المقالات سرد حول ماضي عائلة وايت والتزمت الديني الشديد للأم وحادث سقوط الأحجار مثلا
وأيضا هناك مقالات علمية وفكرية حول فكرة 'قدرة التحريك بالعقل' وخطورتها -علي ضوء ما حدث با��رواية- بل وكيف أن فكرة أجراء اختبارات علي الأطفال والمراهقين لإكتشاف من يملك تلك القدرة هي فكرة خطيرة إجتماعيا قد تؤدي للإستخدام الخاطئ، العزل بل وحتي التصفية (الإعدام) دون ذنب
-يذكرني هذا الجزء بتيمة قصص كوميكس 'الرجال إكس" بشكل قوي، ثم لاحقا بالطبع مجتمع السحرة بهاري بوتر، والاوبسكيورس بفيلم الوحوش المذهلة-
حسنا ، بناء الرواية العجيب هذا أمرا ممتعا.. رغم إنك تقريبا تعرف النهاية منذ الربع الأول بالرواية ولكنك ستجد نفسك تتابع بإثارة لتعرف كيف حدث كل هذا
ليس للأسلوب فحسب ، بل أيضا الشخصيات
*** كــاري و باقي الشخصيات ***
من الصعب أن تحب 'كــاري' حقا بل ربما تعاطفك معها ربما لا يأتي إلا متاخرا
ربما كان ستيفين كينج محقا عندما شعر ذلك بكتابته المشهد الأول الذي بنيت الأحداث عليه
ربما شعرت بمزيج من الحزن علي مثل تلك الشخصية...الشفقة الممزوجة بشئ من التقزز
لكن صفحة تلو الاخري بمنتصف الأحداث لابد وأن يلين قلبك
عندما تتعرف عليها اكثر
تتعرف علي 'كــاري'..الفتاة
عندما تدرك انها مثل اي فتاة..فقط قتلت امها طفولتها وانوثتها بتزمتها الديني
عندما تدرك أنها فتاة قلبها مازال نقيا رغم الكراهية والمقت الذي يبثه لها كل هؤلاء
هي فتاة فحسب تريد ان يتم تقبلها بشكل طبيعي
يتم تقبلها بشكل عادي بحق الله
هي فقط فتاة تشعر بأنها وحيدة
هي فقط فتاة فحسب
(أوه ماما، انا خائفة ماما )
بل، وبعد كل شىء بذروة الأحداث إن لم تتأثر ولو بشكل طفيف وأنت تقرأ مشاعرها بالنهاية...صرختها وهي تنادي أمها بعد كل هذا...فأعتقد انك لم تمنح الرواية قراءة جيدة
لقد أثر المشهد هذا بي بشدة لدرجة الدمع...إنها مجرد فتاة...تنادي أمها
(أووه ماما انا اسفة ماما أين)
أما امها فهي شخصية أثيرة بروايات ستيفين كينج
مارجريت وايت
المتعصبة دينيا بهوس شديد...التي تري ان المرأة عارا والدماء هي عقاب الرب للأنثي
من تتخذ من الدين وسيلة ترهيب وقتل الحياة بدلا من تنميتها
تماما كشيوخ الظلام وكهنته
أما الفتيات...فبين مشاعر المراهقة المتمردة المتنمرة المغرورة ككرستين...وبين الفتاة العادية التي رغم عيوبها مازال لها ضميرا يقظا كسوزي سنيل... بين معلمة وناظر مدرسة من لا يولون الإهتمام الكافي لمشاكل الطلاب، المشاكل التي قد تؤدي لمصائب
بين كل هذه الشخصيات ستجد تنوعا جيدا...ربما رسم الشخصيات -بخلاف 'كــاري' وامها- لن تجد به تطور وعمق قدر ما هو يحركه
سير الأحداث غالبا
لكن سير الأحداث هذا ووصف الشخصيات وتعاملها بواقعية كأنها شخصيات حية ستجعلك تتابع الأحداث حتي النهاية بإستمتاع رغم كل الثرثرة الجانبية -كعادة كينج والتي ستزيد في رواياته القادمة
*** النهاية، أو ماذا يريد كينج أن يصل بالرواية ***
نعم، لقد تمت الدعاية للرواية منذ صدورها إنها عن الفتاة العادية ذات القوة الخارقة
ودعاية الفيلم المقتبس عنها بعدها بعامين فحسب 1976 انك إن كنت تريد نصيبا من الرعب فلتصطحب كاري لحفل التخرج
بحق الله الا تري ان هذا ظلما ل 'كــاري'؟
هي فحسب فتاة..فقط وأدت امها طفولتها وانوثتها بتزمتها الدينيأعلم انه سئ ان اقتبس من مراجعتي...لكن هذا الجزء كان يجب تكراره هنا
هي فتاة قلبها مازال نقي رغم الكراهية والمقت الذي يبثه لها كل هؤلاء
هي فتاة فحسب تريد ان يتم تقبلها بشكل طبيعي
يتم تقبلها بشكل عادي بحق الله
هي فقط فتاة تشعر بانها وحيدة
هي فقط فتاة فحسب
