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phantasmaboo's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Final Girls: A Novel by Riley Sager tells the story of Quincy, who is the lone survivor of an attack that left many of her friends dead in college. She is labelled a Final Girl, making her part of a group of young women who survived attempts to murder them. Quincy seems to have some stability in her life when one of the other Final Girls, Lisa, is found dead from an apparent suicide. Couple with the arrival of the third Final Girl, Samantha, on her doorstep one day, Quincy is quickly thrown down the rabbit hole as Sam tries to get her to remember her past and discover who she truly is.
This is really the first thriller book that I have read in a long while and I found the experience to be quite enjoyable. I didn't really consider a "page-turner", as I put it down and forgot about it for several months, but now that I've finished it, I'm glad I did. Sager has several high points to this book that represent the genre well. They include:
Complicated Characters
In my reading, I didn't really find many of the characters too likeable, but I thought that was a strength. I am glad that Sager stayed away from creating the "perfect victim" in Quincy and, instead, represented her flaws for what they were: reactions to the trauma that she endured. I also liked that because Quincy has distinct and arguably serious character flaws, as it adds to the suspense of the story. At times, it was unclear whether Quincy could be relied on to tell the story and accurately reflect on her experiences. I found myself questioning Quincy a lot and I thought that was the main strength of this story.
Compelling Plot and Pace (for the most part)
I thought that the plot and pace when it revolved around Quincy figuring out what happened to her and investigating Sam. Unfortunately, that happens mostly in the last 1/3 of the book. Still, I think that it was enough to make it a highlight. The book is fairly easy read and has a moderate pace, which I think it fitting.
Nice Twist at the End
There are some reviews that have said that they "knew what happened" from the very beginning, but I was really surprised! Maybe it's because I do not read this genre all that often, but I thought the surprise at the end was great and probably what saved this book for me.
That being said, there are a few areas that impacted my review negatively. Among them being:
Diversity
There is a distinct lack of diversity in this book, so if you are looking for a book that will represent diverse perspectives, this probably isn't it. The book is very white-centered. The only person of color that I can remember is **minor spoiler** a drug addict who is attacked , which is disappointing to say the least. I don't even think that Quincy is best represented as a white woman throughout the text either. She, and Sam, are constantly defined by the men in their lives and their relationships to them. For example, I was disappointed that a lot of Quincy's relationships with men were constructed so shallowly even though presumably she had deep connections to them (i.e., they were based on sex rather than intimacy). I found that Quincy was treated as more of an object than a person at points, even with her very real faults. I think that this did render Quincy somewhat shallow and hindered her development. At the end, when Quincy says that she wants to teach someone else how to be Final Girl, I had no idea what that meant, as Quincy barely seemed to have any character development in the text at all until the final few pages.
Pacing (now for the negative)
There are parts of this book that feel slow and disconnected. It isn't even clear what Sam is there for until the last 1/3 of the book where most of the plot comes together. While it is a mystery/thriller, I think that the middle portion of the book was meant to sow distrust in Quincy and/or show her growth, but I think it did neither very well. This is part of the reason why I put the book down and forgot about it for a while. I would have appreciated a bit more agency from Quincy throughout, perhaps having her do more investigating throughout the book rather than galivanting around with Sam.
Overall Review
I give this book 3.5 / 5 stars. I think that it is traditional within the mystery/thriller genre, although not really pushing any boundaries that I can think of. It was definitely a decent read.
This is really the first thriller book that I have read in a long while and I found the experience to be quite enjoyable. I didn't really consider a "page-turner", as I put it down and forgot about it for several months, but now that I've finished it, I'm glad I did. Sager has several high points to this book that represent the genre well. They include:
Complicated Characters
In my reading, I didn't really find many of the characters too likeable, but I thought that was a strength. I am glad that Sager stayed away from creating the "perfect victim" in Quincy and, instead, represented her flaws for what they were: reactions to the trauma that she endured. I also liked that because Quincy has distinct and arguably serious character flaws, as it adds to the suspense of the story. At times, it was unclear whether Quincy could be relied on to tell the story and accurately reflect on her experiences. I found myself questioning Quincy a lot and I thought that was the main strength of this story.
Compelling Plot and Pace (for the most part)
I thought that the plot and pace when it revolved around Quincy figuring out what happened to her and investigating Sam. Unfortunately, that happens mostly in the last 1/3 of the book. Still, I think that it was enough to make it a highlight. The book is fairly easy read and has a moderate pace, which I think it fitting.
Nice Twist at the End
There are some reviews that have said that they "knew what happened" from the very beginning, but I was really surprised! Maybe it's because I do not read this genre all that often, but I thought the surprise at the end was great and probably what saved this book for me.
That being said, there are a few areas that impacted my review negatively. Among them being:
Diversity
There is a distinct lack of diversity in this book, so if you are looking for a book that will represent diverse perspectives, this probably isn't it. The book is very white-centered. The only person of color that I can remember is **minor spoiler**
Pacing (now for the negative)
There are parts of this book that feel slow and disconnected. It isn't even clear what Sam is there for until the last 1/3 of the book where most of the plot comes together. While it is a mystery/thriller, I think that the middle portion of the book was meant to sow distrust in Quincy and/or show her growth, but I think it did neither very well. This is part of the reason why I put the book down and forgot about it for a while. I would have appreciated a bit more agency from Quincy throughout, perhaps having her do more investigating throughout the book rather than galivanting around with Sam.
