rustmaiden's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Murder, Death of parent, Cursing, Violence, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gore, Addiction, Body horror, Cancer, Stalking, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Gaslighting, Torture, Alcohol, Fire/Fire injury, Excrement, Terminal illness, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Drug use, Suicidal thoughts, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Mass/school shootings, and Emotional abuse
alexisgarcia'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? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Alcohol, Cursing, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Sexism, Toxic friendship, Kidnapping, Sexual violence, Stalking, Terminal illness, Murder, Sexual harassment, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Death of parent, Death, Grief, Misogyny, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Body horror, Cancer, Child death, Gore, Addiction, and Excrement
skveerkamp's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Death, Murder, Torture, Suicidal thoughts, and Body horror
Minor: Excrement, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Mental illness, Cancer, Child death, Drug abuse, Gun violence, and Vomit
annagoodman'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
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Physical abuse, Murder, Gore, Death, and Gun violence
Moderate: Body horror, Child death, Death of parent, Grief, and Stalking
Minor: Addiction, Alcohol, Cancer, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Excrement, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, Drug use, and Vomit
phaas's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Chronic illness, Torture, Cancer, Child death, Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence, Addiction, and Alcoholism
Minor: Excrement, Mass/school shootings, and Vomit
hapalyn'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: Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Death, Torture, Blood, Cursing, Death of parent, Genocide, Gore, Grief, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Violence, Child death, Confinement, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, and Stalking
Minor: Body horror, Bullying, Cancer, Car accident, Drug abuse, Drug use, Excrement, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Misogyny, Police brutality, and Racism
jordangddrd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Body horror, Death of parent, Blood, Cancer, Death, Murder, Terminal illness, and Violence
Moderate: Excrement and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Drug use, Alcoholism, Addiction, and Drug abuse
leahrosiee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Kidnapping, Torture, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Toxic friendship, Death, Gun violence, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Gore, Blood, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Grief, and Mental illness
Moderate: Sexism, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Stalking, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, and Vomit
Minor: Child death, Death of parent, Cancer, and Excrement
wallywoahjack's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.25
Spoiler
I also think this book could have worked simply as just a story of these women going to their final girl support group. Another issue I had was that I just personally hate the way most people write about school shooter/shooter inspired events. It just never feels like its done right. I did find the murder memorial/fans part quite intriguing,and I think he played that out as a very intresting concept. Another major issue I had is that it’s stated that Stephanie was groomed, when it sounds like both Lynette and (Krissy? Kristen?) were as well. Lynette by that awful cop. The group shames K for sleeping with her killer but I swear it also stated he was he godfather? The cop is just brushed off as a scheming dope who’s still trying to profit off of Lynette and nothing is ever really said about what he did to her. It just left me with a bad taste in my mouth.Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cancer, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Excrement, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical content, Drug use, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, and Vomit
seawarrior'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
4.0
Hendrix has a lot to say about horror franchises and their repetitive, exploitative and misogynistic nature, most of which is done through the characterization and dialogue of Lynnette and the other woman of the Final Girl Support Group. In between chapters various fictional archival interviews and journal articles are plastered to the pages, adding to the realism of the story and to the mythology surrounding this group of survivors and their monsters. For the most part I felt this was done very well. I only felt dissatisfied with Heather's characterization; she serves as a stereotypical "junkie" figure and is widely disrespected by both the characters within the book and the narrative that gave them life. What she survived and how is also defined the least, which only becomes more disappointing as the book continues. The other women's stories are revealed in segments, by their own admissions, Lynnette's memories, or their respective archives. Since each of them were inspired by an existing horror franchise most readers can assume the bulk of the violence they witnessed and endured, negating the need to force the women to rehash the most traumatic moments of their lives. Lynnette is the only character who has in depth flashbacks of her encounters with her monster after a tortuous accusation of who was truly responsible for her family's slaughter.
The book primarily focuses on Lynnette's efforts to survive in the present, while attempting to solve the mystery of who wants the Final Girls finally gone. Pieces of this puzzle were fairly obvious to me, while others came as a surprise. Ultimately though, the villains, their motivations, and their weapon of choice, all serve to make a statement about mass violence and horror franchises as a whole. This is a love letter to horror, but a scathing one, fully aware of its flaws and refusing to hold back.
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Terminal illness, Stalking, Police brutality, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Misogyny, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Gore, Grief, Blood, Confinement, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Car accident, Child death, Drug abuse, Excrement, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship