Reviews tagging 'Terminal illness'

Holly by Stephen King

10 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. 

---

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.

---

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

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. 

---

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

zara89's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

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

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Pandemic/Epidemic, Terminal illness, Racial slurs, Blood, Death, Torture, and Confinement

Moderate: Police brutality, Mental illness, Alcohol, Alcoholism, and Kidnapping

carlymb's review

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.25

Built on characters already known and loved. Alternative narratives of the protagonists and the murderers meant this wasn’t so much a who done it but when will they be caught. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Racial slurs and Cannibalism

Moderate: Murder and Terminal illness

Minor: Sexual assault, Abortion, and Alcoholism

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

---

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

ruthypoo2's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic

Moderate: Blood, Cannibalism, Confinement, Death, Dementia, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Murder, Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, and Torture

Minor: Homophobia, Lesbophobia, and Suicidal thoughts

chasingpages1's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional sad tense fast-paced

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

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cannibalism, Drug abuse, Medical content, Murder, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Gun violence, Blood, Death, Violence, Chronic illness, Dementia, Drug use, Gore, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Child death, Confinement, Mental illness, Pandemic/Epidemic, Lesbophobia, Racism, Torture, and Death of parent

Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Police brutality, Stalking, and Gaslighting

Minor: Cancer, Cursing, Classism, Body horror, Excrement, Suicidal thoughts, Rape, Terminal illness, Vomit, Mass/school shootings, Antisemitism, and Xenophobia

asifsyed's review against another edition

challenging 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
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Cursing, Confinement, Death of parent, Blood, Xenophobia, Physical abuse, Homophobia, Emotional abuse, Torture, Racism, Racial slurs, Violence, Vomit, Murder, Kidnapping, Pandemic/Epidemic, and Gore

Moderate: Death

Minor: Mental illness, Drug use, Police brutality, Addiction, Cultural appropriation, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Racism, Cursing, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Lesbophobia, Hate crime, Dementia, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Grief, Cancer, Terminal illness, and Medical content

cannibalism

asourceoffiction's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

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

4.5

I have found one constant with Stephen King; you know if you pick up one of his books, you're going to be immersed in something. Story, character, world-building. Whatever it is, he draws you in. With this book, it's Holly Gibney.

The Covid times makes everything in Holly's timeline feel a little quieter and more isolated. It's clever, really adds to the creepiness. And it might be weird reading about quarantines, lockdowns and Trump, but I like how King grounds things in real events and this is no different. Recent history will still be history. Perhaps it's a little on the nose, but actually that felt pretty accurate to me (and King addresses it in his Author's Note, which are always worth reading).

What I absolutely love in all of King's books is not just the guaranteed creepiness and tension (the Harrises are brilliant villains!), but the incredible character development outside the horror part of the story. Holly, Jerome and Barbara are all fantastic, almost in spite of the awful crimes they are investigating. They're what gives these stories heart and what had me unable to put it down. I hope there's more Holly in the future.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Terminal illness, Murder, Child death, Cannibalism, and Death

Moderate: Alcoholism