I suspected I would have liked The Outsider more if she were. That disconcerting feeling passes as Holly grows to become the heart of the story, but I couldn’t help but wonder how the book would have felt had Holly been an entirely new character without 1,500 pages of previous history. Holly comes bearing exposition that shifts the murder investigation from the mundane to the supernatural, making her feel more like a solution to a plot problem rather than a genuine character. King’s seeming compulsion to connect everything he’s ever written threatened, momentarily, to frustrate me right out of the book. Mercedes, Finders Keepers and End of Watch – as a major but supporting character. I could feel a shift in the writing when she first appears, to the point that I felt like she was an intruder from another novel. Despite a jarring moment about halfway through, I enjoyed it more than most King novels I’ve read. The Outsider was the first Stephen King novel I read in ages. If you like what you see, buy it now for $2, or subscribe to never miss an issue (note: Exploits is always free for subscribers of Unwinnable Monthly). This is a reprint of a feature story from Issue #23 of Exploits, our collaborative cultural diary in magazine form.
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