Is Carrie underrated?

[cwalrus]

Finished Carrie a while a go and really enjoyed it. I was expecting to not care for it too much even though the film is a favorite of mine. Whenever I speak to SK fans though, they always talk about Carrie as if it was the black sheep of the SK cannon, and I feel the complete opposite is true. It was a great read, and it was refreshing to get these different perspectives that were missing from the movie particularly Sue Snell's post Prom Night writing, other book excerpts, and transcripts from the White Commission hearings. These shifts in the narrative kept me interested a story that I pretty much felt I knew already from having seen the original film, which despite some changes was pretty loyal to the spirit of SK's story although I did appreciate the fact that SK let the gym teacher live instead of killing her with a basketball backboard, which was what i was expecting. I would have liked to have seen Ms. Desjardin's writings or testimony earlier since she was a survivor instead of the curt note to the principal that she would rather kill herself than teach again

Anyway, I just want to know why fans and even SK don't seem to think much of Carrie. It was SK's first and he would get better, but for a first novel, I was pretty impressed. Also, I'm not sure how much was written about TK before Carrie. I'm sure Carrie wasn't the first, but it doesn't strike me that TK was a popular plot device in novels before Carrie came along.

Now I think I'm ready to start reading Rage.

[Sheila Carlyle]

I'm w/you cwalrus, even though I first read it when I was 8 or 9, I still think "Carrie" was a fantastic first(published)novel effort, and it remains one of my all time favorites.

You're gonna love "Rage":smile2:.
S.

[adrianmarley]

I don't think Carrie is underrated, but it is a first novel and, therefore, not as polished as subsequent novels. It does have some memorable moments: the infamous shower scene springs to mind, as does the oppressive atmosphere of Carrie's homelife.

[jackson992]

I agree that it is underrated and one of my favorite of his novels. I also enjoy reading the clippings and newspaper reports.

[lilredkdn]

I agree with adrianmarley. It was his first novel and doesn't have some of the finesse that he later develops. It is still an excellent novel. I, too, loved how the story was told from everyone else's point of view. I would love to see another story written in this way because it is truly one of a kind

[ally88]

Im with you guys..i think Carrie is a pretty cool story, certainly nothing to be ashamed of liking.
I think it definitely has some memorable scenes in it..and Carries mother is enough to strike the fear of God into anyone:eek2:

[kisun]

Carrie is underrated, but for a reason. IMO, compared to his other works (The Dark Tower for instance) it falls short in comparison.

I hope you enjoy Rage. I was recently able to read it myself :biggrin2:.

[SixPins]

No, I don't think it is. I have never been a big Carrie fan, but I loved the film adaptation. I hated the intervals of newspaper clippings in the novel. They really distracted me.

[Dark Reader]

Yes, if you read Carrie first then its brilliant, but like others have said if you read it after reading some of his newer books then it will seem like its written by someone else. I don't think Stephen really got into his stride until The Shining

[Undead Constant Reader]

When I began reading Carrie, I was expecting it to fall a bit short for the simple fact that it was Stephen King's first novel. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was very well written and by the end of the book, I was left wishing the book was longer. Are his later works better? Sure they are, but Carrie is not bad by any means. Plus it's not like Carrie was the first thing he ever wrote, it was just the first novel. Stephen King already had some short stories under his belt before he took on a novel.

[Cognac]

i know what you mean, but i only get that feeling because so much of his other work is more acclaimed. carie just isnt as popular a lot of the others. although its a very powerful story, its also hard for the reader to grab hold of because its told thru others points of views and because compared to most of mr. king's work, its short.

[JohnDalglish]

Carrie is underrated, but for a reason. IMO, compared to his other works (The Dark Tower for instance) it falls short in comparison.

I hope you enjoy Rage. I was recently able to read it myself :biggrin2:.

Hi,

AWKS.

Interesting IMO that he didn't like it himself in the beginning and threw it in the bin (thankee Tabby) and doesn't like it to this day.

