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A review by crabbynico
My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones
dark
mysterious
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I loved the overall premise of the book and there were definitely the bones of an intriguing story in there. Unfortunately, it’s bogged down by very uneven pacing with jarring shifts between scenes and an excessive amount of interior monologuing. It feels strange, too, given the third person limited POV, to be so inside the protagonist’s head all the time. And not just between the action. Sometimes right smack in the middle of it, we are treated to far more thoughts than could possibly fit into the moment, rendering the momentum dead (ha, slasher joke) and leaving me thumbing backward through the book to recall what is even happening.
Now I’m dipping into spoiler territory.The root and cause of Jade’s hyper-fixation is compelling, really compels you to hate her father as much as she does. And while the very end does employ some allegory with the mother bear that feels totally tacked on, we don’t get much in the way of exploring her non-relationship with her mother. Her mother who apparently was concerned about “being a grandmother”, who abandoned her with her abuser and whose sole good deeds are… looking the other way when she steals? Lying about what happened to her daughter (as if that doesn’t also serve her)? We don’t even see her get taken out by the killer in the climax. She just sort of fades into the background.
And speaking of the killer. Maybe there were clues sprinkled throughout the book. Maybe with better pacing, they would have stood out more. Maybe it wasn’t an entire ass-pull. But it sure felt like one. The kind that leaves unanswered questions. Why did Theo Mondragon kill the construction “grunts”? Why was he still gunning for Shooting Glasses even after he saved the kids? Was that one scum bag involved with the sheriff’s daughter’s drowning part of the same killings, or was that good old revenge? What of Grayson Brust, who we never saw but was described in a way that would suggest he was possessed by the spirit that was apparently off fully corporeal and doing its own thing?
The Scream films were referenced many times throughout this book and were a clear inspiration. The problem with that is that the later films don’t hold up to a shred of scrutiny in the same way this story doesn’t. There may be answers to these questions, but we don’t get them. Maybe you have to read the sequel for that? But as a reader who loves a tight mystery, where all the puzzle pieces eventually fall into place, I was left less than satisfied.
All that harsh criticism out of the way, I’m giving it 3.5 stars. It may have been a slog at times, it could have benefited from heavy editing (and trimming) and it may not have stuck the landing—but I also couldn’t wait to get off work to finish it, so it clearly built enough suspense to keep me hooked. I’ll even read the sequel (already have it checked out from the library anyway). You can have a good time with this book, especially if you enjoy slashers. Just maybe take some of the hype with a pinch of salt.
Now I’m dipping into spoiler territory.
And speaking of the killer. Maybe there were clues sprinkled throughout the book. Maybe with better pacing, they would have stood out more. Maybe it wasn’t an entire ass-pull. But it sure felt like one. The kind that leaves unanswered questions. Why did Theo Mondragon kill the construction “grunts”? Why was he still gunning for Shooting Glasses even after he saved the kids? Was that one scum bag involved with the sheriff’s daughter’s drowning part of the same killings, or was that good old revenge? What of Grayson Brust, who we never saw but was described in a way that would suggest he was possessed by the spirit that was apparently off fully corporeal and doing its own thing?
The Scream films were referenced many times throughout this book and were a clear inspiration. The problem with that is that the later films don’t hold up to a shred of scrutiny in the same way this story doesn’t. There may be answers to these questions, but we don’t get them. Maybe you have to read the sequel for that? But as a reader who loves a tight mystery, where all the puzzle pieces eventually fall into place, I was left less than satisfied.
All that harsh criticism out of the way, I’m giving it 3.5 stars. It may have been a slog at times, it could have benefited from heavy editing (and trimming) and it may not have stuck the landing—but I also couldn’t wait to get off work to finish it, so it clearly built enough suspense to keep me hooked. I’ll even read the sequel (already have it checked out from the library anyway). You can have a good time with this book, especially if you enjoy slashers. Just maybe take some of the hype with a pinch of salt.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual violence