Christine

Written by Stephen King

Narrated by Holter Graham

From the moment seventeen-year-old Arnie Cunningham saw Christine, he knew he would do anything to possess her. But Christine is no lady. She is Stephen King's ultimate vehicle of terror.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Audiobooks
• Release date: May 13, 2010
• ISBN: 9781101154960

Stephen King

Stephen King is the author of more than sixty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent work includes the short story collection You Like It Darker, Holly, Fairy Tale, Billy Summers, If It Bleeds, The Institute, Elevation, The Outsider, Sleeping Beauties (cowritten with his son Owen King), and the Bill Hodges trilogy: End of Watch, Finders Keepers, and Mr. Mercedes (an Edgar Award winner for Best Novel and a television series streaming on Peacock). His novel 11/22/63 was named a top ten book of 2011 by The New York Times Book Review and won the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Mystery/Thriller. His epic works The Dark Tower, It, Pet Sematary, Doctor Sleep, and Firestarter are the basis for major motion pictures, with It now the highest-grossing horror film of all time. He is the recipient of the 2020 Audio Publishers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2018 PEN America Literary Service Award, the 2014 National Medal of Arts, and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. He lives in Bangor, Maine, with his wife, novelist Tabitha King. 

Reviews for Christine

[danielstj · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was a completely amazing book. It was as much of study of the town and its characters as it was a horror tale involving the car, Christine, itself. I was blown away by the depth in which King devoted himself to his characters. They felt real. You were able to picture them and understand, appreciate their motives, actions, and reactions. I am a big fan of King and I heard, previously, that this book was bad. That is CERTAINLY not the case. A spellbinding ride through the darkness that shows what people, and Christine, are capable of. It is one of my favorite King books now.5 stars- rightfully earned.

[melydia_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Well, that was fun. Nerdy teenager buys junker of an old car to fix up, car turns out to be possessed, people start dying. It's not especially scary for a horror novel, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Good beach read.

[bekkil1977 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I know a lot of SK fans, and SK himself, don't like "Christine", but I do. Dennis is a cool kid in high school: he plays football, has a hot cheerleader girlfriend. He does however have a nerdy best friend named Arnie. Arnie falls in love with a 1958 Plymouth Fury he sees parked in front of a house. Dennis tries to talk him out of buying it, seeing that it's a complete wreck, but Arnie is insistent. His parents are pissed that he made a decision without consulting him, but Arnie is defiant. He goes to work restoring Christine, and before long (in fact, it's *too* short a period of time...) Christine is back to her original splendid glory. And looking to kill.I think I liked this one so much because I love cars, and always assume they have personalities. Of course I hope my cars' personalities aren't quite as homicidal as Christine's!

[kawgirl · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Good read. Creepy car.

[carol420 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

You will be very careful how you treat your car after reading this. It is a pity that no one writes like this horror anymore. Even Stephen King himself. "Christine" is a perfect round-the-camp-fire story with chilling moments, incredibly real characters and a sad, very sad feeling washing over you. It is a classic horror story. 5 bright, shiny stars!

[stahl2ricco · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

"Brand-new she was. Had the smell of a brand-new car, and that's about the finest smell in the world."He considered."Except maybe for pussy."I was 13 or 14 when I first read this book, and that quote just killed my young adolescent mind. And it never left my mind in the 30 plus years since...This book is still haunting! I think the combination of old time rock lyrics and the classic car elements just totally works together! Add a little bit of evil and va la! Christine! Fun to re read after all these years!And those last two lines: His single-minded purpose. His unending fury.whoa...

[lindzjphil · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Trip down memory lane....I first read this book in my twenties. Now in my forties and it has not lost any of its magic. Story of Arnie, the outcast teenager and his love triangle with leigh cabot and Christine, the car. Arnie is sold the '58 ford car by Roland Lebay. However, what follows changes Arnie's life as the car and Lebay take over his life body and soul. Christine is a formidable lover and does not want to lose Arnie at any cost...even if that means killing for him. Just brilliant. So enjoyed re-reading this book and loved every minute of it. King shows how "kids are the downtrodden class." It encompasses so many themes about being a teenager: falling in love, teenage angst but on a much deeper and sinister level.

