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plantybooklover's review
- 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
4.25
My Heart is a Chainsaw is indeed, as most have mentioned, a celebration of the Slasher/Horror film genre, as told by Jade, a 17 yr old who is singularly focused on them, after experiencing a traumatic life event.
The author toggles between Slasher 101 chapters and the current events of Jade's life in a small town of Proofrock, Idaho (and YES- I hope ProofRock is a nod to T. S Eliot's Prufrock....it sure seems to be) - In the Slasher 101's we are treated to all sorts of Slasher lore, key elements (like mask, weapons, back stories, revenge plots and final girls. In Jade's life chapters- we are reminded how hard it is to be the odd one in a small community, and we are see the actual... slasher is it? evolve and gradually devolve gloriously on the 4th of July with some confessions from Jade and just abject horror, we have dead animals, dead people, macabre misuse of construction tools, (and chainsaws as well)... It was so hard for me to decide if the murders were actually occurring or if Jade was just kind of having a psychotic episode, as both seemed equally possible by the end of the book. There was probably quite a bit of symbolism that just flew over my head, especially as I was using an audio book, and thus was not always 100% focused only on the narrative.
Because I don't like Slashers at all, I didn't really find this book funny- like many did. It seemed more to me a tragedy, but, for the right audience, I think it's both hilarious and tragic. And even though it's a slow build up, the writing is always on point.
Will I read book 2? yeah... I am entirely hooked. I'm rooting for Jade.
Graphic: Vomit, Violence, and Alcohol
Moderate: Abandonment, Blood, Body horror, and Bullying
Minor: Child abuse, Car accident, Sexual assault, Animal death, and Mental illness
emory's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
Graphic: Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Animal death, Gore, Child abuse, Death of parent, Rape, and Abandonment
Moderate: Racism and Vomit
reggiethebird's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Rape, Abandonment, Blood, Incest, Death, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Gore, Suicide, Violence, Pedophilia, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts
thewellbitch'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
4.5
Graphic: Gore, Murder, Suicide attempt, Classism, Violence, Blood, Body horror, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Sexual assault, Abandonment, and Alcoholism
Minor: Child abuse
hanlov's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Blood, Incest, Animal death, Murder, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Violence, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, and Rape
Moderate: Abandonment
goblinghost_39'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
3.5
HOWEVER. Jade herself was fascinating to get to know and, in a way, I could relate to her hyperfocus on something dark as a way to cope. I say "in a way" because I'm white and can't relate to her being Indian in what seems like a predominantly white town.
I did, though, have a parent who was both emotionally abusive and neglectful at the same time. So still not as traumatic as what Jade went through. But I was (and still kind of am deep down) an angry and emotionally distressed kid. Didn't really have any friends. Any adult ever saw me and basically shrugged. So I was left to my own devices without any of the tools to actually deal with...everything? Anything? So teenage me coped, with what was still probably the worst time of my life, by way of escapism. And that included horror. And also self-harm, but that feels like a whole different story that we don't need to get into right now. But let me tell you, regardless of what it is you get into that helps you cope, at that age that kind of internal isolation does some wonky shit to your brain. Jade comes off as kind of a loon. But it's not the slasher films. It's the fact that she's more-or-less been left alone for years while her brain is still developing.
So I 100% see you, Jade. I am also a bit of a loon due to some not-so-nice events and people. And it is that sole reason that this book gets 4 stars instead of the 3 I was considering.
Will definitely read more from this author. And since this is a trilogy, I'll be sure to check out the next one. I just hope we get to know Jade on an even deeper level that isn't just how many times she can reference Friday the 13th.
Moderate: Pedophilia, Gore, Murder, Body horror, Rape, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Incest, Classism, Gaslighting, Addiction, Blood, Child abuse, Cultural appropriation, Death, and Emotional abuse
hintermost's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
The book setup itself is an overly-bloated mess, getting quite exhausting to read in the middle chapters. This issue is exasperated further by the usage of the "Slasher 101" sections between chapters. I know this is meant to further allow the reader access to Jade's horror knowledge and her relationship with Mr. Holmes, but it's just grating - especially when most of it is irrelevant to the plot.
As a result of the bloated, poorly planned plot, the actual horror doesn't occur until the tail end of the novel. When it finally happens, it seems like less of a well-planned ending point, and more "cobbled-together-to-meet-a-deadline."
I have no intention of reading the sequels, as this first novel was and annoying, unfocused, bloated mess of a work.
Moderate: Child abuse, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Blood, Body horror, Incest, Rape, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Death, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, and Sexual harassment
catriona176'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? Yes
3.75
Graphic: Suicide attempt and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Pedophilia, Murder, Gore, Sexual assault, Addiction, Classism, Alcoholism, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, and Rape
clrouse's review
- 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
3.5
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Violence, Gore, Murder, Self harm, Blood, and Death
Moderate: Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Animal death, Incest, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Abortion, Classism, Cursing, Mental illness, and Abandonment
devilledgreggs'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: Gore, Blood, Cursing, Suicide attempt, Violence, Death, and Self harm
Moderate: Sexual harassment, Abandonment, and Child abuse
Minor: Child death, Incest, and Rape