ItIt
Score Classic
What it's about
In the town of Derry, Maine, in 1958, seven misfit kids who call themselves the Losers' Club discover that something has been killing the town's children, an ancient evil that most often appears as a clown named Pennywise. They fight it and believe they've won. Twenty-seven years later, the killings begin again, and the friends, now adults who have mostly forgotten their childhood, keep their promise to come home and finish it. The novel moves between the two timelines.
Why it's worth reading
It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list and is one of Stephen King's most famous books. Under the horror, it's a moving story about childhood friendship and memory.
You'll love it if you liked
Good to know
It's over 1,100 pages and very frightening, with graphic violence, child abuse and a sexual scene involving the children that many readers find disturbing.
By the numbers
- Readers83 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Bestseller89 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
- #2 of the 86 horror books we rank
- #64 of the 762 classics we rank
- #195 of the 2,816 books we rank
Why it made the list
Reads as
Dark, Gripping
More by Stephen King
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
The Stand
11/22/63
The ShiningIf you like this, read next
The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Exorcist
Blood Meridian
Swan Song
Watchers
Light in AugustExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is It worth reading?
Yes. It spent weeks at #1 on the New York Times list and is one of Stephen King's most famous books. It ranks #195 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 83.7 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is It about?
In the town of Derry, Maine, in 1958, seven misfit kids who call themselves the Losers' Club discover that something has been killing the town's children, an ancient evil that most often appears as a clown named Pennywise. They fight it and believe they've won. Twenty-seven years later, the killings begin again, and the friends, now adults who have mostly forgotten their childhood, keep their promise to come home and finish it. The novel moves between the two timelines.
How long does it take to read It?
About 34 hours (1376 pages), or about 10 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after It?
If you liked it, try The Stand by Stephen King, 11/22/63 by Stephen King or The Dead Zone by Stephen King.