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patchworkbunny's review against another edition
4.0
Lola’s narrative is written for Holly, addressing the reader as if we were her. Lola clearly feels guilty for something and is writing to this girl who appears absent from the story. Lola takes her time, setting out the sequence of events that led to her wrong-doing.
And as the story progresses, you see that Lola isn’t always truthful with herself. She is acting out on her grief, getting into trouble and getting behind on schoolwork. As an outsider looking in, you can see that her father cares and is doing the best he can for her, but she is angry and sad and lonely, and her stepmother’s presence makes her feel she can’t communicate honestly with him anymore.
I imagine this was a very personal book for Tanya, who lost her mother last year. Lola’s grief is woven throughout every page, her every action. She may not be the most likable of characters but you cannot fail to have sympathy for her. She doesn’t react in the manner we would want but it’s completely believable considering her circumstances.
I found it quite a slow book, which may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it certainly is emotional in a quiet way. Following Tanya’s other books, I thought it would be more dramatic, but it’s more of a domestic drama unfolding against the backdrop of Paris.
I did like the fact that sometimes people spoke in French and it wasn’t translated. If you don’t speak a word of French, it doesn’t really matter, you can get the gist through context. It’s so much more preferable than the awkward repetition a lot of writers do when they want to indicate someone’s speaking in a different language. Of course, if it bothers you, you can always Google translate it.
And as the story progresses, you see that Lola isn’t always truthful with herself. She is acting out on her grief, getting into trouble and getting behind on schoolwork. As an outsider looking in, you can see that her father cares and is doing the best he can for her, but she is angry and sad and lonely, and her stepmother’s presence makes her feel she can’t communicate honestly with him anymore.
I imagine this was a very personal book for Tanya, who lost her mother last year. Lola’s grief is woven throughout every page, her every action. She may not be the most likable of characters but you cannot fail to have sympathy for her. She doesn’t react in the manner we would want but it’s completely believable considering her circumstances.
I found it quite a slow book, which may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it certainly is emotional in a quiet way. Following Tanya’s other books, I thought it would be more dramatic, but it’s more of a domestic drama unfolding against the backdrop of Paris.
I did like the fact that sometimes people spoke in French and it wasn’t translated. If you don’t speak a word of French, it doesn’t really matter, you can get the gist through context. It’s so much more preferable than the awkward repetition a lot of writers do when they want to indicate someone’s speaking in a different language. Of course, if it bothers you, you can always Google translate it.
girlreading's review against another edition
3.0
I have to admit I was slightly disappointed in this book. I was so excited to read it as the reviews were brilliant, describing it as a 'psychological jigsaw' and 'gorgeously dark and twisted' but for me personally it didn't live up to those expectations. I just think the ending was a bit of an anti climax. That being said, I did enjoy 'For Holly' I just feel that the reviews of it being a 'thriller' were a bit misleading.
mara_books's review
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
chrissireads's review against another edition
3.0
I went into reading For Holly with very high expectations. I expected to really love this book. As I got to the end of the book, I realised I had thoroughly enjoyed reading it but it didn’t captivate me as much as I hoped it would.
As with every Tanya Byrne book I have read, I didn’t read too much about the book. I’ve found it’s easier to go into her books without knowing too much. I had read the plot, and knew that there was a big secret to be revealed. I was excited to see what the secret would be. Thinking of Tanya Byrne’s previous books, I knew the secret could potentially be very messed up. I’m not going to mention what it is, it’s better to know nothing.
I didn’t think Lola was the most likeable character. She clearly had her problems and I felt for her. She was becoming incredibly destructive and full of hatred. Not always the easiest character to like, but given that she was grieving for her mother whilst her father was moving on with another wife, it was easy to understand why she was acting the way she was.
I think where this book fell down for me was the pace of the story. It wasn’t as fast paced as I’ve come to enjoy in a Tanya Byrne novel. I also was a little disappointed with the secret. I expected it to be much more deeper than it was. That said, I did enjoy reading this book and I do think many other readers will lap it up!
As with every Tanya Byrne book I have read, I didn’t read too much about the book. I’ve found it’s easier to go into her books without knowing too much. I had read the plot, and knew that there was a big secret to be revealed. I was excited to see what the secret would be. Thinking of Tanya Byrne’s previous books, I knew the secret could potentially be very messed up. I’m not going to mention what it is, it’s better to know nothing.