[jonwwil · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've been trying to remember the first Stephen King book that I read, and I can't quite do it. I remember reading the Dark Tower series when I was in junior high (back when the "series" consisted of a whopping two books), and I'm pretty sure that wasn't my first King experience. It may have been Misery (which I remember consuming in one fevered day and night after seeing the movie in the theater) or Pet Sematary, or it may have been The Dark Half. The Eyes of the Dragon is also a possibility, but I don't think so--I'm pretty sure it was a more mainstream horror offering.At any rate, the point is that I came to King's work in the late '80s or perhaps as late as 1990, when he was already well into his career and had a substantial backlist. Over the years since then, I've managed to catch up with nearly all of the older titles (yes, I even tracked down an old copy of The Bachman Books that still included Rage). Somehow, Christine managed to slip through the cracks each time. Not that I thought much about it, but if I had to explain why, I'd say I thought the concept of a haunted/possessed car seemed a little thin to carry a whole novel. Recently, though, a paperback copy found its way into my hands, and I figured it was finally time to give it a go.You'd think that I would have learned over time not to get too caught up in what a King book is ostensibly about, and just to sit back and trust him to take me on a ride. If I hadn't before, I have now. Yes, boiled down to its most basic plot point, this book is about a haunted/possessed car with evil intent, but, as is always the case, there's so much more to the story. It's really about relationships--evolving childhood friendships, first loves, parents and their teenage children, etc. The car is just the engine that drives it, if you will. That part of the book is fun, but the real heart lies in the rest. You could take Christine and all the supernatural elements completely out and still have a compelling story about outcast Arnie (Christine's owner) as he comes into his own, his cool friend Dennis (our once and future narrator), and Leigh (the Girl), not to mention their parents. I really enjoyed it.Of course, coming to it at this point, I was struck by some comparisons to other King novels. The first and easiest is Carrie, of course, with Arnie being her spiritual sibling--misunderstood, picked on, cast out, both come into a power that they use to lash out at their enemies. It also brought to mind Apt Pupil, when Todd Bowden, like Arnie, finds an object of obsession that brings about a spiral into madness and destruction. And there's also the aforementioned The Eyes of the Dragon, in which, like Arnie, Prince/King Thomas is mostly a decent-hearted youth who finds himself as an instrument of evil that's far beyond his control or comprehension. I think that's kind of an interesting look at the way King explores similar themes that obviously fascinate him.Looking over King's oeuvre, I'm pretty sure the only other one I've missed to this point is Dolores Claiborne (although I have seen most of the movie). I imagine I'll be picking that one up at some point as well.

[jechtshot · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Two words: Haunted car. An unpopular, perpetually picked on boy named Arnie meets the girl of his dreams in the most unlikely of places; along the roadside covered in rust with a broken windshield and a questionable body. Who is this beauty? Why it's Christine, a 1958 Plymouth Fury with a bit of a history. This car has seen it's share of murder and Arnie is about to venture on the ride of his life as he finds out how truly possessive this vehicle can be. Not my favorite of King's works, but a fun read nonetheless.

[rainpebble_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Christine by Stephen King; (3*)Ever wondered about those guys who say: "I love my car", and look like they really mean it? Have you ever sympathized with wives and girlfriends who had a pained expression on their face as they complained: "He loves that car more than me"?Christine is a 1958 Plymouth Fury, as red as the blood spilt during every term of ownership, in one of author Stephen King's best horror stories about man's abiding passion for cars, the need for speed, a greedy jealous love, and an obsession that turns into possession.Arnie Cunningham is a lonely dork, bullied and rejected at school because of his looks and demeanor, in a plot thread reminiscent of King's earlier book, Carrie, with the tormented being pushed to breaking point and taking bloody revenge on their tormentors. In Christine, the bullies are rebel Buddy Repperton and his gang, who torture weaker kids whenever they get the chance. Arnie's only friend is football playing jock, Dennis Guilder, who narrates the story as a witness to the unfolding horror and ensuing tragedy. Arnie's talent and passion is for auto-mechanics and he yearns for his own set of wheels. When he sees Christine, rusting and rotting away, in caustic old timer Roland D. Lebay's driveway, it's love at first sight.Unknown to Arnie, Christine is possessed by a malign evil force that at first seduces and then destroys every owner.Arnie's attitude changes with his taste in clothes. His mood becomes darker and belligerent as he fixes up Christine, wins the most lusted-after girl in school, Leigh Cabot, and then alienates both his parents and Dennis.For a while, Christine becomes the only good thing in Arnie's life. She makes him feel invincible. But, like some bad people in society; the narcissistic, the sociopathic, those with no conscience who use, discard when there's nothing left, then move on to the next victim, Christine is spiteful, seductively evil and relentless in her quest to take her owners on a fast ride straight to hell.Like Arnie points out: the thing about love ... it eats ... it has a voracious, all-consuming appetite, leaving no room for anything or anyone else.How far will you go for your love?When you look at that prized possession in your life, that which Stephen King might have referred to in another of his stories as a "needful thing", ask yourself a question: do you own it, or does it own you?Creeeeeeepy!~!

