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ccoterie's review against another edition
2.0
The beginning involved a lot of starts and stops as I texted my friends my newest hesitation. I couldn't get into Lynn as a protagonist. Her mindset was certainly understandable, sometimes her paranoia was uncomfortably familiar, but something seemed off. It felt like an "I'm not like other girls" would've fit perfectly - there were some lines that got pretty close. Without a concrete reason to believe her mindset, Lynn just got on my nerves. The middle rectified this issue, providing a fast-paced action thriller that made her compelling. Chrissy marked another turning point.
Graphic: Death, Grief, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Cancer, Confinement, Gore, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Blood, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Toxic friendship and Vomit
Minor: Addiction, Drug use, Racism, Drug abuse, and Mass/school shootings
The protagonist has codependent and paranoid thoughts/behaviors.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: Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Death, Death of parent, Body horror, Cancer, Ableism, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Medical content, Police brutality, Cursing, Misogyny, Stalking, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, and Confinement
Moderate: Excrement, Kidnapping, Chronic illness, Drug abuse, Drug use, Alcohol, Racism, Torture, Cannibalism, Animal death, Eating disorder, Sexual content, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Animal cruelty
Minor: Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Religious bigotry, and Toxic relationship
There is a description of a previous ex-relationship with a huge power imbalance and considerable age gap. The younger party is 18.tey_lynn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Racism, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Child death, Death, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Vomit, and Blood
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, and Drug use
kassidyreads's review against another edition
Graphic: Violence, Mental illness, Murder, Death, Gun violence, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Addiction, Misogyny, Grief, Stalking, and Drug abuse
Minor: Racism
katyfayyyx's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Like I did really like beginning of this book as a huge horror fan with a love for final girls it was just hitting in all the right spots however there are just some things that are just throwing me off like the whole weird flirting bit with the Dr's son when showing him her scars or when she walks into him 'looking' after himself and I don't think if this is a failed attempt at humour what is just not it but it is just so fucking weird. Like, I do like Skye but that was just so fucking strange and off-putting why does every Conversation have this weird sexual overtone-women written by men I guess.
Like the middle of this book is possibly the worst thing I have ever read like why did this book keep doing dumb shit which means that I didn't like it, like you are telling me that the police believed a serial killer in prison that he killed this girl's whole family because they were fucking and they are going to drag her in and picked on her and take the piss off all her trauma just because they were fucking why was this even a plot point and why the does it matter if they did fuck because it happened 22 years ago, girl shut the fuck up, please for my mental wellbeing. Like has this author ever actually watched a horror film like I would say 95% of final girls boyfriends are the killer (like scream) so why would this matter it was 22 years late and when all her friends were being murder or set up. I was getting so pissed like please use your fucking brain police please just please I just can't do that. I just fell like there are bigger things to worry about at that moment in time. Also I am the only one that thinks that it is not that deep if she did or didn't fuck the killer. I just think this plot point was really fucking dumb, it's make no sense why she was in jail all because she wrote this guy some letter and had nothing to do with the plan and didn't know anything about it But maybe I am just overthink this book and it just not that deep because I did really like this idea of this book but I just don't understand why the author decided to take this book in that directions. Maybe I am just really fucking dumb be her is Lynne only 38 years old like what the fuck I thought she was like 50-60 because the way Lynne acts is not the way a 38 year women would act surely but maybe I am wrong because I am only 19 but I am sure this is not how a nearly 40 year old women would act, shout out to the whole weird side plot about fine the plant because that is just so fucking weird and sad. What was it with the whole thing about Lynne not even been a real final girl like I am not being funny I don't know a lot of people would have survived being impaled for that long but what do I know. I would say in general the things that these characters do just don't make sense. I would also say that the whole Dr being the killer was just such a waste of time she's been helping them for 15 years she would have just killed them it just felt like a waste of time but I did feel kinda sorry for her like she has spend her whole life telling to help her and also female victims of violence just for her sons to be the things that she been helping all these women heal form but she must be a little bit of a shit doctor if she couldn't see the signs in her own son.
I am sorry but what the fuck is going on with Dani like clam the fuck down like why was she just beating the shit out Lynne like she's trying to save everyone and you are beating the shit out her, like you can be pissed at her when you are all safe. I did like that Lynne finally figuring out that she needs other people in her life and that life is not just about being by herself because the times when she actually more safe and happy is with her girls. But girl why did it take you so long. I liked how all the final girls in this book have the story of a classic horror films but then at the same time I think it kinda lazy like get some new and original idea but then I kinda lived for it as well.
