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"Bill Denbrough Gets a Cab" and "Bill Denbrough Gets a Look" both showcase Bill's author brain: the changes in Derry over the past 27 years, that headache-inducing doubling effect, like bad 3D glasses, seeing both old and new Derry at once. Then, when Bill reaches the restaurant, King uses the writer to describe the Losers Club and, as with the town, he can see both the kids they were and the adults they've become.

"Derry: The Second Interlude" delves further into the history of the titular town. We're witness to a horrible tragedy known locally as the Fire at the Black Spot, wherein 80 people, mostly Black people, perished in a fire set by the Legion of White Decency, the North's version of the KKK. This chapter cements Derry's place in this book as a living character, a third antagonist on the side of Pennywise and Bowers.

"Cleaning Up" is the last chapter before the second interlude (The Black Spot is next!). This chapter is split between Bev and Stan's stories, which is a master stroke, in my humble opinion, because Stan has been dead since "Six Phone Calls" and having his take on Pennywise told through Bev's memories of him, as his own chapter was written from his wife's POV, is immaculate storytelling. 100 outta 10. No notes.

"Georgie's Room and the House on Neibolt Street" is the longest standalone chapter for a good reason: we finally get to see the only weapon the Losers can use to combat the entity known as It: the magic of childhood: BELIEF.

"The Dam in the Barrens" introduces us to Eddie's monster: the Leper. It also shows how much Eddie loves and respects Bill due to Bill always knowing what to do, what to say. Bill is the most mature of the kids, and King uses the death of his brother Georgie as the instigating factor: Bill grew up far before he should have, preparing him to lead the charge against IT.

"Bill Denbrough Beats the Devil (1)" sees Big Bill racing through Derry to save his buddy Eddie from certain death after Henry Bowers and gang bust Eddie's nose sending the boy into a panic attack and not an asthma attack. After all, Eddie's aspirator is filled with nothing more than water and a dash of camphor for that medicinal flavor. It's all in Eddie's head, foreshadowing how IT works.

"Ben Hanscom Takes a Fall" has the scariest scene in the entire book for me. The mummy: first seen as a figure in the distance, out there on the ice, then a man, followed by the realization that the man is dressed as a clown. A bell rings. The clown looks up to reveal a withered and wrinkled face, bandages flapping in the wind. Perfectly written horror in which nothing actually happens.

"Derry: The First Interlude" is our first verifiable word from Mike Hanlon. To me, Mike is the most important character in the novel, not Bill or Ben, or anyone else. Mike has been tasked with staying, with remembering, and that is undeniably main-character energy. His terror is palpable. He doesn't want to call in the gang but he will, soon, after more evidence presents itself, after, soon, before it's too late...

"Bill Denbrough Takes Time Out" is an amazing chapter wherein not much happens yet the reader is on the edge of their seat. You can feel what's coming and you don't want to go, no, you don't want to go, you don't want to return to Derry anymore than Bill or Bev or Eddie or Ritchie, or poor Stan want(ed) to, because what's there might be the end of them, and you do not want to bear witness to all that is to come.

"Beverly Rogan Takes a Whuppin" is built brilliantly. We begin with omniscient narration, inside Tom Rogan's head, but 2/3s of the way through, as Bev starts to fight back, we enter her head, as if she's finally come back to herself, woken up. DUNE by Frank Herbert (yes, that classic piece of scifi) is written in the same style. Omniscient narrative is a good storytelling device in capable hands. We need more of it.