تظل قدرة كاري العجيبة للتحريك ، للدمار، هي مجاز ورمز للفكرة.. تلك القوة هي طبيعتها كأنثي، التي يريد قمعها التزمت الديني والرجل بل وغيرة بعض الفتيات من نقاءها
والقمع لايؤدي إلا لإنفجار
لاحظ ان القوي ازدادت ونمت ببلوغها ..رغم ان الظاهرة بدأت حتي بسقوط الأحجار علي البيت
(لاحظ انها جائت بأول تعارف لكاري علي الأنوثة )
(لاحظ تأثر كينج بشيرلي جاكسون مؤلفة
The Haunting of Hill House
والتي في كتابها هذا أيضا ربطت قدرة التحريك بالعقل بسقوط الأحجار وقت التوتر الشديد)
نعم يمكنك التغاضي عن كل هذه الرموز والمجازات...وتستمتع بها كرواية مرعبة مثيرة بها جزء مثير مبني علي علم حقيقي ، مقدمة بشكل واقعي متقن
ويمكنك ايضا ان تر لم ظل كينج متربعا علي عرش كتابة هذا النوع
فروايته كما تقدم التسلية، الإثارة، الرعب والخيال والعلم
تقدم ايضا رمزا ورسالة وهدف
واكتمل التحدي، ونجح ستيفين كينج في الرد علي تلك السيدة التي قالت انه لا يستطيع الكتابة عن المراة
فاكتملت رواية كــاري
بمساعدة اساسية من زوجته وتشجيعها
أليس وراء كل رجل عظيم...إمرأة؟
محمد العربي
من 28 فبراير 2018
إلى 5 مارس 2018
-بعد قراءة رواية ستيفين كينج الاخيرة...عن المرأة ايضا-
Sleeping Beauties
August 15, 2024
I have decided to re-red/read all of Stephen Kings works in publication order and the journey begins here: I first read Carrie when I was in school and also being bullied – I remember reading this and thinking maybe my school experience wasn’t so bad but also thinking I wish I was Carrie!
This book had all my attention when I first read it and the second/third read wasn’t much different – is this one of my favourite Stephen King books? YES but so many are! You rarely read a book where you are rooting for the ‘Villain’ if you can really call her that! She is the victim and she gets her own back and there is nothing more satisfying.
"She did not know if her gift came from the lord of light or of darkness, and now, finally finding that she didn't care which, she wad overcome with almost indescribable relief, as if a huge weight, long carried, had slipped from her shoulders."
"They were still all beautiful and there was still enchantment and wonder, but she had crossed a line and now the fairy tale was green with corruption and evil."
The people who said the schools days were the best years of your life were the popular kids!
Stephen King really knows how to build a character and Carrie is a perfect example of this, even though this book is fairly short he make the reader feel like they have known Carrie all their life and maybe we all know a Carrie.
This book make us re-evaluate ourselves and those around us and shows us that we never truly know a person behind closed doors. This book is heart-breaking, thought-provoking and horrifying. I also loved a book with mixed media like: news article clipping, interviews and book quotations which Stephen King uses so well.
The only reason this isn't a five star for is because the pacing is a little slow - but I understand that this is done to make for a dramatic ending. Also there aren't chapters in this book it just has two parts which can make even a small book daunting.
