Stephen King - Holly *spoiler free review!*
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- Опубліковано 28 лип 2024
- There's a new Stephen King novel out - here's my spoiler-free review of Holly - and stick around to the end for the Easter Eggs I found!
00:00 Intro
02:26 My edition of Holly, close look
02:59 Holly synopsis
04:41 Thoughts on the story
08:05 What genre is Holly?
14:56 What I liked about Holly
19:33 My frustrations with Holly
20:50 What is it about Holly Gibney?
23:30 My overall thoughts
27:12 Easter Eggs I found (possible mild spoilers)
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So I’m black and I absolutely love king When I read king and soul uses a racist slur, or another character refers to a black person. I look at it as OK so that character is racist not as these are Stephen King‘s thoughts that’s why I like reading his book so much because it completely immerses you into the story so much that you think these characters are real and forget that they are being put on paper by him and because unfortunately, they are people in the world like that and Stephen king never fails to deliver the realistic state of a situation
Ok, thank you - appreciate that!
No problem love your videos by the way I hope you still do a 19 reasons to read
Yes! His writing of Brady in Mr. Mercedes made me think far deeper about fiction than a lot of new releases.
I definitely agree that they probably aren’t his opinions and I don’t necessarily hate that he uses racial slurs as people still definitely think and speak this way, unfortunately. But honestly, having read a fair bit of his works, he uses them rather frequently in most of his books. Sometimes it feels like a cheap way to make the reader instantly hate an antagonist. His stories are creative and his characters are complex enough so it never feels like it adds anything to the story but shock value. The Henry Bowers scenes get way over the top with them specifically to where it hurts the story more than it adds in my opinion.
@mamba2242 yep, this is fair. I would strongly recommend checking out Scott Woods’ lecture on Stephen King and the Magical Negro for a more in-depth look at this issue throughout King’s career, it’s excellent
Man it took some balls to give you the Killers names in the prologue and still keep you hooked.
Totally!
I can’t wait for the Sundays you make these videos. I always tune in. (Love your vids)
Thanks so much!
I think the genre is called "Howcatchem" in one word. Where we know what's going on and have to watch the protagonist figure it out. 😅 great review as always. Happy Sunday
Well there you go - every day is a school day! Thank you 😊
I've just always gone with the classic - dramatic irony. It feels good to say, and most people will immediately understand what you mean
Dave you should do a video on which Stephen king characters you would love to see get there own book 🤔📖📚
Ooh, nice idea!
Love the review, always looking forward to seeing your new videos!! Most definitely will be giving this book a read 🤘
Thanks so much!
Hey Dave, i never read any of Kings books but your channel and your recommendations made me want to get into the Multiverse, i started with misery and I’m reading carrie now, thanks for the awesome videos! :)
Oh nice! Welcome to the world of being a Constant Reader! You have so many treasures to discover 😊😊
@@DaveReadsKing looking forward to the journey! 🔥
Salem's lot and The Dead Zone I highly recommend, They were so very well written. King struggles with endings but he did a fantastic job with The Dead Zone. Kings early works are the best. Pet Cemetery was fantastic. I also liked Under The Dome. IT was real good but it was rather long of a read. over 1,000 pages i think.
@heidis2330 It is long but very worth it…11/22/63 is a masterpiece too
@@heidis2330 yessir, i think ill go in order of publishing, Salem’s Lot after Carrie :)
I can't wait to read holly unfortunately the library doesn't have a physical copy available to be requested yet
Just buy the book
@@avery.a5948 I'm not going to waste my money on a book I don't like I want to read it first to see if a will enjoy it enough to reread it there are some of kings books that I want to reread and other's not so much
Hope you don’t have to wait too long
That luxury isn’t always available to everyone though. Books are expensive - and supporting your library is a great thing to do!
@@DaveReadsKing yes exactly 🙂
I can see why King likes Holly so much, I loved holly on the outsider her observation and intelligence is hard to miss. I was kinda expecting that sleuthing skills to be more prominent but overall really enjoyed this book!