I didn’t think Lola was the most likeable character. She clearly had her problems and I felt for her. She was becoming incredibly destructive and full of hatred. Not always the easiest character to like, but given that she was grieving for her mother whilst her father was moving on with another wife, it was easy to understand why she was acting the way she was.
I think where this book fell down for me was the pace of the story. It wasn’t as fast paced as I’ve come to enjoy in a Tanya Byrne novel. I also was a little disappointed with the secret. I expected it to be much more deeper than it was. That said, I did enjoy reading this book and I do think many other readers will lap it up!
ordinarilybi's review against another edition
3.0
For Holly ähnelt den vorangegangenen Büchern insofern, dass etwas passiert ist, wir aber nicht wissen, was es ist, und darin dass die Erzählung zwischen Vergangenheit und Gegenwart (hier in Form von Briefen) abwechselt. Anders als in ihren Vorgängerinnen geht es hier aber mal nicht um ein Verbrechen. Damit verknüpft ist das Buch weniger um dieses eine Geheimnis zentriert, sondern konzentriert sich vielmehr auf die Beziehungen der Charaktere – was ihr vor dem Lesen vielleicht wissen solltet; zumindest bin ich mit falschen Erwartungen herangegangen, was mein Leseerlebnis durchaus beeinflusst hat. Kurze Zusammenfassung: Lolas Mutter ist überraschend verstorben und kurze Zeit später hat ihr Vater eine neue Frau und zieht nach Frankreich. Lola soll den Sommer mit den beiden in Paris verbringen, was ihr so gar nicht passt – sie will bei ihrer Großmutter bleiben, bei ihrem Freund Pan und ganz bestimmt nicht in Paris mit Agatha, die sie absolut verabscheut. Agatha ist reserviert, streng, in sich gezogen – das komplette Gegenteil von Lola und auch sie scheint nicht viel für die Tochter ihres Mannes übrig zu haben, und das nicht nur, weil sie mehr oder minder regelmäßig Kleinigkeiten aus Läden stiehlt. Und während die Dinge immer mehr eskalieren und Agatha sich immer furchtbarer Lola gegenüber benimmt, macht sich Lola daran, Agathas Schwachstelle zu finden – und hier kommt Holly ins Spiel. Die Sache ist, ich bin noch immer nicht sicher, ob Agatha wirklich so schrecklich ist, wie sie wirkt, da wir alles aus Lolas Sicht sehen. Andererseits gibt es da Sachen, die sich auch nicht wirklich schönreden lassen … viel wichtiger aber ist Lolas Beziehung zu ihrem Vater, die verständlicherweise belastet ist. Die meiste Zeit über hab ich mir einfach nur gewünscht, dass sich die beiden einfach mal ausreden, sich alles an den Kopf werfen, was sie so denken – einfach damit es endlich mal im Offenen ist und sie darüber reden können. Aber sie sind Menschen und so einfach ist es nicht. Und wie auch in “Follow Me Down” spricht Tanya Byrne noch andere, gesellschaftliche Probleme an – hier Rassismus, mit dem Lola als Tochter einer Frau, die Schwarz ist, und einem Mann, der weiß ist, selbst als junges Mädchen konfrontiert wird. In einer besonders ekelhaften Szene nimmt eine fremde Person einfach an, dass Lola die Freundin von ihrem Vater ist und nicht seine Tochter, und spricht damit unter anderem die Sexualisierung Schwarzer Frauen an, die oftmals nicht einfach Mädchen sein dürfen. Letztlich geschieht das aber nur in den Details, der Rest der Geschichte … zog sich ein wenig hin und konnte mich nie wirklich fesseln. Vielleicht war es die falsche Erwartungshaltung, vielleicht ist es auch wieder Byrnes erstes und unglaublich fantastisches Buch, in dessen Schatten “For Holly” lebt. Schlecht ist “For Holly” deswegen auch nicht, ich hatte nur mehr erwartet.
phillyward's review
3.0
3.5 stars. Lots of twists and turns. Byrne really draws you into the novel. Enjoyable but not as good as Heart Shaped Bruise and Follow Me Down.
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