Christine Journal 9: Final Death Count

I finished my drive through Christine last week. I enjoyed the book very much.

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Frustrations:

While Dennis' narration is used to set the stage, and then to conclude things, it really doesn't work for me. The first person narration leaves a lot out, and this is particularly revealing at the end. There are spots where Dennis passes out, and the reader is dropped into the dark with him.

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For instance, exactly what happened to Arnie and how it happened is left rather confusing to the reader. If King had been giving the narration directly, we would have gotten very very specific details. But Dennis is drugged up, seeing everything in a haze at the end of the novel.

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And, it feels like a novel that can't find an end! Dennis manages to talk on and on in the final pages, without giving the reader wanted information. What happened to the heap of metal that was Christine? Well, Dennis has thought of that too -- but he doesn't know.

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Strength:

What makes Christine a great horror novel is the middle section. King, in his own voice, gives edge of your seat narration that is way over the top. He is descriptive, creepy, and sometimes all out gory. It's wonderful. Bodies are left everywhere, and the tension between the characters is thick.

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At the heart of it, the raw -- almost joyful -- horror of Christine makes the book work. King loves dishing this story out, and you can feel it. Characters get knocked off like domino's falling in a line, and as a reader, you can't wait for the next death scene.

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It is strange that the book is a mix of serious "novel" and raw horror. There are times you get the feeling that King might be taking this a little too serious. But then, he always recovers and gives us another sweet Christine scene.

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Characters

The characters in Christine work; but they aren't King's best. Lea's scenes are almost painful. She's very wooden; cardboard. Some of the best scenes are with Arnie and his parents. Fights spiral out of control as the family comes unglued. King gives us a picture of a healthy family environment through the eyes of Dennis, who's parents both love and trust him.

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Of course, my favorite character is Christine. She has a life of her own, and some pretty awesome abilities. We're talking super-hero stuff. In particular, her ability to regenerate makes her a formidable foe.

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The Movie:

After reading the book, the movie paled. In fact, I had trouble watching it to completion. Scenes from the book were there, but not with the same energy. And some wise guy had rearranged a lot of the scenes. So stuff that happened mid novel are at the opening. For instance, Arnie is threatened by Buddy before Arnie even sees Christine. This makes no sense.

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I enjoyed the book so much that I don't think any movie could do it justice. But what does come across on screen is almost an altogether different story. People have the same names, and I could pinpoint scenes from the book -- but they just weren't as much fun. There wasn't any sheer delight when Christine dished out her sweet revenge. It is, I guess, rather hollow after reading the book.

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FINAL DEATH COUNT:

Well, my not so accurate death count comes to a final tally of 13.

1 by Suicide.

1 by choking.
1 by running over. (3x forward, 3x backward. Nice job, Christine.)
10 more by auto.
--attempted murder: 1 by choking. Creepy!