Nice, glad she’s clicked for you!
I too had thought of Holly as somebody in her early 30's at most, I have a hard time thinking of her being in her 50's. That said, I very much like her as a character and look forward to more Holly based stories. I'm about half way through the current book and enjoying it so far.
I guess she is probably supposed to come across younger because she was so stunted by her mother, but it’s still a bit jarring. Glad you’re enjoying it!
I also see Holly as being somewhere between 25-30. Probably because of the Mr. Mercedes miniseries that I loved. I will probably continue to picture that actress and I’m okay with that.
@punky19761 it’s always difficult to shake an actor/actress when you’re reading something if they’ve made a good impression on you
Just to counter those waffling comments, Dave, I love your waffling intros. I particularly enjoy the waffles where you recongize that you're waffling and then waffle on for another 30 seconds anyway. And I absolutely love the waffling intros that are interrupted by a tractor, a train, or a cross-channel ferry. I had COVID back when it was fashionable and it's the sickest I've ever felt in my life, so take care and I hope you're feeling better soon!
Ha, thanks! More waffling it is then 😂
The weird thing is, I pictured Mary-Louise Parker as Holly when I read the Mercedes trilogy. And then I found out much later she was in the series but another character.
Ha, how strange!
I need this book, I love Stephen king and your collection is really nice.
Thank you!
Great review. Just started reading it today. Good so far.
Enjoy the rest!
@@DaveReadsKingI did. Liked the story and definitely related with hollys character. I’d give it 4 stars.
Nice!
Holly's character had been well-developed before this novel. In this book, we watch Holly break free of her inner accuser, and she becomes a revenging Kraken. She is sick and tired of the way she's been dogged around. She is like a female Chief Bromden.. Her healing is demonstrated through her actions. So I don't fimd her boring or bleached out. I am hoping that in King's next Holly novel, Holly bumps into Mark Petrie, and all hell can break loose in The 'Lot.
That’s an interesting read of her, thanks for sharing!
I'm saving this review for after I read the book in October. For me, opinions about the book count as spoilers. I am not even going to read the commentaries for the same reason.
Besides, though I could now read the ebook, I prefer to have the printed version, which I preordered and Amazon Spain is sending on Sep 26. US cover, which I like better.
Till then, I continue with Rose Madder, my 46th SK read.
Nice! See you back here in a few weeks!
Good point. I’ve been trying to hold off on the video but just couldn’t wait lol
Love your reviews, I check out your channel regularly ❤
One reason why I think this story absolutely had to be a Holly Gibney novel is that it's not just a crime thriller. It's also King's depiction of a moment in history - the pandemic in the US. And what better lens to see that sorry spectacle through than hypochondriac, neurodivergent, germaphobe Holly?
For me, the story of Holly navigating her unique way through the Covid era was every bit as fascinating as the primary murder/suspense story. I think, in fact, a case could be made that "Holly" is a very, very dark comedy of manners. And if that's the case, then Holly is really the ONLY King character who could carry that story.
Really, hate to sound gushy, since I do perceive some of the flaws in the book, but I have a feeling as years pass, "Holly" will come to be an important cultural (or maybe pop-cultural) reference to a unique moment in American history.
You know, I think this is an excellent and well-thought-out take that - refreshingly - doesn’t simply get in a tizz about the covid stuff, or how unsympathetic King has been to right wingers. Thanks so much for sharing!
Holly Fracking Gibney, it never ends 😂😂
😂 and there’s more of her to come!
Covid stuff took me out the story far too much of it I thought lived through it didn’t really want to read about it the kidnappers were ok but hopefully he gives Holly a rest now
I didn’t mind the covid stuff but I definitely want Holly to be shelved now!
If King's going to get political and go there in a novel, he needs to be better familiarize himself with the other side of the debate, if only because it's not possible to write realistic characters if you don't. Two dimensional and unbelievable characters are the hallmark of bad writers, and King isn't a bad writer, so he has no excuse. If he can't be bothered to figure out why people disagree with his political views, then he needs to just leave politics out of it.
