Reviews tagging 'Physical abuse'

Holly by Stephen King

15 reviews

author_d_r_oestreicher's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

 

 

Caveat: This review of Stephen King’s novel, Holly, is a certified outlier, but you didn’t need my opinion of King, one of the great American novelists. It features two aging emeriti professors–Emily Harris, who taught English Literature, and her husband, Rodney, who was in the Life Sciences Department. She suffered from sciatica and arthritis, and he had Alzheimer’s. Over the years they have become estranged from their respective faculties until they only had each other. The novel finds them ostracized, disrespected, and deeply in love, with only each other for support. It asks the question: what would you be willing to do for your life partner as death approaches? A touching love story. 

 

For my extended notes: https://1book42day.blogspot.com/2024/06/holly-by-stephen-king.html 

“As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.” 

Check out https://amzn.to/3vfHVqc to see my books. 

Check out https://amazon.com/shop/influencer-20171115075 for book recommendations. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Murder, Pandemic/Epidemic, Physical abuse, Racism, Stalking, Terminal illness, Blood, Cannibalism, and Gaslighting

eadrianschmitz's review

adventurous dark emotional informative mysterious reflective sad tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

What a horror! Really enjoyed this and love that Jerome and Barbara are still with us for the ride. Holly didn't seem as neurotic as portrayed in the prior three novels which I kinda miss but it shows her growth which I'm pleased with.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Bullying, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Sexual harassment, Abandonment, Deadnaming, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcoholism, Body horror, Hate crime, Homophobia, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racial slurs, Suicide, Physical abuse, Police brutality, Torture, Abortion, Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Outing, Stalking, Violence, Biphobia, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Death of parent, Death, Drug use, Dysphoria, Addiction, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Confinement, Sexual violence, Terminal illness, Dementia, Drug abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Racism, Sexual assault, Grief, Kidnapping, and Lesbophobia

rjohnson0583's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

2.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Racism, Physical abuse, Cannibalism, Cursing, and Murder

frannieman's review

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• Loveable characters? No

1.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Body horror, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Gore, Dementia, Pandemic/Epidemic, Cannibalism, and Chronic illness

kalaser's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Forced institutionalization, Kidnapping, Racial slurs, Murder, and Physical abuse

Moderate: Blood, Confinement, Death, Death of parent, Gore, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Dementia

Minor: Drug use, Grief, Mental illness, Child death, Alcoholism, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, and Pregnancy

yellowpurple500's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

An incredible book to carry on the Holly Gibney character. The plot kept me hooked throughout, I never wanted to stop reading. King has once again delivered an incredible book. 

At first I was a bit unsure about the inclusion of Covid and some other clear real world parallel events however after reading the end acknowledgements, I'm so glad that's the direction king went, it makes so much sense for the character. Also could someone explain to me why the ACKNOWLEDGEMENT section at the end had me tearing up. 

Definitely read this after the Mr Mercedes trilogy, outsider and the short story in if it bleeds if you want to avoid spoilers. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Racial slurs, Blood, Stalking, Terminal illness, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Alcoholism, Body horror, Colonisation, Cannibalism, Police brutality, Racism, Torture, Death, Homophobia, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Physical abuse, Violence, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Vomit, Addiction, Dementia, Medical content, Misogyny, Alcohol, Chronic illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexism, Child death, Gore, and Hate crime

lady_face's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, Pandemic/Epidemic, Racial slurs, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Racism, Stalking, Violence, Body horror, Cannibalism, Gore, Kidnapping, Physical abuse, Murder, Child death, Terminal illness, Alcoholism, and Dementia

theimposter's review against another edition

dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Child death, Gore, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Cannibalism, Drug abuse, Chronic illness, Classism, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Lesbophobia, Pandemic/Epidemic, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, and Racism

fountain_of_book's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.75

This novel, I did not like while reading it. I had a complaints and problems, but as soon as I finished I wanted to restart it. My mind still has not wrapped around this completely as I am writing this. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Murder, Child death, Grief, Racial slurs, Racism, and Violence

maimy_santiago99's review against another edition

dark tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Dementia, Gore, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Cannibalism, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Violence, Blood, Body horror, Death, Death of parent, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, and Ableism

Moderate: Stalking, Mental illness, Medical content, Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Confinement, Addiction, and Alcohol

Minor: Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Child abuse, Cursing, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Pandemic/Epidemic, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, Bullying, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Adult/minor relationship, Physical abuse, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, and Suicide