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A review by bibliomania_express
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
4.0
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones is an Indigenous horror that explores indigeneity, family, friendship, revenge, and guilt as a four men cannot escape a vengeful elk spirit.
There's so much to say about this book, about the way it challenges stereotypes and explores the line between past and present, justice and revenge, and tackles everyday racism and generational trauma. Jones does an excellent job using perspective and blending realism with horror to pull the reader in. There's some really gruesome scenes that I needed to skim over - this book is unflinching about blood and death. Yes, multiple dogs (and people) die in this book.
I did find a few parts slow and the pacing a bit choppy. There's a lot of details, particularly about basketball near the end. There are also parts that are a bit hard to follow because the blend of reality and magic/horror elements. This is definitely a book to sit down and focus on.
I had a really great conversation with my book club, and I'm so glad we read this for the spooky season.
There's so much to say about this book, about the way it challenges stereotypes and explores the line between past and present, justice and revenge, and tackles everyday racism and generational trauma. Jones does an excellent job using perspective and blending realism with horror to pull the reader in. There's some really gruesome scenes that I needed to skim over - this book is unflinching about blood and death. Yes, multiple dogs (and people) die in this book.
I did find a few parts slow and the pacing a bit choppy. There's a lot of details, particularly about basketball near the end. There are also parts that are a bit hard to follow because the blend of reality and magic/horror elements. This is definitely a book to sit down and focus on.
I had a really great conversation with my book club, and I'm so glad we read this for the spooky season.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcoholism, Mental illness, Grief, Fire/Fire injury, and Colonisation
Minor: Drug abuse