Stephen King- Carrie Review by Niamh McAlister

Last week (after much persuasion) I dragged myself up the stairs to tidy my room. I was sorting through my wardrobe when this book fell out (I have no idea how it got there). I remembered reading it in year 7 and I decided that tidying my room could wait. I sat down on my bed and started to read. I was only planning to read a couple of pages but after 4 hours I had read the whole thing. I had forgotten how much I loved it, so I decided to review it for this addition of purple ink.

Carrie tells the story of a 16 year old girl who is bullied for her frumpy appearance and her mother's fanatical religious beliefs. It tells this story through biographies, news articles and Carrie’s own thoughts. What makes this book so good is the creative devices that King uses. King makes it seem like we are being told the story as if we are inside of Carrie’s head. The narrative will interrupt itself, merge words, proceed without punctuation, and will move from one subject to another mid-sentence. King prioritises narrative over description, he doesn't describe what colour the walls are or how big the room is, instead he focuses on keeping the plot fast paced and keeping you hooked.

I think the book has a deeper meaning. A girl might dream of having the chance to control their peers, but what are the consequences of their dream turning into a nightmarish reality? Terror and ultimately destruction. The more Carie is bullied and humiliated by her peers, the more she wants revenge, and the more her power grows.

Now I know that Carrie is a horror book but don’t let that put you off it! It is rated a 13+ (because of mentions of violence, death and a few instances of strong language). But  I assure you it is not that horrific! 

In conclusion, I really enjoyed reading Carrie and I would give it 5 stars. It is a book that stays with you long after you finished it. It is worth reading as a first experience of Steven king and the horror genre. Ok, time to tidy my room!

Genre: Horror fantasy