Anna Avian's Reviews > Holly

I am quite dissappointed. I couldn't wait to get my hands on Holly, but this was one of the weakest, blatantly political books I've read this year.

Part of every character's profile was whether he/she was vaxed and how many times. I don't care. It's like reading a novel with several female characters and comparing their gyno appointments or pap tests. It doesn't add up anything to the character, it doesn't make them good or bad which was undoubtedly the intention in this case.

Covid and vaccines were mentioned 107 times, masks 66 times, and there were 14 comments on whether or not a character was double-vaxxed. I understand that Holly herself is a bit of a hypochondriac but.. Seriously? I also get Mr. King's personal opinions on politics and Covid, I always expect a pinch of liberalism in his books. But I hardly need them to be shoved in my face from every paragraph. I would've watched an interview if I cared that much about his personal beliefs.

Where's the thriller, the mystery of what's lurking behind dark corners, the gritty suspense that keeps you on your toes, the supernatural that's unbelievable and unpredictable?

80% of this book felt like some boomer ranting on Twitter about all the dreadfully overtalked subjects of Trump-bad, his supporters-bad, covid sceptics-bad, white people-racist, and so on.

The other 20% of the book, which, sadly, were all in all the actual thriller, weren't bad at all. Twisted villains, disturbing revelations and Holly trying to piece everything together on her own. The last few chapters, where some real action was happening, were the best. If it wasn't for all the liberal ramblings this would have been a great book.