this book ruined sleep so often for me growing up

[evilduck]

when I was 12 I read this and everytime I would drift off to sleep I WAS SURE that zelda was going to jump out at me from somewhere if i closed my eyes

[Natjen26]

I dreaded the little kid under the bed with the scalpel. Always was afraid to put my feet down, in case he was under it. :laugh:

[91rewoT]

After reading this book, it took me a looong time to be okay with my cat sleeping on my chest again!

[Wicker_Man]

Pet Sematary was the first novel I read from Stephen King, back in 1986 - I was eighteen - and it was the beginning of my "love story" with SK.
If I remember well, it took me less than a week to go through it.

And, yes, it made me uneasy with the empty space under my bed and my neighbour's cat's eyes glowing in the dark!
:laugh:

(1986? A great year, in fact: Master of Puppets, from Metallica; Somewhere in Time, from Iron Maiden; Reign in Blood, from Slayer andAliens...)

[delores 74]

This was my first SK novel as well, also at age 12. Zelda creeped me out too, even more so when I saw the movie. I actually just rented it this weekend for my son to watch, who is working his way through IT. No nightmares for him (that I know of...he's 14 so not likely to admit it) but he enjoyed it. Truly one of his scariest novels.

[dtorrec]

I think (s always) that the book is miles better than the movie... but that Zelda really is scary in the movie!!

[gniknehpets]

I dreaded the little kid under the bed with the scalpel. Always was afraid to put my feet down, in case he was under it. :laugh:

So that's why I have to tuck my feet in so tight...

[Rachelklotz]

Zelda is really creepy, and her voice, especially when she says MY name. My name is Rachel, so it's freaky!!:eek2:

[michal]

Please Zelda was the character that scared you the most??? I read it when I was 11 and kept getting that feeling of cold fingers tapping on my shoulders and a voice full of dust and earth whispering to me: I'm back dear...

[constant_thinker]

It was my first SK book to read, and some how SK had sold me. I had become not a constant reader(wish I could say I was but dont read enough.) but a constant thinker!

Concerning Pet Cemetery:
Pet cemetery caused nightmares!!

[Ebony]

I read the book at the age of 11 and had many sleepless nights.
Many years later I decided to read it again - it was like confronting yourself with your greatest nightmare ;)
It didn´t have the same effect because I realized the deep sadness of the story.
I got the book from a good friend who died a few years later...
nonetheless it´s a great book.

[Travisisdead]

I read the book in about 1987 or 88. I was about 15. It scared me more than any book since then. The part where the two men were climbing up to the top of the mountain. (sorry, It's been a long time since I read it) and the Winnebago screams or whatever. That part scared the crap outta me.

[Ebony]

Don´t know why, but the Wendigo didn´t scare me at all. I especially was scared of Zelda...perhaps it was an instinct or something like this. You don´t want to feel like her, especially if you have some problems with your back ;)
After reading the book again (after a few years) I was scared of Louis because you can never control something that´s about to kill you - but always should have the ability to control yourself.

[ItFan]

I read this book last summer (just before I turned 21!) and it scared the bejeesus out of me! It might not have helped that I was on holiday, in a foreign country, sleeping in a room in complete darkness by myself and reading late at night, but I kept thinking Gage was going to come lurching out of a dark corner and get me! Only saw the film for the first time 2 weeks ago, and Zelda scared the crap outta me!

[anna~banana]

When I was little the movie scared the crap out of me, I was scared to read it. I'm glad I did though its one of my favorites, I even named my youngest son Gage.:blush:

[Weihnachten]

Pet Semetary was one of the first King novels I have read. I really appreciate it, because Church has been the source of my nightmares for weeks. The idea of an idyllic neighbourhood turning into a terrifying place (I'd prefer hell as a place to live) and a family deeply hurt - it could not have been any better. Unfortunately, the german translation of the title does not fit that well ("Sementary of the cuddly pets").

[Churchill502]

Pet Semetary is one of the scariest book I've ever read. it didnt take long to read, but it did take a long time to get over it. I never let me feet dangle over the bed either just in case he is there waiting to "play with you"

[GNTLGNT]

The hairs on my chinny-chin-chin still stand at attention when I enter a cemetery-anticipating a dirt choked greeting I presume...Bwahh-hah-hah-hah:ghostface:

[Pucker]

The thing that scared me the most about this book -- and for me, it is Mr. King's most disturbing work -- was not the Wendigo or the premise of re-animation or even the destructive power of love. The scariest part for me was the
grave-robbing. The depiction of Louis' descending madness manifesting itself in this desperate act, the research he would have had to have done, the meticulous planning . . . it's all very chilling. Louis has clearly gone mad, but he hasn't lost his mind, if you see the distinction. The Louis who realizes that he could dig Gage up and then begins to approach the problem logistically is much more frightening than the Louis who is finally around the bend and is carrying his wife over the deadfall at the end.

[GLewman]

Hey wicker man...Pet Semetary was my first SK read also...I had tickets to see Metallica with Ozzy Osbourne but the local church crowd chased them away (Ozzy's infamous bat biting)...It was also a couple months before Cliff died...I got Somewhere in Time for christmas...and I was sure that crazy bitch sister, with the twisted spine, was going to come out of my closet if I didn't close it tight...lol...It was a good year (unless you were Cliff Burton) :(

[kittykiller]

Pet Sematary was the first novel I read from Stephen King, back in 1986 - I was eighteen - and it was the beginning of my "love story" with SK.
If I remember well, it took me less than a week to go through it.