Overall Review
I give this book 3.5 / 5 stars. I think that it is traditional within the mystery/thriller genre, although not really pushing any boundaries that I can think of. It was definitely a decent read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, and Violence
seawarrior's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
While definitely a page turner, Final Girls was somewhat of a letdown for me. It probably doesn't help that I read Home Before Dark recently before this, where Sager's writing is much stronger in my opinion.
The main merit of this book is how easily it held my interest. I checked it out from the library planning to read it over several days, and ended up finishing it in a matter of hours. Unfortunately I felt that the twists in the plot were somewhat predictable, and I don't say that lightly, as I actively try not to predict the answer to mysteries as I'm reading them. This led to an anticlimatic end in my experience, made all the more unsatisfying by my mild investment in the characters. As much as I wanted to love these stubborn, surviving women, they felt a little too much like flat, paperdoll people to spark my investment or pathos.
Though I have more harsh notes on this book than positive ones, I don't feel that it's altogether terrible and I don't regret reading it. The writing isn't excellent, but it's entertaining nonetheless and I would still recommend it to others looking for an engaging thriller to read.
The main merit of this book is how easily it held my interest. I checked it out from the library planning to read it over several days, and ended up finishing it in a matter of hours. Unfortunately I felt that the twists in the plot were somewhat predictable, and I don't say that lightly, as I actively try not to predict the answer to mysteries as I'm reading them. This led to an anticlimatic end in my experience, made all the more unsatisfying by my mild investment in the characters. As much as I wanted to love these stubborn, surviving women, they felt a little too much like flat, paperdoll people to spark my investment or pathos.
Though I have more harsh notes on this book than positive ones, I don't feel that it's altogether terrible and I don't regret reading it. The writing isn't excellent, but it's entertaining nonetheless and I would still recommend it to others looking for an engaging thriller to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Vomit, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Suicide attempt and Sexual harassment
Minor: Rape, Incest, Pedophilia, Police brutality, and Terminal illness
hannakutlu's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Stalking
elliez's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
"I'm his creation, forged from blood and pain and the cold steel of a blade.
"I'm a fucking Final Girl."
Damn this was a great book! I did NOT want to put this one down!
This was the third book by Riley Sager that I have read (the others were Home Before Dark and Survive the Night) and this one has become my favorite of his. Great pacing, great storytelling, great misdirection. I kept shifting on who I thought the killer was. Kudos to the author! Amazing work!
"I'm a fucking Final Girl."
Damn this was a great book! I did NOT want to put this one down!
This was the third book by Riley Sager that I have read (the others were Home Before Dark and Survive the Night) and this one has become my favorite of his. Great pacing, great storytelling, great misdirection. I kept shifting on who I thought the killer was. Kudos to the author! Amazing work!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Vomit, Drug abuse, and Addiction
Moderate: Child abuse and Sexual assault
jackiepreston's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, Gun violence, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Vomit, Suicide, and Self harm
parasolcrafter's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore and Blood
Minor: Death, Ableism, Vomit, Violence, Sexual content, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, and Drug use
sarah_onyxartemis's review against another edition
Good book just not at all my cup of tea. I'm only just crawling out of a major reading slump so I'm not going to force myself to get through it. Not right now at least. Maybe I'll pick it back up down the road.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Gore, Sexual content, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Cursing, Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Toxic friendship, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Cancer, Death of parent, and Mental illness
bookishgoob's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
“I’m the moth that got careless with the flame. Now i’m engulfed” slow paced and utterly uninteresting in the first half, you follow a girl with no memory of what happened to her after being the only survivor of a massacre that left all of her friends dead. she was the only survivor. she was a “final girl” a term used when talking about horror movies most of the time to describe the girl at the end of a movie that is the only survivor of what happened. the first 50% of this book left me with the feeling of wanting to just not finish at all but I don’t like to DNF books unless it’s so terrible or uninteresting so i pushed through and finished it. the twists and turns were surprising, but only to an extent. i called a few of them from a mile away, a few of them though were not so easy to spot. switching from the final girls perspective to a 3rd person account of what happened to her 10 years early was an interesting choice, just not very well executed in my opinion. not getting much on either end of the story made it dull and it felt slightly repetitive. all in all, i’m glad i finished it but i would not read it again and i don’t think i would really recommend it. unless you like slow paced stories that really feel like they have no direction in the beginning. i give this read a 2/5. it was an okay spooky season read. but if you have a choice between this title, or another thriller, i would vote that you get the other one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, and Torture
alinwonderland's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Gore, Murder, Violence, and Stalking
Moderate: Drug abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Sexual content, Grief, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Car accident, Cursing, Eating disorder, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Vomit, and Forced institutionalization
angelasosh's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
There was a lot of hype surrounding this book, but I was a little let down. The build up is SO SLOW and it feels like everything happens in the last 4 chapters, which doesn’t allow for a decent amount of payoff in my opinion. Most of the characters were pretty flat. It’s not the worst thriller I’ve read but definitely not the best.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Murder, Self harm, Suicide, Toxic friendship, and Violence