Reviews tagging 'Gaslighting'

The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

470 reviews

ariana3's review against another edition

challenging dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I was really excited to read this book, especially given the hype I've seen around it for so long. I was pretty disappointed in it, and I just don't think it was my kind of book. This is the first bloody horror book I've read, and it didn't mind that so much as the gaslighting, misogyny, and explicit descriptions of sexual violence. I think a book can be really good without all of that. I'm glad I gave it a shot, and I did read it pretty quickly (mainly because I was hoping it would turn around at the next chapter...).
Plot summary:

Set in this utopia-like southern town near Charleston, SC, weird occurrences start to happen when someone new moves in. Patricia, the main character, sees a man in need and with her southern hospitality helps him out. He immediately ingrains himself into the community, despite Patricia feeling weird about him and trying to make him leave. All of the men, including her terrible husband, gaslight the group of women friends into thinking it's just one of their true crime books affecting them. Turns out Patricia is right, and James Harris is a vampire and has lived for 400 years, and Mrs. Greene (the only person of color and of course the cleaner for the community) is the only one who believes her and wants to help. Gaslighting and misogyny continue, Patricia tries to kill herself because no one will listen. Several years go by and Patricia finds out her now teenage daughter is serving as a "food source" for James Harris, and her son is obsessed with him as well. James Harris attacks one of their friends, and they decide to kill him. Patricia serves as a sacrifice while the others knock him out, dismember him, and burn him/drop him down a pit where ashes are stored (I'm not super clear on if he's ashes or if the several bags that are his body are just down a big hole). Their friend dies and decides to be cremated so the "thing" that James Harris impregnated her with also dies. Things seem to go back to better situations, despite the community now being poor. Patricia thankfully wanted a divorce and the kids decide to live with her. I am glad it had a happier ending. I was waiting the entire time for the other shoe to drop, saying that James Harris found a way to continue living and that he'd be back for Patricia's kids or grandkids or something. But it didn't!! And I liked the little additional notes and letters at the end, I thought they were clever and a nice touch to the book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Suicide attempt, Violence, Child abuse, Rape, Gore, Child death, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Sexism, Gaslighting, Sexual assault, Dementia, Sexual violence, Body horror, and Blood

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Vomit, Kidnapping, Death, Infidelity, Classism, and Excrement

Minor: Drug abuse, Animal cruelty, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Drug use, Eating disorder, Fire/Fire injury, Domestic abuse, and Car accident

danie_faye's review against another edition

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? Yes

3.5

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Murder and Gore

Minor: Gaslighting, Medical content, Suicide, and Infidelity

aboo99's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny inspiring mysterious sad tense medium-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? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Animal death, and Dementia

Moderate: Gaslighting and Rape

competitive_reading_is_a_sport's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense medium-paced

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

4.5

It had me shouting at the characters, which means I cared about their survival. A tribute to the strength of the overlooked woman. Can a group of Southern housewives take on a vampire, in spite of the obstacles posed by their husbands? Why do you even have to ask?!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting, Death, and Death of parent

Moderate: Antisemitism, Domestic abuse, Child abuse, Child death, Classism, Terminal illness, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, and Bullying

lauraevelyn's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Blood, Chronic illness, Rape, Toxic relationship, Dementia, Gaslighting, Death, Hate crime, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Racism, Antisemitism, Child abuse, Gore, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Physical abuse, and Murder

amandaacat's review against another edition

dark funny mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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

5.0

It’s been a long time since I read a book that kept me engaged, entertained and anxious the whole time. I was reading fast to get to the end because I was so excited to see how it finishes.

This story touches upon a lot of topics- female friendships, fragile masculinity, sexism in the household, but at the end of the day it’s a fun story about a book club taking down a monster.

I have not felt so much anxiety until I read the scene

with the cockroach going into Patricia’s ear. Big yikes!!

I’d recommend this to folks who like monster hunter, mystery, female forward stories! 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Murder, Death, Emotional abuse, Addiction, Blood, Racism, and Gaslighting

degitzlibrary's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gaslighting

Moderate: Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Sexual violence, Suicide, and Rape

Minor: Physical abuse and Infidelity

via_email's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious tense medium-paced

• 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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Domestic abuse, Gaslighting, and Sexual assault

andreanneveillette's review against another edition

1.5

Killing the dog in the last pages was uncalled for and didn’t do anything for the story.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, Suicide, Violence, Rape, Gaslighting, Gore, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Child death, Child abuse, and Body horror

danaaliyalevinson's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious tense fast-paced

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

4.0

I can always rely on Grady Hendrix for a good time. I wouldn't say this was my favorite of his books, that crown still belongs to "How To Sell a Haunted House," but I still really enjoyed it. A fun southern gothic horror comedy that manages to squeeze in commentary on racism, sexism, who people choose to believe, and how easy it is for us to refuse to see what's right in front of us.

Additionally, I always love how he manages to put a twist either on the lore of the horror he’s tackling, or on the lens it’s filtered through. In this one, I love how he filtered it through the lens of the “true crime” genre. It was unexpected and fun for a vampire novel.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Rape, Dementia, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Body horror, Adult/minor relationship, Animal cruelty, Suicide attempt, Violence, Murder, Sexual assault, Gaslighting, Sexual content, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Classism, Misogyny, and Racism