But without Carrie - no Duma Key.

I'll be interested in your opinion of Rage too.

Long days and pleasant nights

[tillyn]

When this book was first put out TK was all the rage, lots of story's kicking around Firestarter has mind stuff going on in it too, all written around the same period. I think writing in influenced quiet abit around what is happening at the time. lucy

[thebobbleman]

I think it was Underated just because being the First.

[gjkendall]

I finished this the other day (and have now moved onto 'Salem's Lot)...it it right that the girl at the end is not related to any of the main characters in the book?

Thoroughly enjoyed this book, and its the first I have read of his since Tommyknockers came out.I am not going to read them chronologically...

[gjkendall]

That should read "I am now going to read them chronologically..."

[Matthew.Degnan]

i personally don't like carrie, i think it would have been better as just one story instead of all those newspaper ariticles and extracts from fictitious books. Towards the end of reading it i found myself skipping these bits.

Matthew.

[gjkendall]

I quite liked them to be honest...especially the ones that mentioned something 'nasty" that would then happen in the next few pages. I nice idea executed well (not that I am an expert)

[smooth operator]

I think Carrie is underrated. High school can be hell for any kid that does not fit in with her/his peers. And I know, from experience, that home life is often worse. Carrie just happened to have available a "weapon" by which to express her anger and frustration in a way that no other teenager can. These days, teenagers have many avenues to express their negative emotions - most of them are just as frightening (and dangerous)as Carrie's, although not quite as ostentatious and impressive.
I think SK did a great job telling the story of a teenage girl suffering through high school and bad parenting. I read Carrie when I was a teenager, and I could relate to her role as an outcast. I think many teenagers, especially girls, probably can.

[nosila]

I have always loved Carrie. It's one of my favorites, though almost every SK book I've read has fallen into my favorites list.

[SKfan2006]

i loved Carrie. it was the second book i had read under SK's name. i found it to be more sad than scary since you can sympathize with her.

[Roseasharn]

I just read Carrie for the first time, actually. And I enjoyed it very much. I've only ever met one King book I really didn't like and that has more to do with me than with the book, I think.
I'll be completely honest, though, I love the man's short fiction. I eat it up. It is probably the thing I love most about his writing. I absolutely went gonzo over the DT series, but other than that, give me a short story or a novella any day!

[Bryan James]

Carrie is pretty short on pages (compared to some other King masterworks).

I just bought the new redcover softback, after realizing that it was one of the only (maybe the last) King book that I had not read.

I enjoyed a great many of them...and all of them very recently for the second or third time.

Several times I picked up a SK book, only to realize (after 45 pages) that I'd read it before. So I slow down and start to ANALyze, already having zipped through the story part.

I have never seen the Sissy Spacek (or any later) movie versions of 'Carrie,' so I was a completely blank slate with the novel.

It took me almost two weeks to finish. And I read. A lot.

The first fifth zipped by, and I suck at fractions, but I don't think it was until nearing the last seven-tenths that I couldn't put it down.

As a Reader, it was slim.

As an aspiring writery person...Good on you, Stephen!

BJS

[Dallas Riley]

It was okay. The movie has a ton of the sames lines as the book. I cant believe chris is the same girl that played the cop in robocop. She should have kept her hair long.

[Anton177]

You know, to me it probably is. I started reading SK's books around the middle ground between his really popular and the back-alley books and I quite liked that setting, and I'm only now reading the more popular ones. I haven't read Carrie yet and I'm not sure it's high on my priorities since I saw the film, like that of Firestarter (and even The Langoliers) and I was pretty young; my reaction was "... the hell is this?" and I think that's why I haven't pursued them. I think the books like Carrie will be underrated to me until I get my hands on them, then I'll see what the hype is about.

Long story short, don't watch the films first.