[edward.lorn · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

First off, I'm a King fanboy, but I'm a little different from other fanboys. Here's what I think: When King's good, he's the best in the business. When he sucks, he's still readable, but it pisses me the fuck off because I know what he's capable of. Being readable even when he's off his game is how he's maintained my fandom while Koontz and Saul eventually lost my monetary involvement. I will still read the latter, but only through NetGallery and library borrows. With every King release, I purchase the audio book for road trips, the ebook for reading, and the hardcover for my collection. When the paperback drops, I buy that for rereads, because I still prefer physical books to digital materials, and I refuse to crack open my first edition hardcovers. So yes, I am a fanboy. But I also know that King has had his shit books. Fortunately, only a third of this book drew a frown down my face. For those of you that want to cry "Hater!" I will explain. Extensively. Spoilers ahead. You have been warned.

The beginning of this book gets five stars. I loved the interaction between Dennis and Arnie, and even loved the inclusion of Leigh. That familiar sense of dread that is felt throughout all of Stephen King's beginnings is showcased here. The character development is also quite strong with Christine. We know Arnie is going to go bad, and we hate that. But this is King. We signed up for this ride not to witness a happy ending but to see just how fucked up things are going to get before the final page is flipped.

Then we hit part two like a milk truck sliding across icy tarmac before crashing into your local meeting of Lactose Anonymous. The middle of this book is a low three stars for me. We're ripped out of Dennis's intimate first-person POV and shoved wily-nily up the exhaust pipe of some strange omniscient narrator. Dafuq just happened? I want Dennis back. Gimme back Dennis, you uppity fuckwit! The narrative further devolves into a slasher film wherein the masked killer has been replaced by an unstoppable car. Some of these scenes are riveting, but others fall flat as cardboard, and still others are told completely off camera. It's as if King got tired of describing the killings so he...

Hopped back into Dennis's head for the denouement (aka Part Three). What the farfegnugen? Okay, well, I guess I got my wish. I'm back with Dennis, and I'm enjoying the ride once more. People are still dying, but that's taken a back seat. In fact, the detective, the guy that's a huge part of part two, dies so far off camera I didn't at first realize he'd been run off the road. King breezes so quickly over his death that I thought it was some nobody, some inconsequential lout who just happened to shit in Lebay's cornflakes on one of his off days. But no. It's the main dick. His death is given a single paragraph, and we're back on the road.

While reading this, I continuously came across parts I recalled and then whole sections I don't remember happening, like, at all. Which leads me to believe I only skimmed through this one when I first read it, quite possibly because the middle-way narrator switch upset me so completely. I remembered the shit truck instead of the CAT, like what's in the movie, but I completely forgot about Arnie and Regina's deaths. Do I still classify this as a reread? Ya betcha bald tires I do. And yes, I still enjoy the movie over the book. Carpenter's telling is succinct, but it does sacrifice the amazing character development of Part One, so take your pick. Tight story or some damn fine getting-to-know-you? Remember, though, that the getting-to-know-you sections end at Part Two and never, ever, come back.

Last but not least, I listened to most of this book. If you have the chance, and are into audio books, pick up the Audible edition narrated by Holter Graham. Dude was fantastic.

Notable names:
Trelawney (Carrie and Mr. Mercedes)

In summation: I have no idea why King didn't write this entire book in third person. Having Dennis tell only two parts of this three act play makes zero sense because the book is supposed to be written by Dennis. But Dennis doesn't tell the second act. Faceless, nameless narrator does. My computer doesn't. compute. I threw a rod and cracked my head. If you don't think you'll mind this, I can dig it. You'll probably love this whole book. It's a rad story, and King manages to make a story about a killer car readable and, for the most part, entertaining. And not in a cheesy way, either. That alone is a massive achievement. Not the best thing King's written, but far from the worst.

