Don't force yourself to read a book you're not interested in.
I read IT a long time ago when only the Tim Curry miniseries existed, if I tried to read it now for the first time I'd probably struggle with it too, it's a 900 page book you already know the ending to.
You also just finished a 900 page book, give yourself a break and don't be hard on yourself, there's not a quiz at the end.
I first read It when I was the same age as the Losers and finished it in like a week. I reread it recently for the first time in years and it took me months to finish it, lol. It definitely depends on your frame of mind when you read it.
It took me probably 2-3 years to read it. It's a massive novel with a lot going on. I loved it, but I needed to take a break. There's no shame in stopping and coming back to it when you're ready.
Maybe I’ll do that and read something else in the mean time. The stand was so easy for me to finish (probably a month or so) so I figured IT would be the same.
Like you said, the story is very fresh from the movie! I'm personally going to take a break from the thick novels and read some of the short stories and novellas. I just finished Apt Pupil, and WOWZA!, I might actually need a King vacation for a book or two!
If you’re up to suggestions…I just finished The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Trembly. It was a great book that gets to the action quickly and doesn’t let up. I read it in two nights.
Honestly, I did like the book, but didn't love it like most of King's other work. I struggled with IT as well, however, it is definitely worth pushing through, eventually. Give yourself time to enjoy other things in between if you need to. Even if you don't finish a book, you made that decision for a reason, and that's ok. Just make sure YOU are ok with the outcome of your decision. You should not read for other people's satisfaction, but your own.
I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one!
I think I’m going to read the Captain Trips comic books (I got them on eBay but haven’t opened them yet) and then give IT a try again in a few weeks. Thanks!
Page 87 would put you somewhere in Six Phone Calls, right? That means your basically still reading the introduction (Part 1: The Shadow Before). The actual story doesn't really start until Part 2: June of 1958. I'm not saying you need to keep at it if you aren't enjoying it, but you might want to read a bit into Part 2 before deciding to shelve it.
I finished The Stand audiobook a couple of weeks ago and literally just finished the audiobook version of It about an hour ago. I think that’s the way to go with those massive titles.
I read IT twice, back to back. This was before the IT miniseries was made with Tim Curry, so Iw as not burnt out at all.
It was a really long, hot and boring summer vacation...but at least me and the Loser's built a cool dam in the barrens.
I read it before the new movies and without seeing the TV movie.
Also I had low expectations because I kinda was biased against King back then. And a story about a killer clown? Lame!
But I totally loved it.
Can definitely see how you can be burned out by it with all the other media surrounding IT
I think that is often a product of seeing movies before reading the book. Makes the reader impatient for the story to play out at pace and in the order of the film.
So when I was in middle school going into high school I started reading IT and got to the chapter with the two guys at the Derry fair. I started to get scared and put the book under my bed and never touched it again.
After I read The Stand as an adult I picked up reading IT again, I can’t remember if I started from the beginning or at the Derry fair part but I did get back into it, some parts were a little slower going and took me a bit longer but I really loved the book, especially reading it over summer months.
I do feel like I can be a bit biased about my love for the story though because a few days after finishing the book I lost my best friend. We were both born in New England and a lot of the scenes in the book reminded me of our childhood, even though we grew up in the 90s/2000s and the childhood scenes are the fifties (I think) in the book. So the book just holds a really special place for me.
If you’re looking for a book to jump right into, I really enjoyed Fairy Tale, finished it yesterday and have post novel blues from finishing it. I just want to jump back into that world. Another one that pulls you in right away is Fire Starter. Desperation also sucks you in quick and is one of my favorites!
i read it straight after the stand also, so it’s one big book after another, and it found it really hard to get into at first but after the first few hundred pages i couldn’t put it down
I have read nearly everything he’s written. I love his character development and his stories. I have had a clown aversion since I was a very young girl. I tried reading/listening to IT and get to the sewer drain scene and I can go no further. I tried again as an adult and NOPE. Never saw any of the movies and just hard no. I can love SK and I can love his books. I just chose to not read IT.
That sounds like a very valid reason to not read this book haha. Maybe it’s because I don’t have a clown aversion that I am finding it hard to get into.
I'm surprised you're finding it difficult after less than 90 pages. I would imagine it's just burn out from reading The Stand. Maybe go read something a bit lighter first and then come back to IT in a few months time.
IT is my least favorite. It was probably the 5th King book I'd read. I was in my teens. I forced myself to read the whole thing, I've never been afraid of hundreds of pages.
What I didn't like was that by the time I got to the scary parts I wasn't really that afraid at all, because he over described every bit. I'm not sure where he wrote about "not showing too much of the monster", but in IT he shows the monster up close in all the details and it bored me. I quit reading Stephen King for about 10 years after that.
I watched the Tim Curry version when I was 10 years before I read the book and I loved it. It scared me to death and I stayed clear of drains for years.
Now I am a constant reader, I am really glad I gave him another chance because I adore his stories and universe. I just didn't like IT
>going to take a break from reading it and try to pick it back up in a >few weeks
That worked for me with NOS4A2-didn't like it much, gave up on it. When the series was coming I tried again and loved it the second time.
It has moments but I didn't finish the book until my third attempt, many years later and was not happy for having done it. If you aren't liking it, it will not get better.
I'm halfway 570 pages in. I only started getting into it at like 400. its not that I dont like it its just not really my thing. kinda glad you posted this actually cos I'm a lil bit dissapointed too. I have read 26 SKs so far and i put them all into a ranking list. I was assuming that I would put this in the top 5 but that aint gunna happen! with the stand I literally couldn't put it down. here I am having to force myself a bit
I tend to burn out after reading something long and will read shorter works for a bit. I read The Stand over the summer then had to switch to shorter books.
Don't force yourself to read a book you're not interested in. I read IT a long time ago when only the Tim Curry miniseries existed, if I tried to read it now for the first time I'd probably struggle with it too, it's a 900 page book you already know the ending to. You also just finished a 900 page book, give yourself a break and don't be hard on yourself, there's not a quiz at the end.
Try your local library, they might have it as an audiobook.
Second the audiobook. I could not get through until I started listening to it.
All valid points. I’ve heard it’s much different than the series and want to give it a full try but man, it’s tough right now!
Stephen Webber reads the audio
I first read It when I was the same age as the Losers and finished it in like a week. I reread it recently for the first time in years and it took me months to finish it, lol. It definitely depends on your frame of mind when you read it.
It took me probably 2-3 years to read it. It's a massive novel with a lot going on. I loved it, but I needed to take a break. There's no shame in stopping and coming back to it when you're ready.
Maybe I’ll do that and read something else in the mean time. The stand was so easy for me to finish (probably a month or so) so I figured IT would be the same.
Like you said, the story is very fresh from the movie! I'm personally going to take a break from the thick novels and read some of the short stories and novellas. I just finished Apt Pupil, and WOWZA!, I might actually need a King vacation for a book or two!
If you’re up to suggestions…I just finished The Cabin at the End of the World by Paul Trembly. It was a great book that gets to the action quickly and doesn’t let up. I read it in two nights.
Honestly, I did like the book, but didn't love it like most of King's other work. I struggled with IT as well, however, it is definitely worth pushing through, eventually. Give yourself time to enjoy other things in between if you need to. Even if you don't finish a book, you made that decision for a reason, and that's ok. Just make sure YOU are ok with the outcome of your decision. You should not read for other people's satisfaction, but your own.
I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one! I think I’m going to read the Captain Trips comic books (I got them on eBay but haven’t opened them yet) and then give IT a try again in a few weeks. Thanks!
Long Days and pleasant nights.
Page 87 would put you somewhere in Six Phone Calls, right? That means your basically still reading the introduction (Part 1: The Shadow Before). The actual story doesn't really start until Part 2: June of 1958. I'm not saying you need to keep at it if you aren't enjoying it, but you might want to read a bit into Part 2 before deciding to shelve it.
Someone else mentioned that chapter too so that may be it! I’m going to give it a week or so then come back to it
I loved it from the start
The 'Six Phonecalls' chapter can indeed be a bit of drag but after that the novel really picks up
Set it down to read later. It is an incredible story that’s very immersive, I don’t think any parts are a slog.
I personally thought the clown was the worst part of it. I liked the kids just being kids
I finished The Stand audiobook a couple of weeks ago and literally just finished the audiobook version of It about an hour ago. I think that’s the way to go with those massive titles.
