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koki_siringo's review
dark
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Vomit, Trafficking, Stalking, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Drug abuse, Sexism, and Xenophobia
bookber's review
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- 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
ryantlabee's review
3.0
A Genre Tribute with Some Missed Opportunities - "Dead Girl Blues" by David Sodergren
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
"Dead Girl Blues" by David Sodergren is an ambitious homage to the classic Giallo genre, which draws inspiration from the Italian film tradition characterized by stylish murder mysteries and artfully shot murder sequences. While the novel successfully brings new elements to the table, it fails to address certain themes and develop supporting characters fully.
Set against the backdrop of snuff tapes and gruesome murders, the story follows Willow Zulawski as she unravels the mysteries at the heart of this dark tale. Willow's descent into madness and her internal struggle with her morality are central themes that the author masterfully explores. However, there are moments where the execution of this idea feels forced, hindering the complete immersion into her character's emotional journey.
Sodergren aims to address sexism and the objectification of women, particularly focusing on Willow, who is a sex worker. While the novel presents Willow as a strong, self-sufficient character who fights against being treated as a mere statistic, the exploration of this theme feels somewhat underdeveloped. Apart from Willow's roommate Cat, the female side characters lack depth, and their roles often seem confined to being part of the body count. The story would have benefited from a more comprehensive exploration of these characters, allowing readers to empathize with them and feel their loss more profoundly.
The theme of poverty and wealth inequality, tied to the motivations behind the snuff films, adds a layer of depth to the plot. The notion of desperate individuals resorting to unthinkable acts for survival is intriguing, and the twist involving the upper-class parents of one of the victims is a clever commentary on societal power dynamics. However, the portrayal of Mr. and Mrs. Chalmers takes a slightly cartoonish turn during the climax, undermining the tension built throughout the novel.
Despite its flaws, "Dead Girl Blues" is a commendable addition to the Giallo genre. Sodergren adeptly captures the essence of the classic style while injecting modern elements to keep readers engaged. The novel successfully pays homage to the greats of the genre, offering readers a taste of nostalgia intertwined with fresh storytelling.
In conclusion, "Dead Girl Blues" is a mixed bag of tantalizing concepts and missed opportunities. While it admirably revives the spirit of Giallo and introduces new elements to captivate a modern audience, certain themes could have been explored with greater depth and nuance. Despite its shortcomings, the novel stands as a solid installment in the Giallo genre, offering readers an enjoyable and, at times, thought-provoking experience.
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
"Dead Girl Blues" by David Sodergren is an ambitious homage to the classic Giallo genre, which draws inspiration from the Italian film tradition characterized by stylish murder mysteries and artfully shot murder sequences. While the novel successfully brings new elements to the table, it fails to address certain themes and develop supporting characters fully.
Set against the backdrop of snuff tapes and gruesome murders, the story follows Willow Zulawski as she unravels the mysteries at the heart of this dark tale. Willow's descent into madness and her internal struggle with her morality are central themes that the author masterfully explores. However, there are moments where the execution of this idea feels forced, hindering the complete immersion into her character's emotional journey.
Sodergren aims to address sexism and the objectification of women, particularly focusing on Willow, who is a sex worker. While the novel presents Willow as a strong, self-sufficient character who fights against being treated as a mere statistic, the exploration of this theme feels somewhat underdeveloped. Apart from Willow's roommate Cat, the female side characters lack depth, and their roles often seem confined to being part of the body count. The story would have benefited from a more comprehensive exploration of these characters, allowing readers to empathize with them and feel their loss more profoundly.
The theme of poverty and wealth inequality, tied to the motivations behind the snuff films, adds a layer of depth to the plot. The notion of desperate individuals resorting to unthinkable acts for survival is intriguing, and the twist involving the upper-class parents of one of the victims is a clever commentary on societal power dynamics. However, the portrayal of Mr. and Mrs. Chalmers takes a slightly cartoonish turn during the climax, undermining the tension built throughout the novel.
Despite its flaws, "Dead Girl Blues" is a commendable addition to the Giallo genre. Sodergren adeptly captures the essence of the classic style while injecting modern elements to keep readers engaged. The novel successfully pays homage to the greats of the genre, offering readers a taste of nostalgia intertwined with fresh storytelling.
