Never too Late to Read Classics discussion

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.

A Classic in revenge!

This will be the first Stephen King book I’ve ever read.

Read this several times and never gets old. One of my favorites!

Oh yay. I hope to get to this later in the month. I definitely want to read the edition that has an introduction by Margaret Atwood- I’m curious what she has to say about it.

Jen wrote: "Oh yay. I hope to get to this later in the month. I definitely want to read the edition that has an introduction by Margaret Atwood- I’m curious what she has to say about it."
Interesting. I just read The Handmaid's Tale and loved it. I don't have that edition so let me know.

Kathy wrote: "This will be the first Stephen King book I’ve ever read."
Awesome. I've read most of his books.

This is my first time reading it as well. I was wondering how others feel about the structure of the book. Would it be better if the story flowed along without the inserts by the commission. Often, I found these distracting me from the story rather than adding to it.

I just put a hold on it. I used to read King in the late '80s and '90s but haven't read too much in the 2000s. I saw the movie in 1976 and then again in 1977, dubbed in Spanish (which was weird). It should be interesting to see how his writing style has changed over the decades, this being his first published novel. I noticed a big difference, in his writing (dialogue in particular), between The Dead Zone (1979) and his later works. I hope my copy comes in soon!

I will say the last 50 pages were riveting.

I read Carrie in high school but it's all coming back to me. This isn't his best story but definitely a great start to his career.

Steven wrote: "I was wondering how others feel about the structure of the book. Would it be better if the story flowed along without the inserts by the commission. Often, I found these distracting me from the story rather than adding to it."
Yeah, it is pretty distracting. I think it's mostly to show things that happened in the past.

Pam wrote: "I just put a hold on it. I used to read King in the late '80s and '90s but haven't read too much in the 2000s. I saw the movie in 1976 and then again in 1977, dubbed in Spanish (which was weird). It should be interesting to see how his writing style has changed over the decades, this being his first published novel. I noticed a big difference, in his writing (dialogue in particular), between The Dead Zone (1979) and his later works. I hope my copy comes in soon!"
Yeah, his writing has changed a lot over fifty years. Especially in the last decade it's changed for the worse IMO but pre2000 I thought he could do no wrong.

I've read a handful of Stephen King's books so far, none of his really long stuff yet. Last yr I listened to the audiobook of Carrie with narration by Sissy Spacek, after listening to a YA retelling, The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson. Carrie wasn't as scary as I expected, but I had seen the latest movie adaptation before. I enjoyed the news interlayed with the story. The Weight of Blood is modernized with a very different reason for her classmates to bully her and has great themes and characterization. I highly recommend reading it. If you enjoy podcasts woven into an audio, listen to it.

I really enjoyed rereading this.
Chris and Billy were major stereotypes but that made the story fun.
There was one odd mistake that made me flip back and forth a lot:
(view spoiler)[When Carrie was a baby and made something float it said that Margaret wanted to kill her but Ralph stopped her.
But Ralph died before she was born.<.spoiler>

Samantha wrote: "I've read a handful of Stephen King's books so far, none of his really long stuff yet. Last yr I listened to the audiobook of Carrie with narration by Sissy Spacek, after listening to a YA retelling, The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson. Carrie wasn't as scary as I expected, but I had seen the latest movie adaptation before. I enjoyed the news interlayed with the story. The Weight of Blood is modernized with a very different reason for her classmates to bully her and has great themes and characterization. I highly recommend reading it. If you enjoy podcasts woven into an audio, listen to it."
That does sound interesting. (hide spoiler)]

My e-book via Libby just came in. It’s the 50th Anniversary edition. I’ll start it tonight. I didn’t realize that there are 3 adaptations. I’ve only seen the original.

I hope you enjoy it, Pam!

To Book Nerd or anyone curious - The Weight of Blood contains sensitive racial topics, so be cautious if that might upset you.

Book Nerd wrote: "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 ..."

I always cheered for Carrie!!

Good catch on the mistake -- I completely read over that.

I have not heard of "The Weight of Blood" so thank you for mentioning it. I imagine Sissy Spacek makes an excellent narrator. I have heard that she narrates, "To Kill a Mocking Bird" as well, my favorite all time novel. Bet that is well done.

I just started it last night. I am reminded why I used to like Stephen King! I have to wonder if I would’ve liked this book back in the 70s. I think I probably would have!

