I have found a common theme running through the prior 4 classic [read: not Richard Bachman] Stephen King books I've read. (Misery, The Shining, Carrie, and Salem's Lot). There is a lot of character development. And I mean, A LOT. For example...

This book had 7 main characters and then at least 3 or 4 additional characters you learned about and beacuse it takes place back and forth between 1958 and 1985, there are 7 backstories for 1958 and 7 backstories for 1985 to get through before you even start to see how it all pulls together. Don't get me wrong: I was both interested in the characters and totally freaked out by the story, but it was also SO much detail that about halfway through I found myself thinking, "wait, who's that person again?" and "what was that guy's story - which one was he?" In a way you almost forgot halfway through the book and had to relearn the chracters again. Which brings me to my next point...

One of the major storylines/themes through the book (and this really isn't a spoiler because you learn this REALLY soon into the book, but you've been warned...) is that the 7 main characters, the Losers Club, forget their childhoods and their friends when they leave Derry and become adults. Like, never speak of you, can't remember you, forgetfulness. And so I wonder, maybe the process of reading the book: the being scared, and then being lulled by so much detail, and then forgetting characters, and then in a scary moment, remember them all over again - was part of Stephen King's plan. Maybe it was a plan to make you go through some of the same emotions of the characters. And if so, well then...a tip of the hat to you Stephen King.

Or, maybe the dude just likes to write really freaking long books. I guess I'll never know.

Oh, as an aside, there is one really controversial scene at the end of the book, that I really need more clarification on from someone else that has read the book. (view spoiler)[ In order to find their way out of the sewer, Beverly, the only girl, suggests that all six of the 11 year-old guys in the group must sleep with her, and so they had this sort of gang-bang orgy situation...and then continue to find their way out of the sewer. While I'm not necessarily offended by the sex, even though they were only 11, I just genuinely don't get it. How in God's name could an orgy help them with their sense of direction? Please someone else read this book and explain it to me. (hide spoiler)]