And, yes, it made me uneasy with the empty space under my bed and my neighbour's cat's eyes glowing in the dark!
:laugh:

(1986? A great year, in fact: Master of Puppets, from Metallica; Somewhere in Time, from Iron Maiden; Reign in Blood, from Slayer andAliens...)
I agerr and the cat's eyes alwase got me. Sorry SR King fans as Iam one too, but what got me on this one is the Iron maiden quote. Iron is one of my fave and too are metalica.

[MrZetakappa]

anche se sono "vecchietto" sono d'accordo con i vari commenti: il film è bello e angosciante,il romanzo è eccezionale,sembra di viverla la storia

[Hey Georgie]

Zelda scared me so much when I was 12, (that's when I read the book), and I thought that she would jump out of my closet when it was dark in my room!

[Cobwebgranny]

I began reading this book years ago when I was a younger adult. Never before had a BOOK scared me so badly. I threw it away at about page 125, and today (near age 60) I still don't know how it ended. Don't tell me, I'm too scared to know and NO, I never dared to see the movie!

[JellybeanJay]

I agree, this book ruined sleep for me for many years. Not only did it ruin sleep, it ruined middle of the night bathroom trips as well. I have never been so scared to get out of bed and put my feet on the floor!

[theconstantreader]

I just FINALLY let my children watch this movie with me! They are 10 and 11. They LOVED it! It did creep them out though! They were especially scared of the sister Zelda! When she was in her room and they saw her spine and heard her voice!! That creeped them out! I told them that the movie is really good...but the book is TERRIFYING!!!!

[Susanne]

I remember that I was very afraid of Zelda. She gave me goosebumps. I often skipped her part.

[Horror_Fan924]

i totally agree with what dtorrec's comment. the book was alot better, and i love the movie, one of my favorite movies of all movies, but i do have to admit the cast director who used the guy to play zelda,did a good job with making him scary! and the work they did on him for the graphics and the voice work, or if that is his real voice, and if it is, i would be creeped out to talk to him or if its just a imtitated voice, then its a damn good one, was excellent. but icant trust myself to watch it in the dark!!:eek2::laugh:

[kapow!]

My older brother read Pet Sematary when he was about 17, and when he finished it, I overheard him tell my mom that it was "terrifying and grody." Well, I immediately wanted to read it. I asked my mom if I could, but since I was only 11, she said it was too much for me and maybe in a couple of years. She put it in her bedside table (which meant it was off-limits), and I was shooed from the room. Fast-forward about 3 minutes...I snuck back in her room, snagged PS from her nightstand, and went to my room to devour it. I tried being sneaky about reading it, which to my 11-year-old brain meant that I crawled half-way under my bed and read it with a flashlight. Anyway, I loved that it scared me to death!

[king family fan]

I really liked this book and the movie. But really had to think about animals and them coming back to life.LOL Churchill,later on became a name we gave a stray cat that kept showing up at our house. He looked just like him and really had some personality.Not neccessarily good,

[velvetcrush]

Omg, this book is evil, in the best possible way!
I was pregnant when i read it and i bawled like a baby.
SK at his best
(never liked cats in the first place)
:grinning:

[Jojo87]

This was a great book and tought to re-read it soon. This book actually scare me a bit. And that's why it's good.
SK is a great writer.

[aintshesweet]

Not only was this one of the first Stephen King books I read (when I was around 13), it was also one of the first scary movies I saw at that age. Gage and Zelda definitely gave me nightmares. I always thought, who would allow their child to be cast in this role? I would have been scared of my kid for the rest of my life!

[Steep]

Ha i give that kid who played Gage a lot of credit for taking up that role. The image of him under the bed with the scapel was just horrible (including images of pennywise waiting under there as well when i was younger). Hands down i loved this book. Although i have only read It, Cujo, Dreamcatcher, Misery, Salem's Lot, Pet Semetery and The Shining, i am looking forward to finishing up Insomnia and going to start The Stand soon. Hopefully there were as good as Pet Semetery!

[Sundrop]

I didn't enjoy the movie as much because some of it was really cheesy, and veered too far from the novel.
Still the scariest book I've ever read.

[tracyd]

I have never read the book but I have watched the movie. To this date it is the scariest movie I have seen.

[fljoe0]

I'm going to give this one a re-read one of these days but I still remember it as one of the most creepy, disturbing books I've ever read.

[Patricia A]

I have never read the book but I have watched the movie. To this date it is the scariest movie I have seen.

The movie only tasted a little like the book, you'll love the book if you read it. I can't recommend it strongly enough, one of the scariest stories ever.

[tracyd]

I guess I will be reading the book then (if I can). If it is toooo scary I may not be able to finish.

[randallFlaggfan1]

I have never read the book but I have watched the movie. To this date it is the scariest movie I have seen.

You should definitely read Pet Sematary after you're done with DT.:biggrin2:

Happy reading!

[ESanto]

Pet Semetary, was also the first book I read from Stephen King. It was where my love affair started. It was the first book that I ever read that literary gave me the shivers and scared me. Since then no other author can quite compare. Awesome stuff!!

[The11thGhost]

lol@everyone being afraid of Zelda
I did not read the book but when Gage cut the guy's Achilles' tendon I was like OOOOOOUCH!:eek2: