Did not enjoy very much

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The Walkin' Dude

Well-Known Member
Jul 5, 2016
47
267
30
Charlotte, NC
My first King book that I actually did not really like. I don't care for cars at all to start with, so that didn't help me going into this. I also find the concept to be just a little too out there for me. A haunted car is just kinda silly to me. That said, the fact that there's basically nothing you can do to defend yourself once Christine has decided to kill you is pretty scary. You're not gonna win a fight against a two ton vehicle.

Anyway, the first half of this book bored me to death. It was tough getting through it. I was just waiting for something to happen. I'm not saying I need constant action going on, I appreciate slow burns (Bag of Bones is one of my favorites) but I just didn't care about what was happening and the events just sorta dragged. I never really bought Dennis and Leigh's relationship either. I didn't feel the sparks there. I also wish we had gotten more time with regular Arnie before he starts going through the change. I feel like he just immediately begins to change and we didn't get to see enough of his regular self in order for that change to be so tragic. I did feel horribly for his father though. Very much so.

I'm a little bummed that I didn't like Christine that much. Perhaps that's my own fault though. Not sure. I enjoyed it more once it reached the second half and the killings began, but a lot of it I just couldn't feel anything for. What do you guys think?
 

Neesy

#1 fan (Annie Wilkes cousin) 1st cousin Mom's side
May 24, 2012
61,289
239,271
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
My first King book that I actually did not really like. I don't care for cars at all to start with, so that didn't help me going into this. I also find the concept to be just a little too out there for me. A haunted car is just kinda silly to me. That said, the fact that there's basically nothing you can do to defend yourself once Christine has decided to kill you is pretty scary. You're not gonna win a fight against a two ton vehicle.

Anyway, the first half of this book bored me to death. It was tough getting through it. I was just waiting for something to happen. I'm not saying I need constant action going on, I appreciate slow burns (Bag of Bones is one of my favorites) but I just didn't care about what was happening and the events just sorta dragged. I never really bought Dennis and Leigh's relationship either. I didn't feel the sparks there. I also wish we had gotten more time with regular Arnie before he starts going through the change. I feel like he just immediately begins to change and we didn't get to see enough of his regular self in order for that change to be so tragic. I did feel horribly for his father though. Very much so.

I'm a little bummed that I didn't like Christine that much. Perhaps that's my own fault though. Not sure. I enjoyed it more once it reached the second half and the killings began, but a lot of it I just couldn't feel anything for. What do you guys think?
Maybe you would enjoy the movie more - they usually show it on TV around this time of year

(I believe it was directed by John Carpenter and is pretty well done)

tumblr_mqd6wwfbLL1qgrt5wo1_500.gif
 

Maddie

Even a stopped clock is right twice a day.
Jul 10, 2006
4,945
9,346
that dollhouse at the end of the street
Maybe you would enjoy the movie more - they usually show it on TV around this time of year

(I believe it was directed by John Carpenter and is pretty well done)

tumblr_mqd6wwfbLL1qgrt5wo1_500.gif

.

I agree, you will probably enjoy the movie though I never read Christine but love the story, the movie told it very well and that doesn't always happen
 

skimom2

Just moseyin' through...
Oct 9, 2013
15,683
92,168
USA
Maybe you would enjoy the movie more - they usually show it on TV around this time of year

(I believe it was directed by John Carpenter and is pretty well done)

tumblr_mqd6wwfbLL1qgrt5wo1_500.gif
It's on Crackle right now :) My son wants to watch it tomorrow.

The Walkin' Dude , this isn't one of my favorites, either. For a long time, it was my least favorite King book (before the alien books started-those are my current least favorites). I remember reading an interview years ago where Mr. King said that was one he didn't care for much himself--I think the quote was something like, "That's one I'e never been tempted to take off the shelf and read again." I wish I could remember where I read that, but it's slid out of my noggin (like so many other things--lol).
 

