Reviews tagging 'Kidnapping'

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

141 reviews

woosh's review against another edition

challenging mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

I think maybe Grady Hendrix's style of horror is just not for me. Both books I've read so far, I've walked away feeling more disgust than awe/fear that I get from horror books I've enjoyed more. I did manage to get through this easier than The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires. I might have DNF'd if I wasn't reading this as a part of SPL's book bingo – not sure I can say this isn't a good book, it's just really not for me. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gun violence, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Gore, Kidnapping, Emotional abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Adult/minor relationship, Torture, and Death

jadeejf's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious 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

4.75

This one took me a bit to get into but once I did, it was an absolute page turner with a lot of unexpected twists and turns. The premise was so unique, too. 

Hendrix did a masterful job of creating an unreliable narrator (or is she?), and weaving in a lot of excellent horror movie Easter eggs. It did occasionally veer into the gory, but it's a book about final girls, so you have to kind of expect that. I really enjoyed it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Torture, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Murder, Violence, Death, Stalking, Gore, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Body horror, Car accident, Blood, Chronic illness, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, and Toxic relationship

jackiepreston's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense medium-paced

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

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Body horror, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Vomit, Blood, Gun violence, and Violence

Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Misogyny, Homophobia, Kidnapping, and Cannibalism

crimsonash606's review against another edition

dark funny inspiring 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

4.25

An incredible read for any slasher fans. A great mix of deadly stakes and humor.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror and Blood

Moderate: Mass/school shootings, Alcoholism, Cancer, Cannibalism, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Gun violence, Confinement, Cursing, Grief, Pedophilia, Emotional abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Terminal illness, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Panic attacks/disorders, Addiction, Child death, Alcohol, Torture, Violence, Car accident, Child abuse, Death of parent, Drug abuse, Sexism, Death, Suicidal thoughts, Misogyny, and Murder

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. 

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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

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

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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

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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

letters_from_gabriella's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

• 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

1.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual violence, Sexual harassment, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Medical content, Kidnapping, Gore, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Death, Pedophilia, Injury/Injury detail, Cancer, Violence, Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Gaslighting, Forced institutionalization, Drug use, Cursing, Child death, Child abuse, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Murder, Medical trauma, Mass/school shootings, Drug abuse, Stalking, Sexual content, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, Sexism, and Racism

Moderate: Addiction, Alcohol, Vomit, Alcoholism, Lesbophobia, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, and Suicide

enyltiak's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny mysterious 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

5.0

I loved this book—I didn't want to put it down as I was desperate to find out what was going on, but I also really didn't want it to end. This is really a book for horror movie (especially slasher horror) lovers, and in particular will be a fun read for Scream fans. 

I think this book is incredibly divisive when it comes to the representation of the female characters—some think it's flawless, some think it's offensively dreadful—but truly it's just... fine. I think a female author would have more nuance, something different and interesting to say that a man can't understand, but Hendrix clearly wrote these characters with the consideration that they're people, not objects, and so I really didn't have a problem with it. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Torture, Violence, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Blood, Kidnapping, Cancer, Gore, Gun violence, and Mental illness

ccoterie's review against another edition

2.0

God. Where to even begin with this book? The premise is strong and paves the way for a compelling look into the slasher genre and its final girls. It's clear (perhaps too clear, some references were basically direct copies) that Hendrix loves the genre. And yet I can't tell what this book was going for. There are a lot of details that left me baffled (not including racist stereotypes - I get that the book is an homage to classic slashers, but some tropes can die) or, as I look back on them, confused about their inclusion. I think this book could've benefitted from cutting a few plot points or picking a clearer tone.
The beginning involved a lot of starts and stops as I texted my friends my newest hesitation. I couldn't get into Lynn as a protagonist. Her mindset was certainly understandable, sometimes her paranoia was uncomfortably familiar, but something seemed off. It felt like an "I'm not like other girls" would've fit perfectly - there were some lines that got pretty close. Without a concrete reason to believe her mindset, Lynn just got on my nerves. The middle rectified this issue, providing a fast-paced action thriller that made her compelling. Chrissy marked another turning point.

I understand the reasons behind her inclusion - everything she has going on has potential. However, her mysticism, murderabilia, and boyfriend didn't have any payoff. They were all loose threads making more of a vessel for the author to get a message across than an actual character. I still can't understand why she was written to be so narratively cluttered. Her scene did not have to be as long as it was considering her sole purpose.

The ending left a lot unresolved for me, mostly regarding its mental health themes.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, Cancer, Confinement, Gore, Gun violence, Kidnapping, Mental illness, Blood, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Toxic friendship and Vomit

Minor: Addiction, Drug use, Racism, Drug abuse, and Mass/school shootings

The protagonist has codependent and paranoid thoughts/behaviors.