Holier Than Thou

by Laura Buzo

'What do you want, Hol?' Abby looks into my eyes. 'I . I want to know that I'm using my powers for good and -' 'You want to make a dead man proud.' 'Whoa!' 'You want to put bandages over severed arteries that really need to be sewn shut. You want the moral high ground.'Holly Yarkov has a boyfriend who is a gift from the universe. She has a job that fulfils her even as it wears her down. She has a dangerously appealing co-worker, who literally plays with fire. And she has a layer of steel around her heart that is beginning to tarnish. Just as she is reaching for a future she can't quite see, Holly finds her present invaded by the past, by memories of her father's death and of her once best friend, the boy-who-never-was.Grief and longing run like veins of quicksilver through this beautiful novel, which is at once gloriously funny and achingly sad.

• ISBN13: 9781741759983
• Publish Date: 1 May 2012
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: AU
• Publisher: Allen & Unwin
• Imprint: A&U Children
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 300
• Language: English
• URL: https://allenandunwin.com/browse/books/9781741759983

Reviews

[Angie]

After really enjoying this author’s debut novel, I was excited to pick up her new adult title. While I liked Holier Than Thou, it turned out to be quite different than what I was expecting. I think part of this was because the description is a bit misleading. It makes it sound like some event happens that causes Holly to remember her father and the boy who got away, but that isn’t the case at all. The story actually alternates between Holly’s current life and several years prior, which is a format that I enjoy. Eventually her past does catch up with her as she reaches a crossroad and has to decide which way she wants to go.

Holier Than Thou is very real. I’m not saying that it’s a heavy read, although there are plenty of deep issues discussed, but it’s real in a way where nothing is exaggerated or dramatized. There’s no huge conflict that causes the story to change direction. It’s a very straightforward look into the life of Holly, a young woman entering the adult world and dealing with past traumas. The main focus is on her relationships with various people, not just romantically. In fact, romance is a very small part of the story. I liked seeing how moving in together changes the dynamic in a romantic relationship. Graduating from college and entering the work forces causes some strain on school friendships, and it becomes more difficult to maintain them. Grief has put a wedge between Holly and her mother after her father’s passing. One drunken kiss drives away the best friend she ever had, and spending everyday with a coworker who just gets her, causes Holly to look at her a life a little differently. Holly’s relationships were easily my favorite part of the book.

There’s also a lot of focus on Holly’s job as a social worker. I was quite confused about what exactly she does in the very beginning though. I know very little about mental health services here, and even less about them in Australia. It took me quite a while to understand her job and the type of services she was expected to provide to her clients. I did end up learning quite a lot though, and I like that. I just wish things had been more clear in the beginning, since Holly’s first career does play a large role in the story and her journey of finding out who she is.

Holier Than Thou is definitely a different kind of novel. It’s slow going and there’s no identifiable overarching plot. It just shows one girl navigating life after college and learning who she is to herself and in relation to others. Holly is one of those people who believes they have their whole life under control and try to remain that way, so it was interesting to see her faced with challenges, no matter how subtle. Past heartaches also crop up and effect her decision making in her present. However, the ending seemed quite abrupt to me. It’s a little open ended, but I would have liked a bit more closure.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.