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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.thenovelbookshelf'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
4.5
This has a great storyline, although it is unrealistic. The character and world building is so surreal that your brain is tricked into thinking you are read-watching a slasher-horror movie.
My high rating is partially biased as I grew up on the 90s/noughties slasher horror movies (IKWYDLS, Scream, Urban Legends, Halloween, & with Freddy & Jason) and loved watching 70s-90s horror movies (Leprechaun, Hellraiser, The Howling, Children of the Corn, Pumpkinhead, Phantasm)
Graphic: Gun violence, Death, and Murder
Moderate: Blood, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Misogyny, and Mental illness
Minor: Infidelity, Ableism, Addiction, Alcohol, Bullying, Car accident, and Fire/Fire injury
nialiversuch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Addiction, Body shaming, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Toxic friendship, Medical content, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Terminal illness, Torture, Toxic relationship, Ableism, Violence, Police brutality, Blood, Death of parent, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Stalking, Abandonment, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Body horror, Cancer, Confinement, Grief, Mass/school shootings, Medical trauma, and Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Sexual assault, Rape, Sexual violence, and Homophobia
lyssylyssy's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
2.5
Graphic: Death of parent, Mental illness, Violence, Gun violence, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, and Death
Moderate: Infidelity, Toxic friendship, Stalking, Terminal illness, Drug abuse, and Gaslighting
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
seawarrior'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
Hendrix has a lot to say about horror franchises and their repetitive, exploitative and misogynistic nature, most of which is done through the characterization and dialogue of Lynnette and the other woman of the Final Girl Support Group. In between chapters various fictional archival interviews and journal articles are plastered to the pages, adding to the realism of the story and to the mythology surrounding this group of survivors and their monsters. For the most part I felt this was done very well. I only felt dissatisfied with Heather's characterization; she serves as a stereotypical "junkie" figure and is widely disrespected by both the characters within the book and the narrative that gave them life. What she survived and how is also defined the least, which only becomes more disappointing as the book continues. The other women's stories are revealed in segments, by their own admissions, Lynnette's memories, or their respective archives. Since each of them were inspired by an existing horror franchise most readers can assume the bulk of the violence they witnessed and endured, negating the need to force the women to rehash the most traumatic moments of their lives. Lynnette is the only character who has in depth flashbacks of her encounters with her monster after a tortuous accusation of who was truly responsible for her family's slaughter.
The book primarily focuses on Lynnette's efforts to survive in the present, while attempting to solve the mystery of who wants the Final Girls finally gone. Pieces of this puzzle were fairly obvious to me, while others came as a surprise. Ultimately though, the villains, their motivations, and their weapon of choice, all serve to make a statement about mass violence and horror franchises as a whole. This is a love letter to horror, but a scathing one, fully aware of its flaws and refusing to hold back.
Graphic: Violence, Torture, Terminal illness, Stalking, Police brutality, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Misogyny, Mass/school shootings, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Gore, Grief, Blood, Confinement, Death, and Death of parent
Moderate: Car accident, Child death, Drug abuse, Excrement, Infidelity, Sexual harassment, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, and Toxic friendship
moontiaras'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
4.25
Graphic: Blood, Cancer, Chronic illness, Death, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Violence, Death of parent, and Mass/school shootings
Minor: Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, and Infidelity