Reviews tagging 'Excrement'

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

24 reviews

andrearutz98's review against another edition

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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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rosesofthespring's review against another edition

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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.

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leahopkins's review against another edition

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dark tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

This is the second Gradx Hendrix book I've read (first one being my best friend's excorcism) and I am starting to become a fan (though mbfe was better). 
I thought the concept was very interesting and an entertaining twist of the genre, especially since the final girls' backstories/franchises actually take heavy inspiration from existing horror movies. I am not a very big slasher connoisseur (I have only watched the first scream movie), so I had a lot of fun using my very limited knowledge and the power of Google to figure out what movies the different characters were references to. The characters themselves were fun as well, although I wished they were fleshed out a little more. Lynette especially was a very interesting protagonist because of here intense paranoia, which made the reader question whether you could trust her or if all of this conspiracy was just happening inside her head.
I have to say though, it was a little unnecessary that Adrienne, the only black character, dies first. Yeah, I get that it's supposed to be humouring the slasher trope of "black dude dies first", but I would have really appreciated seeing more (/anything at all) of her, because based on what we got to know of her, she seemed like a very likable and caring character.

There were a lot of different twists, some more foreseeable than the others
(for example, Skye being the killer didn't shock me at all, but when it was revealed that Steph was also involved I was truly surprised)
and it was very fun trying to keep track of all the plot points and connections. However, in the middle part of the book, I thought it was slacking a bit and I had trouble staying engaged. The characters of Garrett and Chrissy felt a little out of place and at times even surreal
(the part where they visit Chrissy, her weird final girl museum and her homicidal boyfriend felt more like a bad dream than anything else. Same thing with the scene in which they leave a dead Michelle in a park with some old man.)

I really enjoyed the ending.
I liked that noone died, and the scene in which a heavily injured Lynette runs away from the killer to distract him from the others was very well written and almost moving. The last chapter itself also felt very touching, because it showed the characters healing, physically and mentally.
Overall, this was a very fun read and I am excited to put more of the author's work onto my TBR.

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abmochapman's review against another edition

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adventurous dark 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? Yes

3.0

The Final Girl Support Group has such an interesting premise and didn’t necessarily disappoint, even though it was not exactly what I expected. It is, of course, mirrored after slasher movies and  it focuses more on those themes than the support group itself. There is only one session with the main cast of final girls before their world starts to fall apart, again. From there, the plot inches forward until about halfway when it picks up and the book feels almost impossible to put down. The number of incredible, almost ridiculous twists is dizzying. As compelling as the climax is, I found it difficult to suspend my disbelief. The resolution is gratifying, but still, I am left with so many questions and pieces that don’t seem to fit together.

As other reviewers have said, that may be because The Final Girl Support Group doesn’t quite know what it wants to be. Is it a parody of slasher movies, or is it meant to be taken seriously as a thriller? Is it an ode to the genre, or is it a satirical deconstruction? Reviews praise it as having accomplished both, but I am a bit more conflicted. To me, the novel does not subvert its tropes as much as it relies on them.
The main character, for example, is overly-cautious to recorrect the naivety that she blames for her final girl status. Yet, it is also her irrational and naïve choices that lead her once again into the arms of the monster. She should not have been able to survive but by some miracle, she does.
Like the movies, it’s compelling but unbelievable.

Perhaps the best function the novel serves is to highlight our society’s disgusting obsession with and gross exploitation of victims of violence. The novel explicitly asks readers, “what does it say about us that so much of the entertainment we consume is about killing women?”. The plot, too, confirms the harm that movies and media that glorify mass murder can cause. It’s a very necessary conversation, and one that I am glad the horror genre is having. It’s interesting, though, because the novel is so self-aware except about how it might also contribute to the problem. Doesn’t it also exploit the phenomenon of violence against women (and our morbid curiosity about it) for entertainment and profit? 


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leeghlee's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional 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? Yes

3.5


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megansmith's review against another edition

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challenging dark mysterious sad tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.0

I had higher hopes for this book, it was on my list for a long time for some reason and I finally just got it... and it really fell flat for me. 

The main problem I had with it is you could very clearly feel this was a book about women's issues and trauma written by a man. Every female character felt seen only through the lens of a man and men's thinking around women and it was so difficult to read the book for that reason. IE, one example - I don't think the book really figured out if these women liked or disliked being commodified as much as they were. Lynnette hates being in the spotlight but she also solely refers to the people in her group as Final Girls (and that's sentence case, because they're a Thing). 95% of this book was just women hating each other, women hating themselves, and some visual descriptions of torture, with a small bit of a redemption arc for the last 15 pages of a 300+ page book. I think I'd be interested seeing this written through a female gaze but also, this book really ruined that idea for me. 

The plot felt so messy, it felt like the most amount of changes for the suspected killer(s) in any piece of thriller / mystery media I have ever read or seen. There were so many pieces of plot that felt unexplained or small missing details that threw me out of the moment, which sucked. Stephanie just felt so random and sudden and made little sense in this book. And to boot, it truly made no sense to me for how "smart" Lynette was with all the doomsday prepping she did, she still made a bunch of freaking dumb mistakes. Like, she managed to get her own burner phone but had zero concerns using Stephanie's phone as they tried discretely traveling across the country? So. many. inconsistencies. I get flawed characters are flawed for a reason, but this just felt messy and not thought out. 

I will give this book the credit in that I did finish it REALLY quickly, Im not sure if it's because I had a nightmare about myself getting murdered when I had to pause right before bed at the details of Lynette's backstory, or if I was really wanting to know who was behind it all, but I'll let you decide (whoever ends up reading this). There was some solid writing styles, just a badly executed idea that probably should have been written through the female gaze. 

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booksandbabble's review against another edition

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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

4.75


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katyfayyyx's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny hopeful sad tense medium-paced
  • 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

2.75

The problem with this book is that I love the idea of this book I just wished another author has wrote this book because it is just such a good idea but it has been executed so poorly . I am going to be honest I really don't know I feel about this book because I loved the beginning and the ending but I fucking hated the middle and I mean hated it... to the point when I wanted to rip my own eyes out and never read a book again because girl I was in physical pain. So where the fuck does this leave me because I can't give it 3 stars because in my mind that means I have liked and enjoyed this whole book which has not been the case because I fucking hate the middle of this book. Like I think this book would fucking slay as a film and it would make a really good film but I supposed it is supposed to feel like a film so I guess that was done quite well because I feel like anything in this book just take way too long. I am going to say this about how the author has written the women in this book I understand that he is trying to show that trauma makes people deal/act with that in different way but why are they just so mean and some uncalled for and they are just constantly bitching about each other it is like they are out to get each other until the very end but I did think a couple of times this is a reason why man just shouldn't write female because it was kinda painful. It just felt really off.  Another problem I have with this book was that this book was just  all over the place, it is just chaotic but not in a fun and entertaining way just in a confusing way to the point when at times I generally have no fucking clue what is going on in this book. I am not really a fan of how the women interact and it doesn't just make sense sometimes like they are just so mean and malicious to each other when out of everyone they should understand, care and look after each other because they understand what they have all been through but they are just so mean and I hate when I am reading a book and all the women seem to just hate each other and it not in that fun playful way in which you can see that they love each other really but they are just mean and at most times for no reason at all and then they do really nice and loving this that just don't make sense with what we know about them as a character such as taking Michelle home to die so Dani can keep that promise to her because that just so lovely and caring but then Heather is so horrible about not wanting to touch or help Michelle like it just doesn't add up and the one we have been told is horrible which is Marlyin is the one taking control and looking after everyone maybe I am overthinking this because I do really like this book and the overall story but the way these characters are written just isn't sitting right with me. But I think is really nice that they gave Michelle the death she would have wanted but it is just so cruel that Dani wasn't there for her wife all because all this shit is going on.   

