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annieisawesome's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
The plot line was so interesting and kept me going. I didn’t read any of the other books that were adjacent to this one. I’m sure I missed some things, but I didn’t mind much. That doesn’t bother me generally as long as I can still follow the plot. One thing I do have to note is that the over focusing on covid really took me out of the plot. I understand why he wrote covid in, but every time there’d be a part with covid I’d be knocked out of the book and I’d have to put it aside for awhile. Also using covid for the slight amount of plot device felt sloppy.
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Hate crime, Blood, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Alcoholism, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Police brutality, Dementia, Grief, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Lesbophobia
fkshg8465's review against another edition
- 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
4.25
Graphic: Ableism, Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Gore, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
occultmorning's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Homophobia, Racism, Lesbophobia, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Cancer, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Medical content, and Alcohol
mainereading's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Death, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Child death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Abortion, and Alcohol
joyce_porter's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Hate crime, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Medical content, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Murder, Lesbophobia, and Pandemic/Epidemic
kingsteph's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Child death, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Lesbophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Police brutality, Grief, and Death of parent
jclanders's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, Cannibalism, and Murder
Moderate: Homophobia and Racism
Minor: Pandemic/Epidemic
author_d_r_oestreicher's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Racism, Terminal illness, Blood, Cannibalism, Stalking, Murder, Gaslighting, and Pandemic/Epidemic
eadrianschmitz's review against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Biphobia, Body horror, Body shaming, Bullying, Cancer, Child abuse, Child death, Chronic illness, Confinement, Cursing, Deadnaming, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Fatphobia, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Homophobia, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Torture, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Cannibalism, Medical trauma, Stalking, Abortion, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Lesbophobia, Outing, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Dysphoria, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
klosterphobia's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
As someone who aligns with King's and Holly's liberal perspective, it's disappointing that the novel misses opportunities to delve into the parallels between the killer's obsession with health and the proliferation of dubious COVID cures, a potential avenue for poignant social commentary that remains unexplored.
A notable issue arises in the portrayal of race and violence against Black men throughout the narrative. The treatment of this sensitive topic by an older white male author feels somewhat off, with the racism exhibited by the main antagonists coming across as a caricature rather than a meaningful exploration that adds depth to the narrative.
Despite these shortcomings, King's ability to captivate readers remains powerful. Even when the "whodunnit" aspect is apparent early on, the looming sense of doom as the story progresses keeps the pages turning. However, the fairy tale-like ending feels formulaic and lacks the excitement or novelty.
Holly entertains but falls short of its potential to engage deeply with complex societal issues and deliver a truly satisfying and thought-provoking narrative.
Graphic: Alcoholism, Cancer, Child death, Gore, Homophobia, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Murder, and Pandemic/Epidemic