[thymeoperator]

i can't stand the film of 'carrie', i must say - i liked the book FAR more than the movie, but it wasn't my favourite. i read it about 11 years ago, though, so i can't remember why it didn't hit me. i only just found out last month that it was his first book, though, and i think that makes it a more impressive novel - he must have been very young when he wrote it and it seems to me that most writers don't get that kind of success until they're older because it takes experience to have that sort of writing ability - so i think that context makes it more impressive to me. it's still not my favourite, though.

[Matticus]

Just my opinion, but I'm really not sure how Carrie can be "under rated".

When people think of SK, they almost always think of that book. It is not only a very famous movie but it is the book that launch the career of on of the most famous people on the planet. Carrie is like...the centerpiece of an impression people get of SK even when they know nothing about his other books.

I just think that Carrie is one of those SK books that really is just about as big as he is. Notoriety wise anyway.

[Chatterbox]

Well I think here in Germany Carrie and a lot of other Sk books are not known very well, I did a long presentation about SK at school and nearly nobody knew any of hiis books, thats sad, I'd say Carrie is an awsome book, better than all the things we read at school (I hope for you to never have heard of 'effi briest', #Dantons Tod' or 'Don Carlos' it's horrible) Carrie tells about life, and can show people that you should not treat people like the girls treat carrie, well sorry, but my name is Chatterbox^^

[Frizz]

It may be just a little underrated. It is significant today, just as it was then. Because at it's core it brings to light the effects of bullying and the dire consequences it can have on a person's life. Every day in the news is stories about kids commiting suicide, or killing fellow classmates. I think it should be read and discussed with young people, from a sociological stand point, and used as a deterrent. IMHO.

[nightbloomer]

I never thought Carrie was underrated until I started reading these boards. I think it is an insanely popular book. Everyone I know has at least heard of it. It was very meaningful as an adolescent. I kind of idolized Carrie, she was my hero!

But reading it as an adult, I can't help but feel all the girls in this book are mean and stupid and manipulative: "I'll have sex with you if you ask Carrie to the prom," and "I'll have sex with you if you kill a pig for me", etc. I don't think girls actually think this way and it is a stereotype that I try to avoid hearing about. It seemed like Tommy Ross was the only nice person in that town. It is such a brilliant story, but maybe it could have been told a little differently.

[Jack Torrance]

Hmmm. I just assumed every King fan liked this book. It's not my favorite of his but I remember getting through it quickly and had no problems with it. I think the movie adaptation was much better but King even admits that. I can see why Tabby pulled it out of the bin. King probably gets famous even without this book but hey it got the snowball rolling good on his avalanche of popularity. So, I gotta give it up for the novel Carrie. Her mom sure is a...well...you know.

[Benita]

I have read all the SK books and I only read Carrie last week. I loved it! I think there is a lot to be said for someone who read all his other books first and still loved it!

[Sundrop]

I haven't read it yet, so I don't know if it's underrated. I've not been disappointed by a King book yet, though. I can't imagine not liking it. :)

[michal]

I don't like Carrie very much, which doesn't mean I didn't get some enjoyment out of reading it. It was a nice reading, but the characters lacked the depth and the better background later found in Mr. King's books.

I did has a sniff of King in it, but nowadays I can recognize the style of Mr King simply by reading a page, and it is not yet so set in Carrie.

[Taz]

I am certainly not ashamed that Carrie is one of my favourites, although far too short (I have a thing about short books I just read them too quickly but that is the only problem I have with it). I know this sounds odd, but I don't really like watching the film adaptations to SK's novels, I tend to get frustrated that a lot of the time, they don't get the characters right (in my head), anyway back to the point, I still feel that although this was his first published novel and may be a bit raw, the characters still came to life for me, I actually enjoyed the newspaper clippings, I like a book that jumps around, don't ask why, I just always have.

[Richard_B]

I have to say I'm not a big Carrie fan... I accept the points about it being Sai King's first (published) book and it deserves credit for the {shudder} idea that without it there would not be the rest of his works (hmm... discuss...) but when I read it i think it's more of an overlong short story than a novel.. which makes it weaker than most of his other works.

