Holly
Holly is the new crime novel written by Stephen King. The master of modern horror jointly celebrated the publication of his latest book and his seventy-sixth birthday, both events coinciding in September—one on the 05th and the other on the 21st, respectively. The work was released for the first time by the Scribner publishing house. Subsequently, it was published and marketed in several languages, including Spanish.
The seal responsible for bringing Holly to Spanish-speaking readers was Plaza & Janés, pleasing fans of thriller, horror and Stephen King himself. Reviews for this title are mostly positive. As a general rule, they allude to the brilliance of the author, the richness of narrative resources, the depth of the characters and the always characteristic finesse of the context.
Literary context of the main character
Holly's first appearance in Stephen King's narrative
The Maine genius has said in several interviews that Holly is a character that he initially created as a secondary element. He did not intend to leave her in the “scene” for a long time. However, King became fond of her, and ended up giving her more prominence as he wrote. The first time Holly appeared in any of the author's novels was in Mr. Mercedes (2014) —first book of the trilogy Bill hodges—, where he had a small role.
Later appearances
Later, he had a presence in Who loses pays (2015), the second book in the trilogy. After, the writer included it in End of watch (2016), and in other books, such as The visitor (2018) as well as in his anthology of stories Blood rules (2020). It is inevitable to think that, with each title, Holly gained more and more prominence, so it is not strange to find her now as the main character in her own story.
What to read before delving into Holly
Holly Gibney, having become a recurring character in Stephen King's literature, began to evolve, coming to have a well-defined personality, to the point of understanding that she, and not King, is the architect of her actions. Readers saw her present herself as a very shy—almost autistic—young woman, with maternal problems, and with a strong inability to form close ties.
As the author included her in more of his works, he also provided other information about her childhood, her relationship with her mother, and her attitude toward life and people. For that reason, to fully enjoy Holly, maybe it's a good idea to take a look at the previous novels where he has participation. These books, in order, are: the trilogy of Bill hodges, The visitor y Blood rules.
Synopsis of Holly, by Stephen King
The call of a desperate mother
Holly is a dark thriller where Stephen King makes a social criticism that includes the doublespeaks, the actions of the old President Donald Trump, the crimes of the elites and the most recent pandemic that invaded the world.
La story begins when Penny Dahl, Bonnie Dahl's mother, comes to Finders Keepers to ask for help in her daughter's separation case.
In the beginning, the Private detective Holly Gibney is reluctant to ask for help, since his own mother has just died, and his partner is sick with Covid. But there is something in Penny's desperate voice, in her pain, that, Finally, he gives access to the expert. Likewise, Bonnie's disappearance is not the only one that has occurred in those days, and no one has deigned to try to solve what is happening.
The hidden face of elegance
Throughout his years as a writer, Stephen King has become a very skilled storyteller. Thus, It is not surprising that in his new novel he has revealed the identity of the adversaries in the first chapter, and at the same time, this does not represent literary malpractice, but rather an intelligent way to generate even more suspense in the reader. On the other hand, the villains are closer than the protagonists imagine.
Near the place of Bonnie's disappearance, in a beautifully painted and decorated Victorian house, live Emily and Rodney Harris, a couple of university professors, emeritus, worthy of the respect and admiration of their colleagues, students and neighbors. However, no one, not even the most cynical of the inhabitants of that place, is able to surmise that both octogenarians are possessors of a terrible secret: In their basement there is a cage where they imprison and torture innocent people.
About the author, Stephen King
Stephen King, Carrie Writer - (EFE)
Stephen edwin king —better known as Stepehn King, or, by his pseudonym, Richard Bachman— was born on September 21, 1949, in Portland, Maine, United States. This author He is famous for the vastness of his work, and also for the rejection of literary critics and academics., who call it “too commercial.” However, King has managed to win the admiration of readers thanks to the originality of his prose and his themes.
The writer began writing when he was still a child. When he was studying in primary school, he wrote and sold stories to his friends, but he was always reprimanded by his teachers, who forced him to return the money. King studied English at the University of Maine, where he also earned a bachelor's degree in Art. Later, she earned a teaching certificate, which she used to teach at Hampden Academy.
King's fans They praise his ability to capture the terrors of daily life and turn them into stories that are also a reflection of American culture., of their failures and their crimes against society. Stephen King is, to date, one of the most prolific authors in genres such as horror, thriller and suspense, an admirer and heir of writers such as HP Lovecraft, Edgar Allan Poe and Shiley Jackson.
Other books by Stephen King
Novels
- Carrie (1974);
- Salem's Lot — The Mystery of Salem's Lot (1975);
- The Shining (1977);
- Rage (1977);
- The Stand — The Dance of Death (1978);
- The Long Walk (1979);
- The Dead Zone (1979);
- Firestarter — Fire Eyes (1980);
- Roadwork — Cursed road (1981);
- Cujo (1981);
- The Running Man — The Fugitive (1982);
- The Gunslinger — The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger (1982);
- Christine (1983);
- Pet Sematary Pet cemetery (1983);
- Cycle of the Werewolf (1983);
- The Talisman (1984);
- The Eyes of the Dragon (1984);
- Thinner — Hex (1984);
- It — That (1986);
- The Drawing of the Three — The Dark Tower II: The Coming of the Three (1987);
- Misery (1987);
- The Tommyknockers (1987);
- The Dark Half (1989);
- The Wastelands — The Dark Tower III: The Wastelands (1991);
- Needful Things — The Store (1991);
- Gerald's Game (1992);
- Dolores Claiborne (1993);
- Insomnia (1994);
- Rose Madder — The Portrait of Rose Madder (1995);
- The Green Mile (1996);
- Desperation — Despair (1996);
- The Regulators — Possession (1996);
- Wizard and Glass — The Dark Tower IV: Wizard and Glass (1997);
- Bag of bones (1998);
- The girl who loved Tom Gordon (1999);
- Dreamcatcher — The dream catcher (2001);
- Black House (2001);
- From a Buick 8 — Buick 8: a wicked car (2002);
- Wolves of the Calla — The Dark Tower V: Wolves of the Calla (2003);
- Song of Susannah — The Dark Tower VI: Song of Susannah (2004);
- The Dark Tower — The Dark Tower VII (2004);
- Colorado kid (2005);
- Cell (2006);
- Lisey Story (2006);
- Blaze (2007);
- Duma Key (2008);
- Under The Dome (2009);
- 22/11/63 (2011);
- The Wind Through the Keyhole (2012);
- joyland (2013);
- Doctor Sleep — Doctor Sleep (2013);
- Revival (2014);
- Gwendy's Button Box — Gwendy's button box (2017);
- Sleeping Beauties (2017);
- Elevation (2018);
- The Institute (2019);
- Later (2021);
- Billy summers (2021);
- Gwendy's Final Task — Gwendy's last mission (2022);
- Fairy Tale (2022)