I also just got the ebook from Libby and have started it! I got on the waitlist for both print and audio cuz I was curious about the Sissy Spacek narration but that has a longer wait... But at about 10% in I'm already really enjoying reading it. Some nice atmospheric lines:

Calls and catcalls rebounded with all the snap and flicker of billiard balls...

...the subterranean sound of showers splashing on tile.

I hope it continues to be enjoyable especially after being disappointed with the last two books I tried out.

I like the Atwood introduction but if you don't want spoilers, then you should avoid it.

Spacek's To Kill a Mockingbird narration is excellent.

I'm halfway through and enjoying the story even though I am not a horror fan. That said, I'm always ready to skim/skip over something I don't want to read. (view spoiler)[Right now, that is any scene where Carrie's mother is abusing her. (hide spoiler)]

I just finished it. I really liked the ending but it’s not one of my favorite King books. At first I didn’t like the switching of narrative but once I got used to, i thought it was an effective technique. I rarely read a book after seeing the movie because I’m usually underwhelmed, because I already know the story. The book did give a little more insight to the fanatical/abusive mother and to what happened afterwards.

I was reading it on tbe Internet Archive but now the site is not working :(((

Daniela from what Samantha said under our Daily Happenings thread they might have been hacked

Kathy wrote: "I'm halfway through and enjoying the story even though I am not a horror fan. That said, I'm always ready to skim/skip over something I don't want to read. [spoilers removed]"

The mother is crazy! I actually don't recall the movie really and went into this really only knowing that the prank with the blood happens at prom, so everything else is new to me. The mother's so extreme and the closet punishments are especially heartbreaking. For me, the scene at the farm was even harder to bear. (view spoiler)[We don't really know the farmer but the brutal killing of the pigs and then we learn the farmer is at his mother's funeral so this is what he'll come home to- oh my god, what horrible kids! And! I thought it was stressed this is a rare surviving farm so surely his life has not been easy... (hide spoiler)]

I may stay open to King as a writer given what Book Nerd said, but I'm overall not too impressed with the writing here. The TK scenes are definitely the highlight and when Carrie begins to stand up to her mom before prom. I'm at the last quarter now. I've been skimming and sticking it out since folks have mentioned the ending is exciting.

Book Nerd wrote: "I really enjoyed rereading this.
Chris and Billy were major stereotypes but that made the story fun.
There was one odd mistake that made me flip back and forth a lot:
When Carrie was a baby and mad..."

That is funny. I would not have caught it but that seems pretty bad that editors didn't catch it.

Lesle, yes, I posted about Internet Archive in the daily happenings thread in the hopes more members would see it. The site might be back up, idk, but I'd recommend changing passwords at least.

Jen wrote: "That is funny. I would not have caught it but that seems pretty bad that editors didn't catch it."
Yeah I was flipping back and forth wondering if I missed something but that's what it said.

Internet Archive is still down. I hope it comes back. I've watched a bunch of movies there.

In the end I borrowed the book and finished it.
For me it was a reread. I had read it many years ago when I was a little older than the protagonists and I remembered it quite well. The reasons why I had liked it then are the same reasons why I liked it now. I like the narrative technique, the historical reconstruction through documents and testimonies. I like that the story is seen from the future and that while the events are told there is an awareness of what will happen; this gives the whole narration a tone of nostalgia and regret. I have always seen this in the book, more than the horror side.
What I saw new in it is the denial: the authorities and the people do not want to recognize the danger posed by people like Carrie.
Then I watched the film, the first version, the one with Sissy Spacek, and I didn't like it, because everything I liked in the book is missing, and in the end it is only a horror movie.

Daniela wrote: "In the end I borrowed the book and finished it.
For me it was a reread. I had read it many years ago when I was a little older than the protagonists and I remembered it quite well. The reasons why ..."

I love all those points, thanks for sharing these ideas. I can see what you mean about the nostalgia, regret and denial- and I agree it is what's most poignant about this story.

I also have to give kudos to King for centering so sensitively a bullied and fragile girl and unabashedly writing about menstruation! Strikes me as quite bold especially for a debut.

Book Nerd wrote: "Jen wrote: "That is funny. I would not have caught it but that seems pretty bad that editors didn't catch it."
Yeah I was flipping back and forth wondering if I missed something but that's what it ..."

https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:73dp...

Thanks for sharing, Rafael.