Thoughts and Review of Holly by Stephen King
Sept 8, 2023 12:06:08 GMT
petrolino and theravenking like this
Post by Vassaggo on Sept 8, 2023 12:06:08 GMT
(also posted in OT thread in Politics Board)
Ok I just finished Holly by Stephen King. I'll try to be vague, but I am going to discuss some aspects. I will not comment or hint at any of the plot though. The Novel is pretty trim. There is some general bloat, but Stephen King's editors are way past offering to many general cuts to his work and are just editing mainly for typos, grammar, and continuity problems. He gets a lot of leeway because he is Stephen King. Still pretty quick read and enjoyable at that. In general I liked the novel. He gets a little lost in the plot about mid way but gets right back on track pretty quickly. I will save the suspense and answer the question does it have a Stephen King Ending TM ?
I will say no. The ending is pretty crisp, closes all the story lines well. He uses a surrogate and conversation after the fact that should've been done with the main character and side character face to face. It would've been a better choice to have that instead of a rely telling of a conversation that was done off page. Other than that no complaints.
There has been a underling theme of the Old taking the lives and livelihoods of the young in a few of Stephen King's books as of late. Doctor Sleep and the Institute comes to mind. I believe it stems from King's view that His Generation Failed miserably at changing the world for the better and turned it's back on it Ideals. Basically saying fuck it, change is to hard and sold out. Turning from the generation that wanted Peace and Love and sold out to material greed to the detriment of the world, their own souls, and future generations. There is a good conversation between characters in the Novella Hearts in Atlantis inside the collection book also titled Heart in Atlantis that presents this well. In this one he spices the theme of the old feeding on the young with a small critique of some of the uselessness of some in Academia. He does this while still falling on the side that support of experts, vaccines, and precautions for Covid.
I've said it before but if you lean to the side of Covid was Planned, Hoax, Just the Flu, etc. You are not going to like the book. Covid is present through out the book, and plays a part in the plot and/or affects the characters decisions, and outcomes. He does present characters who are anti mask, anti vax, etc but he doesn't make them all assholes or bad people. There are some who are assholes about it, but he has some that just thinks precautions are silly. In other words he does a good job of providing a spectrum of people with differing ideas. It's obvious that the author is on the side of vaccines, masks and such, but he isn't heavy handed about it. Although one very tertiary character that dies of covid but that doesn't affect this books plot, but does affect one of the characters. This happens very early so I'm not giving too much away. This character dies of Covid in the ICU still believing Covid is a hoax. This may seem heavy handed but there are 100's of cases in where this has happened in real life, so it isn't like he's pulling that out of thin air.
There have been 5 novels and one Novella with Holly in it. This breaks down into a trilogy of Novels, 2 stand alone Novels and the Novella.
Mr. Mercedes
Finders Keepers
End of Watch
The Outsider
The novella "If It Bleeds..."
Holly
Finders Keepers is the weakest of the group by far. The plot is meandering, about 150 pages could be cut, and the antagonist is the worst kind... just blah.
My rankings would be:
Mr. Mercedes
If It Bleeds...
End of Watch
Holly
The Outsider (Some of the plotting was too much like IT for me)
Finders Keepers
In the end I've liked all of Hollyverse novels (I know they are supposed to be called Bill Hodges Novels but I like Hollyverse better) to greater or lesser degrees. Even the worst Finder's Keepers, is worth the read. The main complaint I have with the novel Holly is the characterization of Holly. I know King is showing growth in Holly's character by her overcoming her quirks, tics, and ideocracies over 6 stories, but he may have had her growth go a bit too far. Part of her charm is those things, and if her character growth takes her to far from them you lose some of her charm. I know that's petty, but it's the feeling I got reading this one. She has almost become to well adjusted, which is good for the character but not so much the reader.
On a scale of 1 to 10 I would give Holly a solid 7.5.
Ok I just finished Holly by Stephen King. I'll try to be vague, but I am going to discuss some aspects. I will not comment or hint at any of the plot though. The Novel is pretty trim. There is some general bloat, but Stephen King's editors are way past offering to many general cuts to his work and are just editing mainly for typos, grammar, and continuity problems. He gets a lot of leeway because he is Stephen King. Still pretty quick read and enjoyable at that. In general I liked the novel. He gets a little lost in the plot about mid way but gets right back on track pretty quickly. I will save the suspense and answer the question does it have a Stephen King Ending TM ?
I will say no. The ending is pretty crisp, closes all the story lines well. He uses a surrogate and conversation after the fact that should've been done with the main character and side character face to face. It would've been a better choice to have that instead of a rely telling of a conversation that was done off page. Other than that no complaints.
There has been a underling theme of the Old taking the lives and livelihoods of the young in a few of Stephen King's books as of late. Doctor Sleep and the Institute comes to mind. I believe it stems from King's view that His Generation Failed miserably at changing the world for the better and turned it's back on it Ideals. Basically saying fuck it, change is to hard and sold out. Turning from the generation that wanted Peace and Love and sold out to material greed to the detriment of the world, their own souls, and future generations. There is a good conversation between characters in the Novella Hearts in Atlantis inside the collection book also titled Heart in Atlantis that presents this well. In this one he spices the theme of the old feeding on the young with a small critique of some of the uselessness of some in Academia. He does this while still falling on the side that support of experts, vaccines, and precautions for Covid.
I've said it before but if you lean to the side of Covid was Planned, Hoax, Just the Flu, etc. You are not going to like the book. Covid is present through out the book, and plays a part in the plot and/or affects the characters decisions, and outcomes. He does present characters who are anti mask, anti vax, etc but he doesn't make them all assholes or bad people. There are some who are assholes about it, but he has some that just thinks precautions are silly. In other words he does a good job of providing a spectrum of people with differing ideas. It's obvious that the author is on the side of vaccines, masks and such, but he isn't heavy handed about it. Although one very tertiary character that dies of covid but that doesn't affect this books plot, but does affect one of the characters. This happens very early so I'm not giving too much away. This character dies of Covid in the ICU still believing Covid is a hoax. This may seem heavy handed but there are 100's of cases in where this has happened in real life, so it isn't like he's pulling that out of thin air.
There have been 5 novels and one Novella with Holly in it. This breaks down into a trilogy of Novels, 2 stand alone Novels and the Novella.
Mr. Mercedes
Finders Keepers
End of Watch
The Outsider
The novella "If It Bleeds..."
Holly
Finders Keepers is the weakest of the group by far. The plot is meandering, about 150 pages could be cut, and the antagonist is the worst kind... just blah.
My rankings would be:
Mr. Mercedes
If It Bleeds...
End of Watch
Holly
The Outsider (Some of the plotting was too much like IT for me)
Finders Keepers
In the end I've liked all of Hollyverse novels (I know they are supposed to be called Bill Hodges Novels but I like Hollyverse better) to greater or lesser degrees. Even the worst Finder's Keepers, is worth the read. The main complaint I have with the novel Holly is the characterization of Holly. I know King is showing growth in Holly's character by her overcoming her quirks, tics, and ideocracies over 6 stories, but he may have had her growth go a bit too far. Part of her charm is those things, and if her character growth takes her to far from them you lose some of her charm. I know that's petty, but it's the feeling I got reading this one. She has almost become to well adjusted, which is good for the character but not so much the reader.
On a scale of 1 to 10 I would give Holly a solid 7.5.
