I have FINALLY read ‘Carrie’, Stephen King’s first book. Yes, it was his FIRST book!
Reading a book when you already know the story so well (from the movie) is such a different experience than reading the book and then watching the movie, but it’s even more different when it’s one like this. I’ve seen ‘Carrie’ so many times because it’s one of my favorite horror films (not talking about any stupid remake, despite the fact I happen to have the book copy that is the remake movie tie-in. Remakes of good films are blasphemy). The original movie is perfection with Piper Laurie and Sissy Spacek and when reading the book, is was VERY hard for me not to get their images out of my mind. It was brilliant casting, for a brilliant story.
When reading this pretty short book (it comes in at basically 300 pages, which is so short, when you compare it to the behemoths of IT and The Stand), you are transported to 1979 immediately by the language, the descriptions of the clothing, and even the comparative style of King’s writing. It’s kind of a treat and a bit of a time warp you are pulled into. It took a bit of getting used to, along with the way King uses different narrative styles; the reader is given reports of the main ‘incident’, as well as character accounts, and intersperses them into the main story. If you didn’t know the ending from seeing the movie, you would have a good idea about a lot of it from these accounts as you go through.
As for the dynamic between Carrie and her hellacious (sorry, have to say it) mother, the interactions are horrific and they make your blood boil and King has given all he can to make the dread and tension so vivid. By writing in Carrie’s ‘thoughts’ we get little peeks into what’s going on in her mind as her powers are getting stronger; you start rooting for the girl who is being bullied, dominated, threatened all her life. You just know that there is no other way for this story to end.
What is most interesting to me now is the contrast with what what acceptable in terms of what kids could get away with (in terms of bullying and hazing) at school, compared to now. That’s a whole other story.
Anyway, I’m glad I finally got to read it as part of a Litsy buddy read. I love the movie so much, and it’s amazing to think that this is where Stephen King’s book career started. With a short novel that had one of most memorable horror movies made out of it.
*Don’t ever bother with the remake though.

Felt like a lot of filler until the very end. A lot of Becky just going on about the facility.



However, the facility was pretty cool. Not so much what they wanted them to do to the real zombies, even if they are already dead. I'm glad Becky didn't give in like the others, and her actions made the others thinks about what they were doing. The end was pretty cool, but poor Mark. Why was he there? Hopefully, the next book explains. The zombie process was interesting. It was unlike anything else I've heard of. Becky goes into detail about it (filler!), and it could have been shortened, but it is good to know. Glad Josh let her go in the end.

In a small town in Maine, a petrol station attendant, endowed with powers such as strength, does good deeds on a daily basis until the Press find out. When the world discovers this phenomenon, the manipulation begins. He learns about his origins with devastating results all round.

This collection is fun, entertaining, engaging and nicely-produced. A good yarn, well-told and recommended.

Too many school libraries in England face cuts or closure with schools increasingly viewing books as obsolete, a teachers' union has heard.

Read more here.