Reviews with content warning for Suicidal thoughts - Night of the Mannequins

Night of the Mannequins was one of the shortest stories on my TBR so I decided to throw it in to my Halloween reads and this was probably the worst book I’ve read in awhile. I actually really wanted to DNF it but I hate to do that especially to a novel that’s only roughly 140 pages, so I stuck it out and it was all pretty lackluster.

The description of the book sounds so fun and interesting, I think this could have been a fun teen romp slasher style

but truthfully it was only a psychotic boy’s ramblings. I disliked the main character so much that just having him narrate the book was sort of irritating. Also for a book seemingly advertised as a slasher, every kill was the exact same which isn’t very interesting or fun. I feel like if you’re gonna do it, take it all the way and make it way more gory and ridiculous. If the author did that, I think this could’ve been more enjoyable but mostly it was just boring and for such a short novel, felt repetitive.

I wouldn’t recommend this one unless you’re super desperate for a short story, it was mostly unexciting and unremarkable.

Content Warnings

livlamentloathe's review against another edition

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challenging dark reflective sad tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I knew it but I didn’t want to know it. Unforgettable. This one is gonna sit with me for a long time.

Content Warnings

becca_w_'s review against another edition

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dark emotional funny mysterious sad tense fast-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? Yes

4.0

Content Warnings

magellen's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny tense fast-paced

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

4.0

Super quick read that's loads of fun - a pure slasher from SGJ that dips into the supernatural only briefly before twisting your head around backwards with the truth. Reading this after Chainsaw, it's a clear sibling in the best way. SGJ talks about how he is forever pulled to the slasher genre and you can see in the writing he is certainly deeper in conversation with it than other attempts.
Good heartbreaking slasher. 👍👍

Content Warnings

gitli57's review against another edition

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dark funny tense

3.5

This book reminds me that I am into writers much more than genres. I hardly ever read horror books and refuse to see slasher movies. But I love Stephen Graham Jones' writing, so I took a deep breath and gave this a shot. It's short and to the point. Like everything I have read by Jones, it is beautifully written. While definitely dark and twisted, it is also laugh out loud funny at times.

Since it is a slasher book, the bad stuff happens "on screen" and it is bad. Still, Jones' depictions and descriptions of violence are never so over the top and graphic that they feel gratuitous. And they are driven by character and psychology. I would NOT call this violence porn. But, as always, your mileage may very.

If you are at all disturbed or triggered by realistic depictions of violence, give this one a pass.

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