Interesting. I found the right wing characters he included in Holly to be very accurate and realistic portrayals of similar folk I’ve seen in real life and online over the last few years
This makes me want to get into the books that lead up to this.
They’re definitely worth a read!
I still haven’t read any of the hard case crime books but I am looking forward to getting to them🙂
Nice! They’re all good, but Joyland is great!
Great review, I’m reading Billy Summers it’s kinda hard to read.. did you like it?
I LOVED that book but i did listen to an audiobook. And the narrator is fantastic.
I did really enjoy it, on reread also!
Thank you
You’re welcome!
You do great reviews and I enjoy your channel. I respect your views on the way King wrote Emily Harris' internal monologue. If you ever visit America you should make it a point to travel through the south and even Texas. You will find people that openly talk that way in public. America is not as evolved as most other counties. As an American I look at it as King making us look at ourselves in a mirror. Making us look at all the ugly parts of ourselves with the hopes of making us better. Trust me, I understand what you are saying and how you feel about how repulsive people like that are both in fiction and in real life. It is sad to say that in 2023 in American there are people like that.
Thank you, really appreciate this!
@@DaveReadsKing One of the things I enjoy about your reviews is that it allows me to see the world with a different set of eyes. People in America seem to forget that they share this planet with many other people with many different views.
For example, I like Holly Gibney because there are parallels between my wife's relationship with her mother and Holly's relationship with her mother. Because Holly resonates with me on a personal level. I enjoy how King writes Holly. I understand your opinion of Holly and there are things that I agree with you on. However, I still like her as a character. Both opinions are valid because we have different life experiences that affect how we see the world around us. It is like a breath of fresh air for me when someone has a different view than I do. Life would get boring if we all had the same view on everything.
@lemoinedegascony983 absolutely! Thanks for posting such a great comment 😊
I just finished reading the book last night and I honestly really enjoyed it. Personally this doesn't rank as high as Salem's Lot or Pet Sematary, but it was definitely better than End of Watch. Is it worth a re read from me? Maybe after a few months of digesting what happens in the end. Although i'm not gonna look at one dessert the same way again after this.
Oof! Tell me about it - no parfaits for me thanks!
I thought one particular scene was shocking and scary. I also thought it was one of SK's better books and truly horrific without being supernatural. About Holly's age, her mother has been kicking the feet out from her since she was a toddler so the fact that she has arrested emotional development has served to make time go by quicker for her than other people so at the age of 50, she has finally become an adult through help/support from Bill Hodges and the Robinson Family. She had to have Bill's guidance and the love from the Robinsons. Even then, her mother and uncle were conniving against her growth as a person.
Yep, that’s a fair point about Holly’s stunted development
Really liked your input on the story. I personally loved the new novel, however I have to agree that it made me kind of deslike Holly or to be more exact, not care about her at all. Still it was a chilling story for me and I finished it in two days! Thank you for the video Dave 😊
You’re very welcome! Thanks for your comment 😊
Good review
Thanks!
Do you need to read the other books before reading this?
It depends how much you want to spoilers. This one does reveal most of the big points from the other books, generally with a line here or there. I would say if you were planning on reading the others soon, then hold fire on Holly until you have as you’ll get things as they were intended and you’ll get the full Holly evolution. However, if you’re not fussed then this does work as a standalone story too
I’m still waiting on “Ted” lol A full backstory on Mr. Brautigan 😁
I would read the heck out of that!
Just finished reading. I liked the idea, but it didn't feel like it went anywhere, and 90% of the book felt like padding. It felt like he might have come up with this for a short story at first and then stretched it into a novel.
Interesting! I thought it earned its length, I just think someone other than Holly in the lead role would have improved it
Great video keep up the good work will next video should be 19 reasons to read
Im giving that a while before I do 19 reasons, next up is Sometimes They Come Back
@@DaveReadsKing I love that movie that's my favorite favorite favorite movie. It makes me cry everytime I watch it.
