Scan barcode
sarah_mcmullan_nz's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
As someone who makes their living out of watching and writing about horror films, this book was incredibly frustrating to read.
In all honesty, I think I enjoyed trying to figure out who the characters were supposed to be way more than reading this poorly written, sloppily plotted incredibly obvious story.
Having said that - don't waste your time.
There are far better horror books, books about final girls and final girl films out there. Find them.
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Child death, Death, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Blood, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
emmaj_xo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The protagonist is a mess who consistently makes the wrong choices but I love a flawed final girl.
Enjoyed the character work throughout and didn’t predict the ending. But, the third act let me down somewhat and wasn’t as thrilling as I’d hoped.
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Terminal illness and Vomit
Minor: Child abuse and Pedophilia
thirteenlaurels's review against another edition
- 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
3.25
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Cancer, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
justaddwater's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Stalking, Car accident, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
autumnspickes's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
I struggled with the main character’s dialogue, both inner and outer, and just their overall persona. I get it and how that plays into the overall story but still…
Graphic: Gun violence and Murder
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Stalking
missgrangerr's review against another edition
3.0
Graphic: Death, Gore, Gun violence, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
saman78's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Mass/school shootings, and Murder
lovelymisanthrope's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
"The Final Girl Support Group" follows Lynnette, a woman who survived a massacre and gained the title of a "final girl". For over a decade she has been meeting with other final girls in a support group, in an effort to try to help one another survive life after tragedy. When one of the women misses a meeting, Lynnette quickly realizes that their worst fears are coming true, and someone is determined to bring down each of them.
Of all of the Grady Hendrix books that I have read, this one was my least favorite. One of the elements that I have really enjoyed about his books in the past is that although his books are dark and tackle challenging elements, there is always this outlandish, comedic element. Unfortunately, this particular book did not feel like Grady Hendrix's normal brand of horror, to me. This story was dark and forced the characters to face some of their deepest fear, but there did not feel like there was the same level of comedy.
Lynnette was such an unlikeable main character. She has centered her entire life around being a final girl, which I empathize that her trauma probably did that to her, but I felt like she had nothing else to her personality. She has purely been in survival mode, and she has not found any joy in life for decades. Additionally, for someone so closed off from people because she is always expecting the worst, she seemed to trust characters a little too quickly. This did not feel authentic to her character, and it felt more like a way to make the plot move along.
Although I did not initially see the big reveal about who was behind this, I also did not feel hooked or shocked by it either. By the time it was revealed who was behind this, I was so done with this story that I almost did not care.
I think this idea had a lot of potential, and I am sad that it unfortunately just did not work for me. However, I will still continue to read Grady Hendrix in the future, and I will still continue to recommend his books to the right reader.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
rosesofthespring's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Ableism, Body horror, Cancer, Child death, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Police brutality, Medical content, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Racism, Sexual content, Torture, Excrement, Kidnapping, Cannibalism, and Alcohol
Minor: Child abuse, Homophobia, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Mass/school shootings, Religious bigotry, and Fire/Fire injury
There is a description of a previous ex-relationship with a huge power imbalance and considerable age gap. The younger party is 18.itsyuri's review against another edition
- 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? No
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail