Carrie - Stephen King

Carrie is the first book of Stephen King, as a lot of SK’s fans might know. And to think that he almost didn’t write this book for some other job that might get him some money, had it not been for his wife who pushed him along, makes me think of what a tremendous loss that would have been in the world of fiction writing. Well, that’s the reason you should marry… so that your partner can keep nudging you back on the path you are supposed to be on, whenever you think of taking a detour.

Carrie is the story of a young girl with telekinetic ability, that is to move objects by just the power of thought. Remind you of Jean Grey? Well, she is much like that. Only a lot more troubled. She isn’t troubled because of her power. She is troubled by her fanatically religious mother who doesn’t let her lead a normal life. She is troubled by her peers in college who make her the butt of every classroom joke. And she is troubled by her own inadequacy to be like a normal college going kid.

The book is not about how she learned to master her power. The book is not about a superhero girl who took on the responsibility of saving the world. The book is infact about the travails of a teenaged girl and the ultimate manifestation of her anger and frustration. You can push anyone only so far. And you should not be pushing people with telekinetic powers around. And when you do, not just you, but many more innocent people might just pay the price.

The climax of the story is truly scary. You really struggle to label Carrie as a protagonist or an antagonist of the book. Can’t give away much more.

Narration apparently is what SK decided to experiment on in his first book. Well it’s not too over the top an experiment as such. But it is definitely more engrossing than the regular linear story telling. The story as such is fairly simple to summarize. SK took a fairly simple story to new heights through the narration alone.

Carrie does showcase the writer that Stephen King was going to be. In his very first book, he successfully connects with the reader and generates fear, anger, disgust and sympathy. All that together, makes Carrie an excellent read even today!