I read the Bill Hodges trilogy and The Outsider. I pictured Holly Gibney as a lackluster and boring character. I also read her as being white, I don't think King specified her race though she had black co-workers. I am biracial and NOT a racist. It is just that I pictured Holly as a homely white woman. Don't get me wrong, she has great instincts and was on track as to finding the bad person (now I can't specify gender as well as race). "Holly" the new novel was released last month and the book immediately was #1 on the NY Times Hardcover Fiction Bestseller List. But the latest is that it has sunk to #4. What gives? Now I want to ask here: did anyone notice that on the streamed series, "The Outsider," Holly Gibney was played by a black actress? My question is: what is Holly's race in this new novel where she is the titular character, eh? Also, if Holly is such a great novel, why is it slipping in sales or readership?
I’ve always read Holly as white - I think she just happened to be Black in the HBO series because they cast Cynthia Erivo, who killed it! On page, though, I still see Holly as white.
As for why it dropped a few spots, I think that just happens. This one isn’t a classic by any means, and I think the days of King topping the charts for 20 weeks in a row are gone
possibly she is being built up as one of the few people who can defeat pennywise / tak / etc... and possibly she is killed off in the process..
Now there’s something I’d never considered! I’ll take it! 😂
So I am almost finished and yes, hallelujah King finally got a Black friend! 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽 Or did some deep dive research. I’m quite proud of him for his treatment of Black and gay characters in this book. His growth and effort is clear. I will say, regarding your reference to Emily’s racism and homophobia, I think he might’ve been spot on. I’d have to ask a reformed racist perhaps, lol but as a Black woman I feel like Emily’s…sentiments…are appropriate for her character. Because she knows she can’t say that sh#t out loud and it pisses her off. So in her thoughts and maybe her diary, she has to be extra in her racism and homophobia. And the fact that she has to admit the audacity of the Black women’s intelligence and resistance. She’s used to people fearing her, so how dare they key in on their lies and facade! The nerve! So she has to express this anyway she can as a reminder they are “beneath” her so she can feel comfortable. I hated to read it, but I liked reading it because it’s probably more accurate than people are willing to admit.
This is a fantastic comment, thank you so much for sharing such wonderful insight…really appreciate it!
@@DaveReadsKingaww thank you; I appreciate your inquiries and willingness to discuss it and learn. So much 😊
Just finished this tonight. I'm hugely invested in the 'Mercedes' universe and the characters, so I was pretty much always going to enjoy this. I thought this was a great addition with some of King's most despicable, non-supernatural villains. In fact, there's a good topic for a future video! Most evil human antagonists!! Annie Wilkes? Greg Stillson? I think Rodders and Em are right up there. Yeah, really enjoyed this apart from the Barbara/poetry/Olivia arc, that I couldn't really have cared less about and added virtually nothing to the story other than some convenient plot exposition.
LOVE that idea for the worst human villains, thank you! And glad you dug Holly too 😊
I love the character of Holly and had high hopes for her solo book. I didn’t recognize this Holly. The repeated themes - politics and COVID - were overkill to me and took away from what could have been a good story. And the writing seemed uneven. I love King’s book, but this one missed the mark for me.
Fair enough, they can’t all be winners!
Meanwhile you’ve just gotten over covid and it seems you must have had the jabs since you use the term “anti vaxers” for the people who chose not to get the jabs even though many still have all their actual vaccines. I got the shots too and let my daughter as well and deeply regret it since we’ve both had health problems as a result. Of course, we both got covid anyway.
I’m sorry to hear you’ve had health problems. I don’t really see what the point of your comment is though?
Your health problems have nothing to do with the vaccines
So I love Stephen King and I love you and your channel (hope you're feeling better). Let me preface what I'm about to comment by saying I'm not a Trump supporter (I actually hate political debate, period). I'm just totally over King having to bash Trump in each and every book since Trump was president. I'm just over it. I'm like, I get it, you hate Trump.
