Christine

Stephen Kings Christine, first published in 1983, tells the story of a vintage car, bought by a dorky teenager, which is apparently possessed by evil spirits. It sounds like it has all the makings of the plot of a poorly conceived B movie, but in true Stephen King style, it just works. Later in 1983, the story was also made into a film, directed by John Carpenter and, like so many of Stephen Kings books, Christine transferred to the big screen well too. This is a horror story as they used to be written, complete with demons, possessions, gruesome deaths and evil goings on, all mixed in with a good dose of teenage love, friendship and angst, for good measure.

Basically, the nerd of the year contender and runner up in the worst teenage skin problem award, Arnie Cunningham, buys Christine, a dilapidated old 1958 red and white Plymouth Fury from the car owner, one Roland D. Le Bay, an unpleasant old guy who wears a back brace. Arnie takes the car to a do-it-yourself auto shop to restore it, but as Arnie works on the car, his friend Dennis, starts to notice that Arnie’s personality is taking a change for the worst while, strangely, the car appears to be being restored in an entirely haphazard way.

Shortly after Christine’s has been restored, school bully, and frequent tormentor of Arnie, Buddy Repperton, and his gang, break into the auto facility where Christine is being stored and vandalise the car. When Arnie begins to push the car back, repairs began to happen, all by themselves and, soon, the car takes on a life of its own and apparently begins to take its own gruesome revenge on the thugs that vandalised it.

Stephen Kings book Christine is far more than a tale of a car with a life of its own, but we’re not going to ruin it for anyone who hasn’t read it yet. But, in typical King style, it is not just a horror tale but a tale of characters that you really do come to know and care about, and that includes the car too! It’s a horror story, entwined with a love story. A tangled up tale of the dorky kid, his cool best friend, a pretty girl and a car with evil that you can almost feel, as you read the book. Arnie falls for the girl and then so does his best friend, Dennis. Then Arnie becomes infatuated with the car and Dennis worries about Arnie, and so, you have all the ingredients for a twisted tale of love, friendship and obsession. It’s so much more than just a story about a car with attitude.

There are more questions raised in the plot of Christine than there are questions which are answered, but that’s just a part of the books appeal. The biggest question of all, was it the car that was evil or was the old man with the back support, Roland D. Le Bay? Even Stephen King himself wasn’t sure of the answer, that’s up to you to come to your own conclusion. But, then, that’s the sign of a good book, it makes you think.

Will we ever see a Christine II? Well, not according to Stephen King in an interview he gave back in 1984, he said no, once was enough, but then did we expect a Shining II?


“I think part of being a parent is trying to kill your kids.” 

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