So I started to collect and read the 70s horror books, many of which have movies based on and stumbled over this one. I noticed it is considered a classic and the author, sadly, passed away very young after the book was out.
It was a fast read but I am not really sure how to rate it or why is it considered a "classic"? It is obviously the "small town terorized by someone/something" but I had problems with the characters. They were not flashed out, and the main family, the Moores, were not exactly a poster family I would cheer for. This may be the time it was written in but I could not stand a guy like John. He was, at some points, agressive, violent, it was hinted he manupulated his wife into marrying him when she was very young (says he "took her" when she was 15), was terribly indecisive and his mother was even more annoying. She said one thing and then next day anyother thing. The character of Perly was only described as a strong personality with a charm but he was barely present so I would hesitate to trust his influence over the whole city. And don´t tell me that there are only three towns in the whole of the US, they had a car, so to go somewhere and report everything to some other police branch could not have been such a problem?
I read there was a twist at the end but what it was supposed to be? It was just a natural outcome of the story.
So, I am not an American and 70s were very specific so I am a bit confused about what makes this book a classic, perhaps except the obvious theme?
by Jarita12