A review by booksandbraids
Holly by Stephen King

3.0

Overall I liked the plot. The idea of

cannibal old people is amazing.

And I love how it all went down. And that’s why I read Stephen King- I love his ideas. But this book like so many other King books had one fatal flaw- I did not like Holly AT ALL. I hated her. I found her Covid/smoking thing to be hypocritical and annoying. I know King addressed it in his author note at the end but I don’t care. It drove me crazy. And I found her rude. As I mentioned in my commentary, she is rude when she talks to people. She says she loves her job but she has so much attitude when talking to clients and people she is interviewing that I can’t believe has clients at all. And ALL of Stephen King’s narrators have this sort of trashy way of speaking that bothers me. I’m not a prude- I don’t mind cursing or anything like that. But the WAY that these people talk is sort of… idk how to describe it…. Old school offensive? Like it’s vulgar in a decades old slang way that just gets under my skin. I can’t stand it. Like how Holly constantly said fracking this and fracking that. It would bother me less if she was saying “fucking”. It’s the old timey vulgar, sometimes pervy, slang aspect that just gives me a gross vibe. 

With all of that aside. Yes I loved the overall story. And I really loved the

Barbara/Olivia

side plot. They were the only characters that I legitimately loved.

I loved Barbara discovering that she has true talent and gaining confidence and friendship from her elder mentor.

Holly Commentary

• so far I find Holly a bit annoying. Her politics a little, but more so her craziness over Covid despite the fact that she is still smoking. How can you care so much about Covid health when you literally smoke cancer. And overall she is just annoying. She is sort of rude when she talks to people. She says she loves her job but she has so much attitude when talking to clients and people she is interviewing that I can’t believe has clients at all. 
  I’m intrigued by these old people though. I want to know why they are doing this. My initial theory is that they are trying to absorb these young people’s youth by eating them. 
  19% CONFIRMED. They are eating brains for dessert. And they ate liver.