A review by taratearex
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

challenging dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This was so great, it had me staying up late wanting to just keep reading and also scared I was going to have nightmares and wishing I hadn't read it at night. It's legit very scary, so creepy and chilling, and the way he drags out a scene that you know is just going to explode is such torture (complimentary). There are many threads being woven through this story and many POV's, I doubled back a few times to make sure I was grasping things, he's dropping hints and references throughout, it's worth it to stop and try to get your bearings, slow down and sink into the story. I can see how people could get lost if you're sort of passively engaging with this or aren't into trying to weave together all the pieces. I honestly can't wait for a reread. I will say the gore is hard to stomach at times and if you're at all sensitive to pet death this may not be the one for you, the descriptions can be brutal! (I know, I know I'm reading horror, but I block gore with my hands when I'm watching TV lol)

CW: racism, violence/murder/death of humans and animals (dogs, elk), very descriptive gore, hunting, alcoholism, parent death, child death, hate crime 

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