Now getcher motors running, and get the fuck out my face. Next stop: Pet Sematary... yay?

[megantron-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Absolutely ridiculous book bordering on camp, but I plan on making a playlist for it anyway that you can play while you drive your possessed car, WATCH THIS SPACE!

[buffalogr · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Haunted car? Pimply faced high schooler buys a 20 year old car and they fall for each other. Told from the perspective of his friend, the book keeps you in suspense...all through. Even when the discussion wanders to high school things, like chess club and football, you're wondering what Christine (the car) is doing next. When you're pretty sure something is wrong with the car, it does something else that makes you wonder. Glad my high school car wasn't haunted.

[elizajane_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I've been re-reading Stephen King's works in chronological order for a few years now and always start January off with the next book. The last few books were not horror so I was looking forward to Christine simply to get back to the genre however my memory of the book from my first reading of it when I was 15 is very vague. I remembered the plot but not the details. The movie version also had drifted from my mind so, fortunately, didn't affect my reading. Christine is a middle of the road book in King's oeuvre. It has some good parts and is well-written with the second half being much more exciting than the first. I really like the high concentration on fifties music quotes and you can't help singing along, and even making up a tune when you don't know the song! For me, though, this one is on a par with "Firestarter". King can do much better. What bothered me was the slowness to get started. The first entire half of the book is all setup. The first killing is on around page 250. The lack of characters in a book of this size is limited as well. I much prefer casts the size of Salem's Lot or The Stand as King is a master at weaving their stories together. Christine spends so much time droning on about the few characters involved that I actually didn't care for any of them deeply. I had no real liking for anyone; they could have all died and I wouldn't have been surprised and Christine/Roland D. LeBay didn't instill any terror in me as the villain. Nothing of particular note stands out in this one for me. It was readable too slow and drawn out for my tastes. The ending to this book though is different from previous ones to this point as while there is a finite ending, much more so than ever before there is a real impression that the evil still exists and more of the story exists to be told.I always look for connections while reading with King's multiverse, but didn't find anything related to previous books here.

[lukerik-1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This novel is like a bad date: fat and shallow. There are no cleverly expounded themes. It just gabbles on at great length saying really nothing, and saying it in far more words than are technically required. There is only one really interesting scene - the conversation between George LeBay and Dennis. Why such a fuss is made about how Arnie hurt his back is beyond me, and will probably be beyond you as well, when you find out how. This novel should be a couple of hundred pages with the story distilled into a few relevant scenes.On the other hand, it's incredibly easy to read, and it's not unpleasant to do so. King's voice has a way of just carrying you on page after page. If you like King then it's like being with a comfortable old friend.

[whitewavedarling · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the most satisfying horror novels I've read in some time, King has perfect pacing here, and creates a wonderful villain in the classic old car, Christine. The voices in the work are pitch perfect, and the suspense is near constant. Aspects of the work--technology, slang, etc.--are of course dated, but the details serve up an all too realistic time and place just the same. On the whole, I enjoyed nearly ever minute of this--the masterful mix of horror, suspense, and humor bring the story to full life, and it's a wonderful ride. Absolutely recommended.

[jenn.s · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was one of the first books I read by King and immediately loved his style. Complete pictures are drawn in the imagination with just a few lines. You don't spend half the chapter just getting flooded with details unimportant to the story. King grabs your attention and keeps you wanting more.

[benuathanasia · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thought I knew what to expect from this book. I thought I knew the overall plot - Christine, a sentient car, becomes a homicidal vehicle. It's so much more than that. I'm rather shocked at the amount of depth given to the characters, the development of personalities, the unfolding of the plot, the subtle nuances...it's somewhat incredible.

[csweder · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I read this before I was 16, and I must be honest, I was just a little afraid I would have a car that would act like Christine did....thankfully my need for speed overtook that fear.

[cbilbo-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When I read this book, I was dating a guy with an Apache truck. After this book, I refused to ride in the truck for a week.

Some say this was a little long winded. I say, go write your own book, then lets see who is the better author! Who would ever come up with a concept of a car coming to life, have feelings, then kill off people who betray it? I'll tell you, a sick and twisted man, Stephen King!

I loved this book. It was a great read back in 1990 when I read it. I think this book was my second Stephen King novel to read. I would suggest it to anyone!

[booknookretreat7 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Second time was just as good as the first time. I had forgotten some stuff in the book as I hadn't read it for years, so it was really cool to re-read it.