Walter Oobleck

keeps coming back...or going, and going, and going
Mar 6, 2013
11,749
34,805
enjoyed the story, never saw the movie, but i've read the story many times. the old buck who sold arnie the car reminds me of the old buck in black house. they share some of the same characteristics. back when i was on my king-kick, reading everything i could get my greedy hands on, there was some point where i began to wonder wonder if king like alfred hitchcock had a cameo in all of his stories. i don't know for certain that that is so, that alfred hitchcock...what? inserted himself into his movies, "innocent bystander" perhaps...or in one movie, i think he bumped into a main character in the street. anyone else hear anything like that, about hitchcock? i think my older sister enlightened me to that bit of movie trivia, wondered at the time how'd she know that, but big sisters and all, always best to just keep quiet or be subject to...and now i can't say it 'cause we're correct...meh. subject to the ole indian rub.

stop the presses!

while we could be indignant about that, let us also weigh in on marshmallow price gouging, train b is never going to make it out of the station so all questions are moot.

like, barry gottfried, the hitchhiker here in christine, does the ole heimlich on...the girl, right? i think that's how it went. barry, a kind of alfred hitchcock stephen king? i mean, it could happen, one could make that argument...if one likes, as i do, the idea that a writer gets a kick out of writing. why else write? if digging a ditch makes you happy, dig it. and if the land of make believe includes mr alfred bumping into the main character on the street before going on his happy way, why isn't it possible for the writer of christine to step onto the page and prevent someone from choking? or collect collectibles from trash barrels. was he a force for good or evil, the random or the purpose? rather than to state the obvious as part of the argument for king as alfred, barry gottfried or innocent bystander, and ruin the dark tower supper for all...maybe the not so obvious is also part of the equation.

and who knows, maybe a part of christine is now a part of your toaster. be afraid, be very afraid.
 

doowopgirl

very avid fan
Aug 7, 2009
6,946
25,119
65
dublin ireland
My first King book that I actually did not really like. I don't care for cars at all to start with, so that didn't help me going into this. I also find the concept to be just a little too out there for me. A haunted car is just kinda silly to me. That said, the fact that there's basically nothing you can do to defend yourself once Christine has decided to kill you is pretty scary. You're not gonna win a fight against a two ton vehicle.

Anyway, the first half of this book bored me to death. It was tough getting through it. I was just waiting for something to happen. I'm not saying I need constant action going on, I appreciate slow burns (Bag of Bones is one of my favorites) but I just didn't care about what was happening and the events just sorta dragged. I never really bought Dennis and Leigh's relationship either. I didn't feel the sparks there. I also wish we had gotten more time with regular Arnie before he starts going through the change. I feel like he just immediately begins to change and we didn't get to see enough of his regular self in order for that change to be so tragic. I did feel horribly for his father though. Very much so.

I'm a little bummed that I didn't like Christine that much. Perhaps that's my own fault though. Not sure. I enjoyed it more once it reached the second half and the killings began, but a lot of it I just couldn't feel anything for. What do you guys think?
Never one of my favorites either. You don't have to love all of them. I did like the opening of the movie because of George Thorogood's Bad to the Bone.
 

London Init Geezer

Well-Known Member
Mar 22, 2015
47
167
59
South London England
My first King book that I actually did not really like. I don't care for cars at all to start with, so that didn't help me going into this. I also find the concept to be just a little too out there for me. A haunted car is just kinda silly to me. That said, the fact that there's basically nothing you can do to defend yourself once Christine has decided to kill you is pretty scary. You're not gonna win a fight against a two ton vehicle.

Anyway, the first half of this book bored me to death. It was tough getting through it. I was just waiting for something to happen. I'm not saying I need constant action going on, I appreciate slow burns (Bag of Bones is one of my favorites) but I just didn't care about what was happening and the events just sorta dragged. I never really bought Dennis and Leigh's relationship either. I didn't feel the sparks there. I also wish we had gotten more time with regular Arnie before he starts going through the change. I feel like he just immediately begins to change and we didn't get to see enough of his regular self in order for that change to be so tragic. I did feel horribly for his father though. Very much so.

I'm a little bummed that I didn't like Christine that much. Perhaps that's my own fault though. Not sure. I enjoyed it more once it reached the second half and the killings began, but a lot of it I just couldn't feel anything for. What do you guys think?
Probably my fav SK novel and I'm not into cars...have re read it on numerous occasions and love it just something about it that draws me in
 

Dynamo

Well-Known Member
May 12, 2017
90
302
43
Denton, TX
I finally knocked it off my "Should Have Read Long Before Now" list a couple of weeks ago and I enjoyed it. I'm not really a car guy either but I thought it was a very good look at teenage life and friends growing apart.
 

Hill lover35

Well-Known Member
Jan 8, 2017
3,717
20,019
42
Alberta canada
The movie is good but carpenter was limited by technology. That is why he could not have to ghost driver in the movie and he had to change how Darnell was killed off. Wich whould have been amazing in the movie
 
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