In conclusion, "Dead Girl Blues" is a mixed bag of tantalizing concepts and missed opportunities. While it admirably revives the spirit of Giallo and introduces new elements to captivate a modern audience, certain themes could have been explored with greater depth and nuance. Despite its shortcomings, the novel stands as a solid installment in the Giallo genre, offering readers an enjoyable and, at times, thought-provoking experience.
deedee43's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
freezing_moon's review
5.0
There Will Be Blood
From disembowelment to strippers to murderous shadows, Dead Girl Blues is covered in blood, imbued with mystery and touched with sleaze. This is the third novel from David Sodergren and the first one that I have read. Without a doubt I will be searching for his first two books and will immediately buy anything new that he releases in the future. David Sodergren has just found himself a massive new fan.
Sodergren calls Dead Girl Blues, “slasher noir”. It is a fitting description for the uninformed, but those of us who love the films of Dario Argento, Mario Bava, Umberto Lenzi, and others know the true name book like this: giallo. Giallo started as a type of mystery novel known for its distinctive yellow cover. In time giallo also became associated with a genre of Italian film that upped the twin pillars of the modern slasher movie: blood and sex. Dead Girl Blues truly reads like a giallo movie that I would obsessively watch again and again.
The novel follows Willow, a stripper, who happens across a murder and her subsequent hunt for the culprits. This leads her down many dark paths and interactions with some fairly unsavory people. As she continues to unravel the murder mystery and the body count increases, her mental state slips into paranoia, all in classic giallo fashion. It all culminates in an ending that is brutal, but very satisfying.
I felt like Sodergren did a very good job in building the character of Willow. There were several occasions that I cheered her on as she found a new clue, and on the other hand I felt dread when she got herself in a precarious situation. Other characters in the book, like strip club owner Cannonball Joe, are given the right amount of mystery to keep us guessing as to where their intentions lie. Never did I feel like I needed to know more about a character or their motivation and I attribute that to excellent writing.
Sodergren paints a vivid tale that is covered in A LOT of blood. This is not a book for those that cannot stomach some intense gore. Fellow fans of extreme horror movies such as Cannibal Holocaust and Men Behind the Sun (both mentioned in the book) will find moments that rival the extreme moments in those movies. I highly recommend this book; from the jump it grabbed hold and dragged me down into the sleaze, the blood, the horror, and I loved every single moment.
From disembowelment to strippers to murderous shadows, Dead Girl Blues is covered in blood, imbued with mystery and touched with sleaze. This is the third novel from David Sodergren and the first one that I have read. Without a doubt I will be searching for his first two books and will immediately buy anything new that he releases in the future. David Sodergren has just found himself a massive new fan.
Sodergren calls Dead Girl Blues, “slasher noir”. It is a fitting description for the uninformed, but those of us who love the films of Dario Argento, Mario Bava, Umberto Lenzi, and others know the true name book like this: giallo. Giallo started as a type of mystery novel known for its distinctive yellow cover. In time giallo also became associated with a genre of Italian film that upped the twin pillars of the modern slasher movie: blood and sex. Dead Girl Blues truly reads like a giallo movie that I would obsessively watch again and again.
The novel follows Willow, a stripper, who happens across a murder and her subsequent hunt for the culprits. This leads her down many dark paths and interactions with some fairly unsavory people. As she continues to unravel the murder mystery and the body count increases, her mental state slips into paranoia, all in classic giallo fashion. It all culminates in an ending that is brutal, but very satisfying.
I felt like Sodergren did a very good job in building the character of Willow. There were several occasions that I cheered her on as she found a new clue, and on the other hand I felt dread when she got herself in a precarious situation. Other characters in the book, like strip club owner Cannonball Joe, are given the right amount of mystery to keep us guessing as to where their intentions lie. Never did I feel like I needed to know more about a character or their motivation and I attribute that to excellent writing.
Sodergren paints a vivid tale that is covered in A LOT of blood. This is not a book for those that cannot stomach some intense gore. Fellow fans of extreme horror movies such as Cannibal Holocaust and Men Behind the Sun (both mentioned in the book) will find moments that rival the extreme moments in those movies. I highly recommend this book; from the jump it grabbed hold and dragged me down into the sleaze, the blood, the horror, and I loved every single moment.
01melon's review
5.0
Both brutal and amazing. The ideal book for horror enthusiasts. It was too good to ignore. Read this if you're into or can take gore, blood, guts, and slasher movie vibes! The conclusion was really eerie.