by Josh Sewell
Book Review: Holly by Stephen King
(Available in bookstores on September 5.)
Legendary writer Stephen King’s latest novel marks the return of a beloved character: private investigator Holly Gibney. Initially a minor player in the author’s 2014 novel Mr. Mercedes, he discovered he couldn’t shake her, so the shy, reclusive woman returned in 2015’s Finders Keepers, 2016’s End of Watch, 2018’s The Outsider and 2020’s If It Bleeds (a novella in a collection with the same name).
Now, with Holly, Gibney – who has become more confident and outgoing with each story – gets her first solo book and her name is in the title. She’s mostly on her own this time because her partner Pete has a nasty case of Covid, while her friends Jerome and Barbara Robinson – neighborhood kids who have grown into adults throughout the series – have career ambitions of their own. That’s a troubling development considering Holly is taking on one of the most dangerous cases of her career.
When Penny Dahl calls the Finders Keepers detective agency to help track down her missing daughter, Holly is reluctant to take the case. But something in the distraught woman’s voice makes it impossible for Holly to say no.
A few blocks from where Bonnie Dahl disappeared, retired professors Rodney and Emily Harris live in a well-kept home and maintain their scholarly reputations. But the senior citizens are leading a terrifying double life, complete with a horrific secret in their basement – one that may be connected to a series of missing persons. As Holly gets closer to uncovering the truth, the savvy and ruthless couple will do anything they can to stop her.
It’s crazy that King has mostly been known as “the horror guy” for half a century, a reductive title when you consider poignant dramatic works like Different Seasons, The Green Mile and Hearts in Atlantis, or the brilliant nonfiction On Writing. What’s more, in the last decade, he’s proved he could’ve had just as strong a career writing crime thrillers. Bill Hodges (the protagonist of the Mr. Mercedes trilogy), Ralph Anderson (the cop at the center of The Outsider) and the titular hitman of Billy Summers were compelling characters to be sure, but Holly Gibney has become the author’s version of Jack Reacher – an endearing sleuth with enough charisma for dozens of books.
Holly proves King is a phenomenal writer in any genre. Longtime fans are fully aware he has no qualms about crafting a fully fleshed-out tale, no matter how many pages it takes (The Stand and IT being his most notable epic tomes). In that respect, his latest is downright modest: 464 pages fly by, despite the occasional subplot that briefly distracts from the central conflict. I’ll readily admit my attention span is waning as I enter middle age, but I devoured this twisted cat-and-mouse thriller.
One of King’s greatest strengths is putting readers into the headspace of each character, whether they’re an unambiguous hero like Holly or a charismatic psychopath like Emily Harris. But he also has a gift for making almost all of his characters fully realized, whether they’re in the story for multiple chapters or a brief moment.
The scenes with Holly interviewing friends and family of possible victims are particularly tough, as is a devastating encounter Jerome has with a grieving, alcoholic mother. But those pale in comparison to the novel’s final 100 pages, which put Holly and the professors on a terrifying collision course. I stayed up way too late finishing the book because there was no way I could sleep without knowing how everything wrapped up.
Readers new to the Holly Gibney saga probably shouldn’t start here. King does an admirable job of summarizing her previous adventures, but I strongly recommend starting at the beginning so you can track the character’s inspiring evolution.
However, fans who are caught up should buy Holly as soon as possible. It’s the literary equivalent of a great cheeseburger – a nauseating comparison when you consider some of the story’s more gruesome developments.
Grade: A-
Home Video Spotlight
No Hard Feelings
(Rated R for sexual content, language, some graphic nudity and brief drug use. Now available on Blu-ray and DVD.)
Jennifer Lawrence’s raunchy-yet-heartfelt comedy hit physical media earlier this week, offering people who missed it in theaters a chance to catch up. Lawrence plays Maddie, a financially struggling woman who finds a potential answer to her problems in a strange job listing: wealthy helicopter parents (Matthew Broderick and Laura Benanti) want someone to “date” their introverted 19-year-old son, Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman), and bring him out of his shell before he leaves for college.
The Blu-ray and DVD includes several special features, including a digital copy of the film; two behind-the-scenes featurettes; as well as outtakes and bloopers.
The Complete Story of Film
(Not rated. Now available on Blu-ray.)
This impressive collection features two epic documentaries by Mark Cousins, allowing viewers to embark on an expansive global journey through film history, from its origins in the 19th century to modern day. The Story of Film: An Odyssey is a 15-hour(!) love letter to the movies, in which Cousins kicks off with the invention of motion pictures, covers the entire 20th century of filmmaking (including international perspectives) and ends with the digital industrialization of the current era.
In The Story of Film: A New Generation, Cousins picks up where the previous film left off. For almost four hours, he focuses on innovation in the new millennium, exploring how movies and moviegoing have evolved and will continue to transform to audiences’ collective joy and wonder. The set includes a 48-page collector’s booklet and viewer’s guide, featuring stories from the shoot and a full index of films and filmmakers.
