A review by booksandbujos
I Was a Teenage Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones

dark funny tense medium-paced

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

4.5

This was my first true horror book. I read a couple other books tagged as horror, but this one was the first that I definitely understood the horror tag. It was definitely in the slasher vein of horror (duh) but I found I did not mind the blood and guts and gore. I listened to this mostly through audiobook, which may have helped as I didn’t have to sit with the gore like I might have if I was physically reading but who’s to say. 

 

In terms of the plot and the characters. This book was a little slow to start and I spent a fair amount of the first bit of the book wondering when the slashing was going, but then once it started I was 100% along for the ride. I felt this book had a good mixture of plot and rumination on what was happening, what Tolly was going through, and all the things and impacts he was aware of. 

 

I really liked the characters of Tolly and his best friend Amber, and especially their relationship. It was really sweet and I loved that, even as the slashing was happening, they were still able to be themselves for the most part. Also, the ending made me tear up and I did not expect that from a slasher/ horror book. 

 

Moving forward, I will definitely be reading more from Stephen Graham Jones as I really enjoyed his writing style.