Reviews tagging 'Incest'

My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

195 reviews

rayjayyy's review against another edition

mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

2.5

It was a good book. I wouldn't call it horror, though. It didn't really keep me on the edge of my seat while reading nor did it prey on my fears and instincts like is expected. It is a trilogy, but I feel that you could read it as a stand alone if you want and you would only be left a little wanting. 

Most of the "horror" aspect was just gruesome gore that I didn't find all that repulsive. I have read much worse gore before and the only thing that really played to my emotions was towards the end of the book when it was revealed that Jade's dad had in fact raped her as a child. Jade's reaction to that and the fact that he might not even remember hit home for me. It was the only part of the book that made me emotional or react otherwise I was reading the book like it was just a normal book.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal death, Bullying, Child abuse, Cursing, Mental illness, Racial slurs, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Blood, Suicide attempt, Sexual harassment, and Injury/Injury detail

Minor: Incest and Rape

frogbooknook's review against another edition

dark informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, and Toxic relationship

throwback682's review against another edition

dark mysterious sad

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

An excellent meta-slasher; a heartbreaking homage to the genre that keeps you guessing right along with the main character even though you both have the benefit of her encyclopedic knowledge of these films to guide you. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Alcoholism, Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Blood, and Death of parent

Moderate: Child abuse, Child death, Gun violence, Incest, Self harm, Sexual violence, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Mental illness, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Car accident, Pregnancy, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation

amcaslow's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence and Murder

Moderate: Incest and Pedophilia

orizenda's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I love horror, but I generally don’t care much about slashers in particular. That being said, I feel like I learned a lot from this book about the genre (sub genre? whatever). I was kind of disinterested in a fair amount of the story though. I was really a lot more invested in Jade and her story and her development (and her relationship with letha) than the slasher part of the story. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Incest, Mental illness, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Rape and Abortion

eepyalgae's review against another edition

challenging dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Self harm, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Incest, and Rape

Minor: Racism, Cultural appropriation, and Colonisation

jaithur's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Death, Blood, and Murder

Moderate: Child abuse, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, and Fire/Fire injury

Minor: Alcoholism, Vomit, and Suicide attempt

nightmarebees's review against another edition

4.0

a singular reading experience for me, in that i both couldn’t put it down but also felt like i was only about 60-70% what was going on at any given point. that being said, SGJ is an incredibly talented writer and there are so many lines here that are burned into my brain. 

jade as a main character fascinates me. her unreliability as a narrator extends to her own memories and trauma, leading us to question not only what she thinks she’s seen but also WHY she thinks she’s seeing it. at the same time she’s endearing and in my humble sapphic opinion, definitely crushing on letha. 

this is the definition of a slow burn: we spend the first 75% unsure if a slasher is actually taking place, and then the third act is an absolute whirlwind of action and gore. there are some things left unexplained that i would’ve liked to see more of (what happened to letha’s mom, theo’s motivation, did hardy actually Do That), but overall i felt satisfied with this as a first installment to a trilogy. i probably would be harder on the ending if i didn’t know there were two more books to look forward to. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore and Violence

Moderate: Child abuse

Minor: Incest, Rape, and Sexual assault

weirdow's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I didn't love all of the writing in this, but I think it mostly served purpose and added to the tone. Very, very fun wrap up.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Child abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Suicide attempt, and Murder

fujiopples's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious tense medium-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

3.5

i love jade (despite her many flaws)! this book makes me realize that i need to watch more slashers...

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Violence, Blood, and Death of parent

Moderate: Animal death, Child abuse, Self harm, and Suicide attempt

Minor: Incest, Rape, and Vomit