[pamkaye · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Lonely boy, picked on in high school, controlled by parents.Arnie finds love, acceptance, and power with his new car. He is also protected by this cursed car.I like the story, but it just didn't grab me the way it did years ago. It seemed to drag along for too long and was very repetitive for the first half of the book. But once Christine got rolling and the action really began, it was great.

[johncadamssf · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Christine by Stephen KingTo appreciate that for a young person their first car is a treasured dream, saved for and worked for and often worked on for hours to turn it from beaten-up rustbucket into shining glory sitting on the driveway, lies at the very heart of this book. And for that person's boyfriend or girlfriend, or best friend, the true fear is that this car will end up being more cherished than they are and will slowly get in the way of the good times and the happy memories of childhood until, for the proud owner, nothing else exists.We can all relate to that fear, but what King does is take it a step further to the logical conclusion of what horror will unfold when it emerges that the car is doing this deliberately and with an immensely evil enjoyment of coming in between them. Christine is an active participant in the process rather than the passive recipient of a projection of our own resentments. In some ways, this is oddly affirming via a great sense of having been right all along. But the consequences are terrible and terrifying.The early King works are grounded in the timeless truths of High School and young adulthood and reflect how much these experiences made us squirm with discomfort as we endured them. They are nonetheless horrifying for it, though. Just recall Carrie, with the immortal cry of 'Per-iod!' in the shower scene in response to that trickle of blood. And now we have Christine, with the relentless way that the car hunts down and destroys whoever stands in her way, obliterating her adoring owner in the process. No one does a rite of passage story quite like Stephen King.

[scottcholstad · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

While not remotely close to my favorite King novel, it still is part of his early canon, which I've always felt when his best work came out and thus, Christine is still better than most that came later. Cautiously recommended.

[fawaaz.manuel · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Well damn i finished this book. This is my first Stephen King and one of the longest novels i read. The latter part is what kept me away from reading Stephen King due to time. I rate this book highly and will recommened to anyone who wants to start or likes King's writing. I done some research and found there was a Movie also made. I watched the movie last night after I finished the book and was deeply disapointed. If it were the other way I wouldn't if bother to read the book. A bad adaption to a book.The story is very grabbing and hooks onto you like a hobby. The characters are good and the action and adventure is plenty. Some drama and a sad ending. Feels like a Laymon Novel where there is no such thing as a happy ending. But a good read and will in the future look at one of King's other novels.

[emscape · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Even though it's super dated, and pretty much everyone knows the premise due to the movie and all, there was still a lot to be surprised about in this book. It's super-long, sometimes repetitive, occasionally sloppy, but still pulls the reader in and carries them along until the end...which is a lot less conclusive than I like my horror books to be.

[catellington · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Hell hath no fury - save a 1958 Plymouth Fury named Christine.

Steven King, the great Master of Horror, goes way wide with this tale of sheer terror. Christine is one of King's greatest novels ever, and it will make you think twice before buying a vintage vehicle?no matter how mint its condition.

Christine is my five-star recommendation. You'll surely be up late with this one, turning pages into the wee hours. Excellent book!

[nikolas mitchell · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Too weird

[marlene9nl · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another great read by Stephen King.
Not my favourite but I really enjoyed it. It has been years and back in the days when I only read in Dutch so I read all his books in Dutch. I bought them the day they were published here.
So now I am stuck with a huge collection of his books in Dutch. I only read Dutch now when it is a Dutch author. I can't really write proper review, because it has been too long since I read it.

Also I have to guess the year when I read it.

[shanaqui_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Can't guess as to when I properly read this. I just grabbed it out of a box I haven't touched in at least three years, though, so I'll make a guess. Anyway, this is one of my Mysterious Disappearing Reviews which GR can neither explain nor recover (I have now given up on even reporting the issue unless I have a list of evidence for the review's existence, which in this case I don't). So I'll keep this brief: I remember liking this, being drawn to read the rest of it, feeling pretty unsettled -- for a concept that failed in Supernatural's series one episode Route 666, the idea of a haunted car worked pretty well for me -- and all those pleasantly-chilled feelings that come with reading horror with a reasonable imagination and a willingness to suspend some disbelief.

Looking at the wikipedia summary, I don't remember the last part of the novel, which is odd -- but the rest definitely stuck in my head.