This book had all my attention when I first read it and the second/third read wasn’t much different – is this one of my favourite Stephen King books? YES but so many are! You rarely read a book where you are rooting for the ‘Villain’ if you can really call her that! She is the victim and she gets her own back and there is nothing more satisfying.
"She did not know if her gift came from the lord of light or of darkness, and now, finally finding that she didn't care which, she wad overcome with almost indescribable relief, as if a huge weight, long carried, had slipped from her shoulders."
"They were still all beautiful and there was still enchantment and wonder, but she had crossed a line and now the fairy tale was green with corruption and evil."
The people who said the schools days were the best years of your life were the popular kids!
Stephen King really knows how to build a character and Carrie is a perfect example of this, even though this book is fairly short he make the reader feel like they have known Carrie all their life and maybe we all know a Carrie.
This book make us re-evaluate ourselves and those around us and shows us that we never truly know a person behind closed doors. This book is heart-breaking, thought-provoking and horrifying. I also loved a book with mixed media like: news article clipping, interviews and book quotations which Stephen King uses so well.
The only reason this isn't a five star for is because the pacing is a little slow - but I understand that this is done to make for a dramatic ending. Also there aren't chapters in this book it just has two parts which can make even a small book daunting.
September 28, 2021
“Carrie” by Stephen King is not only his first-ever published novel but will go down in history as one of the greatest horror classics of all time. I remember briefly reading this as a teenager but due to not having the current reading habits I have developed decades later, skimmed through this without giving it the respect to read entirely from start to finish. I’m glad I went back and re-read “Carrie” as an adult now since it’s beyond fantastic.
As I and many other of my fellow Constant Readers of King read his previously published work and whatever else he has in store for the future, it all started with “Carrie”. I can only imagine at the time when this was first published back in 1974 and probably many years after, this novel made everyone second-guess even going to their proms, to begin with. This checks all the boxes for being horrific, creepy, sick, and well, serves as a kind reminder to never bully anyone for any reason whatsoever.
You never really know what the other person is going through as you feel a certain way for Carrie as you keep reading. King’s signature ability to tell a great story is all over this one with places, characters, scenes, and an ending that wraps everything together nicely for a truly memorable read. To be honest, if you’ve never read this novel before and you love horror, “Carrie” needs to be on your TBR list immediately.
Overall, “Carrie” gets a perfect 5/5 in my book as it’s a genuine page-turner and incredibly hard to put down once you start. It feels so real as you read thanks to all the random excerpts from newspapers, court hearings, and quotes about what exactly happened to Carrie, her classmates, and well, that legendary prom scene that you know anyone that follows horror constantly refers to and talks about. “Carrie” is easily one of King’s greatest novels and is something I’d highly recommend to anyone that loves a great horror story.
As I and many other of my fellow Constant Readers of King read his previously published work and whatever else he has in store for the future, it all started with “Carrie”. I can only imagine at the time when this was first published back in 1974 and probably many years after, this novel made everyone second-guess even going to their proms, to begin with. This checks all the boxes for being horrific, creepy, sick, and well, serves as a kind reminder to never bully anyone for any reason whatsoever.
You never really know what the other person is going through as you feel a certain way for Carrie as you keep reading. King’s signature ability to tell a great story is all over this one with places, characters, scenes, and an ending that wraps everything together nicely for a truly memorable read. To be honest, if you’ve never read this novel before and you love horror, “Carrie” needs to be on your TBR list immediately.
Overall, “Carrie” gets a perfect 5/5 in my book as it’s a genuine page-turner and incredibly hard to put down once you start. It feels so real as you read thanks to all the random excerpts from newspapers, court hearings, and quotes about what exactly happened to Carrie, her classmates, and well, that legendary prom scene that you know anyone that follows horror constantly refers to and talks about. “Carrie” is easily one of King’s greatest novels and is something I’d highly recommend to anyone that loves a great horror story.
February 19, 2023
A decent story with an unforgettable scene, but this is a first-book and so, a little rough. King later chided himself on his overuse of the detail-cheating adverb, which he loved to use in the old days. The structure might have been reworked, also. Still, this is an attention-grabber of a debut.
October 6, 2020
They all had it coming :)
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