I would say that the ending was kinda obvious because I guessed it when the introduce Stephanie as a character I just thought I bet it her like she wants to be the final girl of the final girl and I will the say the ending of this book felt very much like Scream Four and I live for Scream 4 it's the best Scream argue with the wall and Jill is the best ghost face because is just so iconic and I would say that Stephanie gives me Scream 4 vibes but without the iconic part of Jill's character and let's be Skye was just such a cheap shot and it was so obvious like come him wanting to get revenge of his mum for spending all her time with the girls instead of him like that has been done 1000s of times but it was okay, I just didn't really care about him being the second killer and I get why they didn't killed the killers but I kinda wanted to them too but it was not the end of the world to me. The ending just screamed that bit in Scream 4 when Sidney says 'You forgot the first rule of remakes, Jill. Don't fuck with the original' and girl I lived for that okay. Also is no one going to question the fact that no matter now fucked Lynne was she just kept going like is was shot and hit in the head with a sledgehammer passed out for like twenty minutes and got up and fought bitches I have nothing but respect for that. I can't lie. But also how the fuck was she even alive never mind moving, running and fighting. I also did like the fact that the final battle was at the camp because that were the first final girl was born and it will be where the last final girl is killed. I also kinda loved Julia in the end she kinda iconic and I think her love/hate friendship with Lynne was really cute. Also thought it was really cute that Julia stayed at Lynne bedside and they all came a visited her when she was in hospital. Also loved that are final girls were final girling and I love that they are all fighting and helping each other. I just loved that no matter how angry or upset they were each other they still care and fought and came through for each other when it counted and you know what no matter how old and irrelevant they are (which they were not) never count a final girl out and just don't fuck with them because they are bad bitches only. I also loved that at the end you know they are going to be okay and that are happy and they are all living and healing together and I just thought that was really cute.
So in summary there is one rule for this book just don't fuck with final girls because you can never beat the originals also that was such a power move at the ending visiting Stephanie in prison just so they can have a final girl support club meeting
The Final Girl Support Group XXIV:A New Beginning
"I know what happened to those girls. They turn into women. And they live."
Graphic: Body horror, Cancer, Death, Stalking, Grief, Addiction, Misogyny, Police brutality, Torture, Toxic friendship, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Gaslighting, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Toxic relationship, Drug use, Excrement, Medical content, Murder, Sexism, Child death, Panic attacks/disorders, Vomit, and Violence
Moderate: Cursing, Self harm, Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Mass/school shootings, Racism, and Sexual content
Minor: Domestic abuse, Forced institutionalization, Abandonment, Confinement, and Fire/Fire injury
kengiedamali's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Grief and Cancer
Minor: Racism
laguerrelewis's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Police brutality, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Child death, Death, Abandonment, Cursing, Gore, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Medical content, Sexual violence, Drug abuse, and Racism
root's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The majority of the "plot twists" are not plot twists so much as the product of an unreliable narrator jumping to conclusions about small things that, if you look at the actual evidence she is using, is utterly meaningless or at least is missing details. Because she is not just reacting to what's happening now--peppered in are comparisons of people who look like someone else, how she trusts them or wants to keep them safe because they remind her of people, how she distrusts others for the same reason.
I think that itself makes the book outstanding, to depict a variety of very real reactions to trauma in such an accurate way, including their flaws. It is a testimony to the fact that being hurt does not make you inherently better at surviving: it can also make you that much more vulnerable and unsafe. It is a very real look at the effects of trauma, and a good critique of how the true crime community and of the horror genre turn real events into mindless entertainment at the detriment and suffering of real, living people.
Criticisms of the book would be the following:
It is a very rudimentary, white feminist perspective of the world that goes exactly one layer deep in gender politics which is "man evil, violent inherently" and "girl (not woman) innocent, dainty, victim." Even the author's attempted subversion of it still ultimately played back into this rather elementary understanding of the sociopolitical effects of gender. It's very "girlhood is grief" in its angle.
The very few times race is brought up is...unfortunate. Listen, I just don't think that a white author can place a Single Black character in horror media without it being a bit weird. His choice was essentially to have the Black character die or have the Black character live but being chased down and tormented by a white man. Neither of which reflect very well. You either have to have multiple Black characters with different outcomes or it's just not good. Or I don't know, just as side characters that aren't involved. I would have taken that too. Anyway the way the author handled the race topic was...not great. It tried to be progressive about it but just failed spectacularly.
The last point is something I've seen others bring up. Although the author was presenting a criticism of how the true crime community and horror in general utilize real events and make references to external stories, he was also simultaneously doing the same thing. I understood what the author was trying to do with this. He was trying to show that the book itself is Also That, that the reader should be cognizant that THEY are being criticized and that their consumption of the book itself is participatory in this exact thing. But it wasn't done well so the message was lost on a lot of people and so it just felt flat. I appreciated the sentiment, though.
Graphic: Murder, Torture, Stalking, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Mass/school shootings, and Gore
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship
Minor: Racism and Suicide
cheyisvibing's review against another edition
Graphic: Gore, Violence, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Gun violence and Terminal illness
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Racism, and Stalking
bedtimesandbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Child death, Murder, Cancer, Grief, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Drug use, Stalking, Gun violence, Addiction, Alcohol, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Cursing, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, and Terminal illness
Moderate: Racism and Infidelity