Scan barcode
cinderrunner's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
This book is just okay. Its very slow moving and long winded. The action doesn't pick up til about 50 pages from the end. The suspense to get there and the buildup felt very weak. I do think its important to note that (according to a google search) the author is native american. The book features a lot of negative stereotypes that would feel very racist coming from an author who was not indigenous. I find this grown man's way of handling writing a story about underage girls to be uncomfortable. When we get introduced to our "final girl" he uses weirdly sexual language when describing her (who again, is only a HS student). There is also a very weird gay baity vibe with Letha and Jade that I don't appreciate. Jade's tragic backstory felt like it came out of left field and felt entirely unnecessary, especially comint from a grown man writing about an underage girl. The SAME effect, that one could try to use to justify why it was valid to have Jade have been through that, could have been achieved by with different less vile means. I think its an authors responsibility when writing about marginalized groups they don't belong to to check themselves on if this story is really theirs to tell and if using these plot points is just exploitative instead of genuinely adding to the story or shedding light on what that group (in this case women and young girls) go through. 100% Jade did not need to be
Graphic: Body horror, Abandonment, Alcoholism, Cursing, Sexual content, Grief, Gun violence, Incest, Injury/Injury detail, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Violence, Blood, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Vomit, Domestic abuse, Gore, Pedophilia, Racism, Rape, and Self harm
kitsune_kae's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Graphic: Abandonment, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Death, Gore, Sexual assault, and Vomit
Moderate: Alcoholism, Bullying, Grief, Mental illness, Racism, and Stalking
Minor: Classism, Fire/Fire injury, Cultural appropriation, and Cursing
Trauma, childhood trauma,meggs1005's review
- 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
4.0
Graphic: Self harm, Death, Animal death, Gore, Violence, Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Child abuse, Rape, Sexual violence, Suicide, Alcoholism, Bullying, Classism, Colonisation, Cultural appropriation, Drug use, Pedophilia, Abandonment, Incest, and Pregnancy
mshiiken's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
I'll see myself out.
BUT SERIOUSLY READ IT if you like horror IT'S SO GOOD
Graphic: Abandonment, Gore, Violence, Death, and Murder
Minor: Child abuse, Incest, Self harm, and Alcoholism
ridleyreadsthings's review
- 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
5.0
Graphic: Gore and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Abandonment
Minor: Sexual assault and Suicidal thoughts
sofipitch'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
5.0
A part of me wasn't sure if I would love this, bc it is very clearly a love letter to the slasher genre, and I don't like slashers that much. But you don't have to love them to love this book and recognize it's brilliance. I am glad I put a whole bunch of slashers on last fall while grading papers (I figured if any type of movie doesn't require a lot of attention to detail to follow it's the slashers) bc Jade is constantly referencing her favorite movies and I actually got most of the refrences.
Second read update: Still excellent
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Blood, Gore, and Violence
Moderate: Abandonment and Rape
lou_o_donnell's review
- 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: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Violence, Suicide attempt, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Sexism, Rape, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Incest, Gore, Domestic abuse, Death, Child abuse, Body horror, Blood, and Animal death
raesengele'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? Yes
5.0
This book had me hooked from page one. And while it's pretty character driven for a lot of it, there's enough of a mystery that I think it would keep those who aren't into that kind of stuff going. What I loved the most is that Jones managed to ride the line between character study and genre fiction so fascinatingly well and honestly, that's all I've been asking for lately.
Story: 🌟
The story goes exactly how you want it to, while also shoving you under the water so you can burst back out gasping for air and going "what the fuck just happened?!" There is not a single nugget of information presented that I can think of that isn't used to it's full potential by the end. It takes true talent to deliver that and clearly Jones has it. I envy you, good sir.
Character: 🌟
Jade took her machete and carved her way straight into my heart. What I loved the most is despite Jade's trauma, you never pity her and it's never played up for drama points. Yes, I want to hug her at times and tell her everything's alright, but I also believe that she can handle herself and doesn't need my sympathy to get through life. There were points where when other characters brought up her trauma and she rolled her eyes, I kind of felt it, too. Like, my nosey self wanted to know what happened, but I was also like there are more important things going on here, people! I kind of like this depiction of trauma. It's always there and always looming, but it's also periphery. It's not the nexus of Jade's every thought. And there is an argument in there that's it's entirely because of unhealthy coping mechanisms, but that's how mental health works. It's messy and it's hard. This is a discussion without being an after school special and I love it.
Writing Style: 🌟
Jones has such a captivating writing style. There are chapters in here that are upwards of 60 pages and they flew by without a second thought. You melt into Jade's head until you're no longer questioning the slasher in real life that she's laying out in front of you.
Descriptions: 🌟
If this isn't already in the works to be a movie, it needs to be. How Jones manages to simultaneously keep us in Jade's head while also delivering such cinematic writing is beyond me. Just 👏👏👏
Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Child death, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Murder, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Incest, Pedophilia, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Abandonment, Colonisation, and Racism
secanno's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Death, Murder, Violence, Gore, and Self harm
Moderate: Racism, Alcoholism, Suicide attempt, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Mental illness, and Child abuse
bastieboi's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Blood, Body horror, Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Self harm, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Vomit, and Violence
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Sexual assault, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Child abuse