(Available in bookstores on September 5.)
Legendary writer Stephen King’s latest novel marks the return of a beloved character: private investigator Holly Gibney. Initially a minor player in the author’s 2014 novel Mr. Mercedes, he discovered he couldn’t shake her, so the shy, reclusive woman returned in 2015’s Finders Keepers, 2016’s End of Watch, 2018’s The Outsider and 2020’s If It Bleeds (a novella in a collection with the same name).
Now, with Holly, Gibney – who has become more confident and outgoing with each story – gets her first solo book and her name is in the title. She’s mostly on her own this time because her partner Pete has a nasty case of Covid, while her friends Jerome and Barbara Robinson – neighborhood kids who have grown into adults throughout the series – have career ambitions of their own. That’s a troubling development considering Holly is taking on one of the most dangerous cases of her career.
When Penny Dahl calls the Finders Keepers detective agency to help track down her missing daughter, Holly is reluctant to take the case. But something in the distraught woman’s voice makes it impossible for Holly to say no.
A few blocks from where Bonnie Dahl disappeared, retired professors Rodney and Emily Harris live in a well-kept home and maintain their scholarly reputations. But the senior citizens are leading a terrifying double life, complete with a horrific secret in their basement – one that may be connected to a series of missing persons. As Holly gets closer to uncovering the truth, the savvy and ruthless couple will do anything they can to stop her.
It’s crazy that King has mostly been known as “the horror guy” for half a century, a reductive title when you consider poignant dramatic works like Different Seasons, The Green Mile and Hearts in Atlantis, or the brilliant nonfiction On Writing. What’s more, in the last decade, he’s proved he could’ve had just as strong a career writing crime thrillers. Bill Hodges (the protagonist of the Mr. Mercedes trilogy), Ralph Anderson (the cop at the center of The Outsider) and the titular hitman of Billy Summers were compelling characters to be sure, but Holly Gibney has become the author’s version of Jack Reacher – an endearing sleuth with enough charisma for dozens of books.
Holly proves King is a phenomenal writer in any genre. Longtime fans are fully aware he has no qualms about crafting a fully fleshed-out tale, no matter how many pages it takes (The Stand and IT being his most notable epic tomes). In that respect, his latest is downright modest: 464 pages fly by, despite the occasional subplot that briefly distracts from the central conflict. I’ll readily admit my attention span is waning as I enter middle age, but I devoured this twisted cat-and-mouse thriller.
One of King’s greatest strengths is putting readers into the headspace of each character, whether they’re an unambiguous hero like Holly or a charismatic psychopath like Emily Harris. But he also has a gift for making almost all of his characters fully realized, whether they’re in the story for multiple chapters or a brief moment.
The scenes with Holly interviewing friends and family of possible victims are particularly tough, as is a devastating encounter Jerome has with a grieving, alcoholic mother. But those pale in comparison to the novel’s final 100 pages, which put Holly and the professors on a terrifying collision course. I stayed up way too late finishing the book because there was no way I could sleep without knowing how everything wrapped up.
Readers new to the Holly Gibney saga probably shouldn’t start here. King does an admirable job of summarizing her previous adventures, but I strongly recommend starting at the beginning so you can track the character’s inspiring evolution.
However, fans who are caught up should buy Holly as soon as possible. It’s the literary equivalent of a great cheeseburger – a nauseating comparison when you consider some of the story’s more gruesome developments.
Grade: A-
Home Video Spotlight
(Rated R for sexual content, language, some graphic nudity and brief drug use. Now available on Blu-ray and DVD.)
Jennifer Lawrence’s raunchy-yet-heartfelt comedy hit physical media earlier this week, offering people who missed it in theaters a chance to catch up. Lawrence plays Maddie, a financially struggling woman who finds a potential answer to her problems in a strange job listing: wealthy helicopter parents (Matthew Broderick and Laura Benanti) want someone to “date” their introverted 19-year-old son, Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman), and bring him out of his shell before he leaves for college.
The Blu-ray and DVD includes several special features, including a digital copy of the film; two behind-the-scenes featurettes; as well as outtakes and bloopers.
(Not rated. Now available on Blu-ray.)
This impressive collection features two epic documentaries by Mark Cousins, allowing viewers to embark on an expansive global journey through film history, from its origins in the 19th century to modern day. The Story of Film: An Odyssey is a 15-hour(!) love letter to the movies, in which Cousins kicks off with the invention of motion pictures, covers the entire 20th century of filmmaking (including international perspectives) and ends with the digital industrialization of the current era.
In The Story of Film: A New Generation, Cousins picks up where the previous film left off. For almost four hours, he focuses on innovation in the new millennium, exploring how movies and moviegoing have evolved and will continue to transform to audiences’ collective joy and wonder. The set includes a 48-page collector’s booklet and viewer’s guide, featuring stories from the shoot and a full index of films and filmmakers.
Reach out to Josh Sewell on Twitter @IAmJoshSewell
Comments
Post a Comment