Scan barcode
kiingchika's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Graphic: Body horror, Death, and Blood
Minor: Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Cannibalism, and Fire/Fire injury
haileyhardcover's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Drug abuse, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Ableism, Bullying, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
bickleyhouse's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
In slasher movies, the 'final girl" is the one who survives and manages to kill off the villain. This book presents a group of girls who are real life "final girls," surviving real encounters with serial/mass murderers and offing the perpetrators.
There are six of them who meet together regularly in a group led by Dr. Carol Elliott. There is actually a seventh living "final girl," but she doesn't meet with them, and no one mentions her. As the book begins, however, a new final girl makes the scene, as Lynette sees a news report of six people being murdered at Camp Red Lake.
And while five of them are in their next meeting, wondering why Adrienne is late, they find out that Adrienne has just been killed. Not too long after that, someone tries to kill Lynette (and Juila by default, who just happens to be there) at her own apartment. And thus begins the wild ride that is this novel.
There are many twists and turns along the way as Lynette and company try to figure out what is going on and who is trying to knock off the final girls. it is literally impossible to tell who can be trusted, as this tale unfolds. None of the girls trust any of the other girls. It's the most unlikely "support group" ever, because, at the first meeting we witness (actually the only meeting we witness, now that I think about it), all they do is bicker and fight.
And one of them, it seems, is writing a book about the rest of them.
This one doesn't have the same vibe as other Grady Hendrix books I have read, and this is the fifth one I have read. In the others, there seems to be a lot of humor at the beginning of the story, and then, at some point, it is suddenly not funny anymore. This was definitely true of The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, and to a degree, even his most recent work, How to Sell A Haunted House. But there isn't much funny about this one. It pretty much hits the ground running with the intensity of the story and never lets up.
There's lots of running and fleeing in this one, as well as massive amounts of apparent betrayal and distrust. And murder. Lots of it. Lots of shooting and stabbing and other things. It's kind of like all the slasher movies rolled into one punch.
One thing I really liked was that, in between chapters, there are excerpts from articles, journals, books, and even a reddit thread, in one case. We do find out who was writing the book, too. And that was a shocker, at least for me. Didn't see that coming. In fact, I didn't see the end coming, as far as who it was who was trying to kill the girls.
I recommend this book for fans of slasher films and horror books. Oh, and I also just found out yesterday, that Hendrix has written a new one, slated for release early next year. It's called Witchcraft for Wayward Girls.
Graphic: Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, and Murder
slimejules's review against another edition
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Cancer, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Violence, Police brutality, and Murder
emi_miller's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, and Stalking
bottlecaps's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Violence, Grief, Stalking, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Stalking, Death of parent, and Gaslighting
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Excrement, and Abandonment
matcha_cat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Child death, Misogyny, Blood, Medical content, Mass/school shootings, Stalking, and Death of parent
Minor: Addiction and Fire/Fire injury
grunbean'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
I really liked the fast pacing and twists, as I feel this is the staple of the final girl trope, and slashers.
The final girls don’t share an equal amount of time, but I think you get a good feel for who they are and what makes them different. I was rooting for them all!
Graphic: Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Mass/school shootings, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child death, Medical content, Medical trauma, and Death of parent
randeerebecca'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
3.0
Graphic: Addiction, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Mass/school shootings, and Death of parent
Minor: Addiction and Excrement
ashcrash's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail