Reviews tagging 'Animal cruelty'

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

43 reviews

vickymcckey's review against another edition

dark tense fast-paced

• 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

3.0

Very well written and well thought out. The author makes sure readers know that he doesn’t support the glorification of serial killers, which is nice and (unfortunately) necessary, even if it was a bit heavy handed throughout the book.

I thought the first plot twist of Skye being the killer worked really well, but Stephanie’s role in it felt a little more forced while it was being revealed.

The description of violence in Lynn’s first “horror movie experience” I found to be a bit gratuitous, but I guess that’s what you get when you pick up this kinda book. The rest of it didn’t bother me, but the implied sexual violence and child violence on page 155-156 were a lot.

This is definitely the kind of story where a good suspension of disbelief will do you favors, not necessarily because of the serial killer aspects, but more because of the character’s personalities and logistics. Though once again, that’s kinda expected from this sort of book. Overall this was definitely out of my comfort zone but I did enjoy it. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual violence, Mental illness, Child death, Gore, Violence, Gun violence, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Death, Blood, Torture, Death of parent, and Medical content

Moderate: Alcoholism, Alcohol, Car accident, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Addiction, Drug abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Kidnapping, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Trafficking, Toxic relationship, and Stalking

Minor: Cannibalism and Animal cruelty

lue_moon'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

This is a difficult book for me to rate. The premise is good and it did draw me in. I was more into it in the last 100 or so pages, which had many pieces i did not see coming and was overall intriguing. But I spent a good portion of the book confused and had a hard time following a lot of the characters and their stories/monsters. I found myself googling a character list because I felt lost and didn't want to re-read. Came across the helpful suggestion to link each of the final girls to the horror movies their stories were seemingly based on (click spoiler below if you want the list). After that information, it was much easier to follow. I suspect if I was more knowledgeable about horror movies, I may have picked it up quicker, but I do not watch nor like horror movies (books I can sometimes do, but movies are a no go).

May be a better read for you if you are already a horror movie fan? 

● Lynette-had to deal with a situation dubbed the "Silent Night Slayings" (Silent Night Deadly Night)
● Marilyn-was attacked by bloodthirsty cannibals(Texas Chainsaw Massacre)
● Dani-brother Nick escaped from a mental asylum and on Halloween, slaughtered anyone who stood between him and his sister.(Halloween)
● Julia-was left a final girl after her boyfriend and one of his friends decided to turn her into a final girl (Scream)
● Heather-had to face a "Dream Killer" (Nightmare on Elm Street)
● Adrienne-survived the slaughter at Camp Red Lake(Friday the 13th)

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Mental illness, Murder, Death, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Child death, and Body horror

Moderate: Terminal illness, Addiction, Animal cruelty, Alcoholism, Excrement, Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Gun violence, Police brutality, and Torture

Minor: Cannibalism

justmys's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Child death, Cursing, Vomit, Gaslighting, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Violence, Torture, Murder, Misogyny, Stalking, Terminal illness, Sexual content, Body horror, Addiction, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Blood, Body shaming, Chronic illness, Death, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Panic attacks/disorders, Police brutality, and Sexism

Moderate: Confinement, Car accident, Cursing, Suicide attempt, Medical content, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Toxic friendship, Adult/minor relationship, Toxic relationship, and Vomit

Not sure if I'll actively search out to read any more by Grady Hendrix. This is only my second book and it feels a little...icky? For lack of a better term. He's so determined to have women go through such harrowing events and it's just starting to feel like...like every other man making a living off of women's suffering????? Maybe the others are different but for now I need a break.

andrearutz98's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gun violence, Torture, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Body horror, Death, and Physical abuse

Minor: Cannibalism, Kidnapping, Addiction, Death of parent, Gun violence, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Child death, Drug use, and Excrement

tiffanne11's review against another edition

tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.75

The first 70% or so of this book was a great thriller. Our cast of characters are "final girls", reminiscent of the last one standing in a slasher film but they lived through these traumas. The main character, Lynnette, copes with excessive paranoia, locking herself away and not getting attached to anyone. 
Everything changes when one of the members of their group is killed. No one is sure who they can trust and Lynnette runs. 
The majority of the book is building up this tension about who is hunting the final girls and why. As a reader, you are wondering if it is all in her head or if there is a killer out there orchestrating this whole thing. 
Unfortunately, the "reveal" makes no sense. It's not evidenced in the text. You couldn't figure it out, and that is not what makes a good twist. A good twist is one that makes all of the pieces slot in together and make sense. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Medical trauma, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Gore, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Ableism, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Vomit, Violence, Torture, Kidnapping, and Death of parent

tabea1409's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

3.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Cursing, Mass/school shootings, Death, Animal death, Kidnapping, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Mental illness, Drug use, Animal cruelty, Addiction, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Grief, Cancer, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, and Child death

mothmania's review against another edition

dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Grief, Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Violence, Gore, Child death, Mental illness, Murder, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Blood, and Gun violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Cannibalism, Addiction, Car accident, Misogyny, Stalking, Drug abuse, and Medical content

popsoda's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional mysterious tense slow-paced

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

5.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Murder and Gore

Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders

Minor: Animal cruelty and Adult/minor relationship

rosesofthespring's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• 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

I wish it had wrapped up a few more plot threads, but overall an excellent novel. I'm not surprised that this one is so popular.

---

Content Warnings

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.

kirayt's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Gun violence, and Death

Moderate: Drug use, Drug abuse, Alcoholism, Death of parent, Child death, and Addiction

Minor: Animal cruelty and Animal death