Stephen King best-seller pulled from shelves in Russia

Bookstores and online marketplaces have reportedly halted sales of the horror novel ‘It’ over underage sexual content

Stephen King's horror novel ‘It’ has been pulled from sale in Russian bookstores and online marketplaces, according to Russian media reports on Thursday.

One of the American writer's most popular works, first published in 1986, the novel contains controversial content, including a scene widely described as an orgy involving minors and characters with non-traditional sexual orientations.

Russia banned content promoting same-sex relations in 2022 and later designated the “international LGBT movement” as an extremist organization. While there is no official blacklist of prohibited literature, a major retailer removed more than 250 books in 2024 over alleged violations, including some of King’s works.

Russia’s leading publisher AST told the business daily Vedomosti that it had temporarily withdrawn King’s books “in order to update product marking issues,” a reference to age-restriction and content-warning labels required under Russian law.

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AST has long sold ‘It’ with a 16+ age label, but under the law introduced in 2022, works containing LGBT-related themes or sexual content must carry a 18+ designation.

Meanwhile, online retailer Wildberries said it “strictly complies with legislation and does not allow the sale of products prohibited on the territory of Russia.”

King ceased working with his Russian publisher in March 2022, soon after the start of the Ukraine conflict. He has actively supported Kiev in the ongoing conflict and has repeatedly accused Russian forces of killing civilians.