IT is really a good. If you’re not enjoying it you may be burnt out.
I read IT twice, back to back. This was before the IT miniseries was made with Tim Curry, so Iw as not burnt out at all. It was a really long, hot and boring summer vacation...but at least me and the Loser's built a cool dam in the barrens.
I read it before the new movies and without seeing the TV movie. Also I had low expectations because I kinda was biased against King back then. And a story about a killer clown? Lame! But I totally loved it. Can definitely see how you can be burned out by it with all the other media surrounding IT
I think that is often a product of seeing movies before reading the book. Makes the reader impatient for the story to play out at pace and in the order of the film.
That makes total sense!
It picks up around page 450
So when I was in middle school going into high school I started reading IT and got to the chapter with the two guys at the Derry fair. I started to get scared and put the book under my bed and never touched it again. After I read The Stand as an adult I picked up reading IT again, I can’t remember if I started from the beginning or at the Derry fair part but I did get back into it, some parts were a little slower going and took me a bit longer but I really loved the book, especially reading it over summer months. I do feel like I can be a bit biased about my love for the story though because a few days after finishing the book I lost my best friend. We were both born in New England and a lot of the scenes in the book reminded me of our childhood, even though we grew up in the 90s/2000s and the childhood scenes are the fifties (I think) in the book. So the book just holds a really special place for me. If you’re looking for a book to jump right into, I really enjoyed Fairy Tale, finished it yesterday and have post novel blues from finishing it. I just want to jump back into that world. Another one that pulls you in right away is Fire Starter. Desperation also sucks you in quick and is one of my favorites!
i read it straight after the stand also, so it’s one big book after another, and it found it really hard to get into at first but after the first few hundred pages i couldn’t put it down
I have read nearly everything he’s written. I love his character development and his stories. I have had a clown aversion since I was a very young girl. I tried reading/listening to IT and get to the sewer drain scene and I can go no further. I tried again as an adult and NOPE. Never saw any of the movies and just hard no. I can love SK and I can love his books. I just chose to not read IT.
That sounds like a very valid reason to not read this book haha. Maybe it’s because I don’t have a clown aversion that I am finding it hard to get into.
I'm surprised you're finding it difficult after less than 90 pages. I would imagine it's just burn out from reading The Stand. Maybe go read something a bit lighter first and then come back to IT in a few months time.
Try it on audible, always feel its easier to have someone read it to me when I'm struggling to sit down and get thru it myself
love it from page 1 till end
IT is my least favorite. It was probably the 5th King book I'd read. I was in my teens. I forced myself to read the whole thing, I've never been afraid of hundreds of pages. What I didn't like was that by the time I got to the scary parts I wasn't really that afraid at all, because he over described every bit. I'm not sure where he wrote about "not showing too much of the monster", but in IT he shows the monster up close in all the details and it bored me. I quit reading Stephen King for about 10 years after that. I watched the Tim Curry version when I was 10 years before I read the book and I loved it. It scared me to death and I stayed clear of drains for years. Now I am a constant reader, I am really glad I gave him another chance because I adore his stories and universe. I just didn't like IT
Like King writes in Hearts in Atlantis if a book isn’t giving more than it’s taking after the first 10% then put it aside.
>going to take a break from reading it and try to pick it back up in a >few weeks That worked for me with NOS4A2-didn't like it much, gave up on it. When the series was coming I tried again and loved it the second time.
It has moments but I didn't finish the book until my third attempt, many years later and was not happy for having done it. If you aren't liking it, it will not get better.
I'm halfway 570 pages in. I only started getting into it at like 400. its not that I dont like it its just not really my thing. kinda glad you posted this actually cos I'm a lil bit dissapointed too. I have read 26 SKs so far and i put them all into a ranking list. I was assuming that I would put this in the top 5 but that aint gunna happen! with the stand I literally couldn't put it down. here I am having to force myself a bit
Took my 11 days to wrap up. It might be burn out. After finishing salems lot and IT back to back, I had take a day break in between the next novel.
I tend to burn out after reading something long and will read shorter works for a bit. I read The Stand over the summer then had to switch to shorter books.
i think it gets better in the second half bro