[HalloweenB*]

I have read all the SK books and I only read Carrie last week. I loved it! I think there is a lot to be said for someone who read all his other books first and still loved it!



OMG :eek2: did u really read all of them? well i'm a fan of SK 2 but i think i'm your fan 2 (lol) 'cause u read them all! i'm thrilled! REALLY.

The first book of SK that i read was Carrie and I just love it. a great book and story but not such a great movie (in my opinion).

(sorry to have fled to the subject but I am new here and had to say something) :blush:

[Renzo]

I just finished this a few months back. I am still debating if I enjoyed Carrie or Salem's Lot more (the only two SK novels I have read thus far). I think both are very solid books but not necessarily amazing.

I would say that I enjoyed the characters of Salem's Lot more than Carrie but that is probably because Carrie's characters never had time to develop fully.

That closet would creep me out, though! Psycho mothers are creepy...

[Violet]

Hi, I'm new here.
Carrie was the first SK book I read. I've read everything he wrote
and I think it is one of his best. I think it is definitely underrated.
It is great being able to talk with other SK fans. :eyebrow::biggrin2:

[JayneH]

I love Carrie and dont think it is underrated... It is one of the books that is synonymous with Stephen King - A lot of people I have met dont necessarily recognise his later works but as soon as you mention Carrie or The Shining a little light bulb goes off over their head. A book that can have that sort of impact on people cannot be underrated !

[constantreader85]

i think it is overrated, this is one of the few stephen king books i can't get into. dont like the character dont feel sorry for her. didn't like the film. hmm better shut up now

[avidreader111]

Two movies have been made based on it. The first one was outstanding, the second one - I didn't even bother. Why do they remake perfectly good, sometimes great, movies?! Psycho, Planet of the Apes?!
But I digress. Carrie is still one of SK's great ones.
avidreader111 - first time post.

[KidParanoid]

Carrie was actually the King's fifth novel, but his first to find publication. So it comes off better than many first novels. He had already polished his storytelling skills by the time he wrote Carrie, and it shows. It's a great read.

Carrie was the first SK book I read, and it's still one of my favorites. Margaret White is one of his strongest characters in my opinion. Her anger, her confusion, her fears at losing her only daughter to sin: these all add up to someone quite memorable.

I read some critics who have even cited Carrie as his best work (although don't quote me on WHICH critics). I think it's one of his better efforts. And it's short, so I love to take it with me on a plane ride.

[THISisWHEREiMAKEmySTAND]

Carrie was one of my first of Sai- Kings works, and I loved it, while I think it is quite fair to say that it is not his best work, for his first I thought it was great, and as a female struggling through the pit of despair and cruelty that is the highschool experience, I loved it. This book also coined the infamous term in my group of " Don't make me go Carrie on his/her ass!" hehehe

[The Mangler]

I'm re-reading Carrie for the millionth time, and I have to say that it's in my top ten King's. It's very raw, with a lot of mistakes, but it's a deep and psychological look at High School bullying. It's very similar to rage, just a lot more violent. It's a great novel, and I don't think I could ever say it's underrated... it's just raw and riddled with errors!

:D

[Showtimecircus]

Brilliant first novel!

[bio_chem06]

I'm re-reading Carrie for the millionth time, and I have to say that it's in my top ten King's. It's very raw, with a lot of mistakes, but it's a deep and psychological look at High School bullying. It's very similar to rage, just a lot more violent. It's a great novel, and I don't think I could ever say it's underrated... it's just raw and riddled with errors!

:D

Sadly, I haven't read this novel yet (please don't judge :)), and I'm looking forward to reading it. So I'm interested in what you consider errors....

[Netslayerette]

I just read Carrie for the first time and I really enjoyed it. I had also heard that it was not one of his best but I think for a first book it was better than I had expected. I do love the movie for it's time it was very well made and is still scary. So I like both :grinning: yay!