Christine

by Stephen King

Book Overview

Just Another Lovers' Triangle, Right? It was love at first sight. From the moment seventeen-year-old Arnie Cunningham saw Christine, he knew he would do anything to possess her. Arnie's best friend, Dennis, distrusts her--immediately. Arnie's teen-queen girlfriend, Leigh, fears her the moment she senses her power. Arnie's parents, teachers, and enemies soon learn what happens when you cross her. Because Christine is no lady. She is Stephen King's...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0451160444
• ISBN13: 9780451160447
• Release Date: November 1983
• Publisher: Berkley Books
• Length: 528 Pages
• Weight: 0.61 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 4.1" x 6.9"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

First Stephen King book

This book exhibits excellent character building and story telling. It was a spontaneous purchase that I can only be thankful for. At first, I was hesitant due to the plot being focused around a haunted car (scary ghost noises) but nonetheless. Mr. King does not disappoint. I highly recommend it.

An underrated classic

While not terribly scary, Stephen King's writing and character progression really shines through in Christine. A very enjoyable thriller about how possessions can completely consume a person, even without any hauntings. Arnie Cunningham's downward spiral and degradation due to his obsession with Christine is captivating, and kept me excited to continue the book. Even if the whole possessed car concept turns people off from the novel, (which I've heard is the case for many and I had also thought similarly prior to reading) the characters dynamic and scene building managed to make Christine herself interesting, when I was personally on the fence about the main antagonist being some old car. However, the dynamic of Christine and Arnie really works, as his relationships with his friend, girlfriend, and family suffer because of said dynamic. I'm not saying the book is for everybody, but personally, I'd say Christine is one of my favorite Stephen King novels, and I'd urge other fans of his work or of horror literature to give it a chance!

Movie Doesn't Do This Book Justice

I have always watched the movie over and over again because I loved it. I enjoy that the book truly tells you how the story ends, of course, it doesn't truly end, right? The villain always comes back.

Christine

The book was okay, I was hoping for something a little scarier. It's about a teen who buys an old clunker and ends up being "possessed" by the original owner. He switches back in forth in time while driving Christine from present day to when the previous owner drove it. The car holds some pretty evil secrets and the book was good. I probably would have liked it better if Christine wasnt a car I think. Its definetly not one of Stephen Kings best in my eyes, but its definetly worth reading.

Love it!

Love it.

Not happy at all!!

Book was advertised with a jacket cover, but didn’t have one when I received it. The pages were obviously water damaged and heavily nicotene stained. Will not order from here again.

Christine still running smooth.

This book by stephen king will not let you down in the horror category. This killer car is out for blood and the build up to the climax is masterfully written by king. I recommend anyone who looked at the movie without reading the book get a copy and see what they missed. This is horror at it's v8 powered best.

Good Concept, Car a little loose.

I have read a good amount of books first off, but have never actually read a Stephen King book to this point in my life, which I figured was something I should do eventually. I believe that the book has an excellent premise and for the most part a compelling story line. But the story in my opinion and forgive me for doing this is kind of like a Ford Fury, it's kind of built solidly with a huge engine but it handles pretty miserably. Like I said the drive behind the story of a good kid obsessed with a car that then becomes obsessed with demons is pretty good, but at just about every turn in the story King uses the easiest most cliche story possible to keep the novel going, which is fine to a degree. The writing in these areas is often lazy and about as cliche as the school bullying and Leigh has got to be the lamest female character, even lamer than the unnamed cheerleader. I guess I have a preference for somewhat more refined writing than this, but he cares so little about abusing cliches that it's actually hilarious at points, maybe this is his style. At page 300 I got sick of it though to be honest, because the story was cruising right down main street and I felt like the book had become the car. And I was just reading to find out who the car would kill next, which got boring It really wasn't all that exciting as the concept of the story, because I didn't feel like putting all that effort into something so lazily written. So I just skipped to the end, which was satisfying to a degree. All in all this was a good book with a stronger concept than Snakes on a Plane, and much better writing, and character development. Everything was always though like how can the author take the easiest way to keep you reading as possible, with a joke hear, a cliche voice there, and a cliche cop, and a tearjerking scene there with stereotypical character here and there, and eventually you find yourself liking the car better than the people. It seems kind of cynical which is why I give 4 stars.

STEPHEN KING'S BEST BOOK!

This book about a killer car is the best Stephen King book I have ever read. I loved the movie too (though at some points it did stray a bit far from the book, and infact it removed the whole ghost plot and changed the ending and a remake would not hurt). If you have not seen it, I will not spoil anything more than what I have already written. Give this great read a try.

Compelling ride ;>

Yes, this is one of King's best. Christine seethes with teenage angst, first love, dysfunctional family life, and of course, Christine, that witch on wheels. Was there ever a more creepy and original monster? I had shied away from reading this one for a long time because I thought it would be silly. And I never saw the movie for the same reason (I mean, remember Cujo?!) Anyway I finally caught the movie one day on TV and watched it from the beginning, and whoa... I did like it. The actor who played Arnie was awesome, whoever the heck he is. So I ordered the book. I was glued to it. The characters were so engaging and real, King at his best. The kids, Arnie and Dennis and their friendship which becomes strained as Arnie goes from geeky to freaky - very well written. Arnie's infatuation then obsession with Christine which changes his whole personality is extremely well-done, and the resulting tragedies - well they're horrible (duh, that's part of the reason I read King's books.) To be horrified and creeped out while King's stories have you in their intense grip - delicious! So after all, the book isn't really about the death-car. It's about a tortured kid who loses it, and his friends and family who can't save him, just like real-life.

To Mr. King: "WE'RE NOT WORTHY!!!!!"

The two strongest things in Stephen King's writing are his storytelling and his ability to craft vivid, believable characters. This book is a prime example of both of these talents. It is the story of Arnie and Dennis, two high school seniors who have been friends since they were five years old. Arnie has always been the "outcast" kid in school and Dennis has stood up for him countless times. That friendship is put to the test when Arnie falls in love with Christine, a 1958 Plymouth Fury in desperate need of restoration. The purchase of the car puts a strain on Arnie's relationship with everyone around him, including Dennis. Their friendship was, in my opinion, the central theme in the book, rather than the supernatural events surrounding Christine. Those could have been removed entirely from the book and the power of the friendship would still be there. The story wouldn't be quite as gripping and it wouldn't truly be Stephen King, but it would still be a very good read.The first and third parts of the book were told in the first person narrative from Dennis' point of view. This made for very powerful reading. King manages to tweak the readers feelings in exactly the way he wants by doing this. When Dennis ends up in the hospital for a couple months with a football injury, the narration changes to third person for the middle third. Although not quite as emotionally powerful as the first and third parts, this section of the book is meaty in its own way. We see Arnie changing from the shy, "loner" character from the first part into the nearly unlikeable character in the third part.I think this book has the most depressing ending of all of Stephen King's books (at least of the ones I've read). The reason for this is the fact that he makes you care for the characters. The reader wants everything to turn out okay for everybody. King had no compunction whatsoever about doing things to his characters. If he'd tied it up in a sappy, "everything's okay" ending, it might not have been as powerful. Less depressing, but less powerful nonetheless. This book has jumped to near the top of the list of my favorite Stephen King books. Highly recommended.