Still a masterpiece

With ‘Carrie’ the American author Stephen King (1947) made his debut in 1974, exploring abuse, bullying and telekinetics, and faced numerous rejections from publishers, however one publisher’s gamble paid off when the book became famous. In 1976 there was a movie adaptation, two remakes in 2002 and 2013 later on, a sequel in 1999, and a series adaptation in 2025.

This review is based on the 50th anniversary edition ebook published by Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, but the printed counterpart comprises 206 pages that are divided in three parts, Bloodsport, Prom Night and Wreckage. The cover has bright colors with flames and a woman in silhouette; who represents the protagonist, Carrie White, as a sixteen year old girl with telekinetic powers.

“She looked around bovinely. [...] At sixteen, the elusive stamp of hurt was already marked clearly in her eyes.”

In Chamberlain, Maine, Carrie White takes a shower after gym class. The other girls see blood flowing, coming from Carrie who is having her first menstruation and that causes the girls to bully her. She is sent home to recover from the shock, discovering along the way she has telekinetic abilities. Upon the return of the hyper-religious Christian mother, who deems having a period a sin, Carrie must be punished, by being locked in a closet for a long period of time, and has to pray, but Carrie begins to resist. Carrie stays home for a week, meanwhile honing her telekinetic abilities, before she returns to school and also Spring Ball (Prom Night) is soon. In the meantime Sue Snell is full of regret about the bullying and wants to apologise in her own way. Chris Hargenson, however, has other thoughts about it. The party is all fun and happiness, until one moment…

“[...] He asked her if she had decided what to do about Carrie. She said she hadn’t. He said that it made no difference, but she thought that it did. It had begun to seem that it meant all the difference.”

Stephen King weaved in snippets of magazines, newspaper clippings and interview transcripts from the near future, to reveal more about the chilling past of the White family and deepening the mystery. Each character that King introduces has their own emotions and characteristics, and are well written. Although King sometimes starts a paragraph without clearly indicating whose point of view it is, this may disorient the reader, for the story switches frequently from perspective between Carrie, Sue and Chris mostly.

“‘I’m Don MacLean’s secret lover,’ Carrie said. Tommy sniggered and quickly smothered it. Norma’s smile slipped a notch, and Carrie was amazed by her own wit – and audacity. That’s what you looked like when the joke was on you. [...] It was distinctly unchristian.”

Even in his debut, Stephen King shows the storytelling talent he has, with a gripping story from start to finish with tension building up to its climax. The future parts at a unique layer to the story, making it more than just a horror story.