Oh, and I never have a problem with your intros. Do whatever you want to do with them.
I totally get that - it doesn’t bother me so much, but then I’m not in America and seeing his horrible orange face all the time 😂
And thanks for the kind words - I’m getting there slowly!
We find out Lakeesha is black through references? I mean I could have told you immediately.
Ok, that’s fair enough. For me, it wasn’t cemented until she was talking to Holly and mentioned using her ‘talking to a white lady’ voice, but that is almost certainly my own ignorance and failings. I guess the point I was trying to make was that, up until very recently, if a King character was Black their skin colour would be front and centre in the description, and their Blackness would generally be emphasised every time they were on page. Holly felt different - in a good way - in that respect
@@DaveReadsKing ah I see what you’re saying
I agree with most of your opinions on the novel, including the ones about Trump bashing and antivax characters (I love tbose SK jabs).
This was my 49th SK book and I graded it 8/10.
Why not 10? The usual by SK, that's unnecesary details and long side stories to drag the novel at times.
Best SK and only 10/10: 11/22/63.
Worst: The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon, The Long Walk, Nightmares and Dreamscapes.
Why not 7? It's a good story to read
Fair enough! And I’m fascinated you have The Long Walk among your worst Kings - I love that one!
Im glad I didn’t read the other Holly stories. It felt much more like misery. I guess a bad version of it lol. I enjoyed tho 😅
Nice! The Mercedes books and The Outsider are definitely worth reading - especially the parts without Holly 😂
King's Trump Derangement Syndrome is on full display in this novel unfortunately, which undermines its good points.
I can totally see why the Trump stuff would grate some folks…I didn’t mind it
Totally agree with you about trump
He’s such a disease
you've come this far but, please, don't feel pressured to keep reading King's output! chances of you missing a new masterpiece are very slim!
Thanks, but he’s my favourite author on the planet so I will always be reading his new stuff. There’s no buzz like the buzz of a new King book!
I am having a hard time liking the book. Holly comes across as not caring from the start and too much talk about Covid. Really annoying. Noone wants to read about covid.
I didn’t mind the covid stuff, but I was frustrated that I still have no understanding as to why King keeps coming back to Holly Fracking Gibney!
@@DaveReadsKing i never finished it. the last 2 chapters sum up the whole book lol
@@DaveReadsKing Holly is a great supporting character but not a main character. i thought she came across as bored and uncaring
i wa salso unhappy with fairy tale. it was great till the home owner died then got awful in the fairytale world.
Hang on, if you didn’t finish how do you know about the last two chapters??😉
Holly is so exactly like Sue Grafton 's female detective in all of her alphabetic novels. So not unique or very interesting.
I’ve never read any Grafton so couldn’t really comment one way or the other - great that two big authors are including neurodiverse major characters though!
Holly was so bad to me, I returned it to amazon.
What did you dislike about it?
What was bad about it? Not read it yet
That’s a shame!
TRUMP IS NOT A STAIN HE IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF HISTORY AND ONE OF THE BEST PRESIDENTS ALONG WITH JFK SR. THAT HAS EVER BEEN OR WILL EVER BE!!! TRUMP2024!!!!!!!!!!! MAGA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Why tf are you wearing fingernail polish, dude?
Why tf would I not?
Does it matter?
@DaveRicher705 do any of your comments make sense, or have you just saved the special ones for me? Please elaborate on how the rest of my video explains why I paint my nails? Genuinely interested to hear!
@@DaveRicher705 no, no it doesn’t. The video is a review on a Stephen King book not on Dave’s life decisions, and even if it was it’s HIS decision to do what he wants not yours. So, you could simply not watch any more of videos or stop leaving rude comments.
@@colemeyer379weird how he seems to watch Dave on a regular basis, but doesn’t seem to like him. I personally don’t give time to people who don’t interest me, but to each his own.