Like I did really like beginning of this book as  a huge horror fan with a love for final girls it was just hitting in all the right spots however there are just some things that are just throwing me off like the whole weird flirting bit with the Dr's son when showing him her scars or when she walks into him 'looking' after himself and I don't think if this is a failed attempt at humour what is just not it but it is just so fucking weird. Like, I do like Skye but that was just so fucking strange and off-putting why does every Conversation have this weird sexual overtone-women written by men I guess. 

Like the middle of this book is possibly the worst thing I have ever read like why did this book keep doing dumb shit which means that I didn't like it, like you are telling me that the police believed a serial killer in prison that he killed this girl's whole family because they were fucking and they are going to drag her in and picked on her and take the piss off all her trauma just because they were fucking why was this even a plot point and why the does it matter if they did fuck because it happened 22 years ago, girl shut the fuck up, please for my mental wellbeing. Like has this author ever actually watched a horror film like I would say 95% of final girls boyfriends are the killer (like scream) so why would this matter it was 22 years late and when all her friends were being murder or set up. I was getting so pissed like please use your fucking brain police please just please I just can't do that. I just fell like there are bigger things to worry about at that moment in time. Also I am the only one that thinks that it is not that deep if she did or didn't fuck the killer. I just think this plot point was really fucking dumb, it's make no sense why she was in jail all because she wrote this guy some letter and had nothing to do with the plan and didn't know anything about it But maybe I am just overthink this book and it just not that deep because I did really like this idea of this book but I just don't understand why the author decided to take this book in that directions. Maybe I am just really fucking dumb be her is Lynne only 38 years old like what the fuck I thought she was like 50-60 because the way Lynne acts is not the way a 38 year women would act surely but maybe I am wrong because I am only 19 but I am sure this is not how a nearly 40 year old women would act, shout out to the whole weird side plot about fine the plant because that is just so fucking weird and sad. What was it with the whole thing about Lynne not even been a real final girl like I am not being funny I don't know a lot of people would have survived being impaled for that long but what do I know. I would say in general the things that these characters do just don't make sense. I would also say that the whole Dr being the killer was just such a waste of time she's been helping them for 15 years she would have just killed them it just felt like a waste of time but I did feel kinda sorry for her like she has spend her whole life telling to help her and also female victims of violence just for her sons to be the things that she been helping all these women heal form but she must be a little bit of a shit doctor if she couldn't see the signs in her own son.


I am sorry but what the fuck is going on with Dani like clam the fuck down like why was she just beating the shit out Lynne like she's trying to save everyone and you are beating the shit out her, like you can be pissed at her when you are all safe. I did like that Lynne finally figuring out that she needs other people in her life and that life is not just about being by herself because the times when she actually more safe and happy is with her girls. But girl why did it take you so long. I liked how all the final girls in this book have the story of a classic horror films but then at the same time I think it kinda lazy like get some new and original idea but then I kinda lived for it as well.

I would say that the ending was kinda obvious because I guessed it when the introduce Stephanie as a character I just thought I bet it her like she wants to be the final girl of the final girl and I will the say the ending of this book felt very much like Scream Four and I live for Scream 4 it's the best Scream argue with the wall and Jill is the best ghost face because is just so iconic and I would say that Stephanie gives me Scream 4 vibes but without the iconic part of Jill's character and let's be Skye was just such a cheap shot and it was so obvious like come him wanting to get revenge of his mum for spending all her time with the girls instead of him like that has been done 1000s of times but it was okay, I just didn't really care about him being the second killer and I get why they didn't killed the killers but I kinda wanted to them too but it was not the end of the world to me. The ending just screamed that bit in Scream 4 when Sidney says 'You forgot the first rule of remakes, Jill. Don't fuck with the original' and girl I lived for that okay. Also is no one going to question the fact that no matter now fucked Lynne was she just kept going like is was shot and hit in the head with a sledgehammer passed out for like twenty minutes and got up and fought bitches I have nothing but respect for that. I can't lie. But also how the fuck was she even alive never mind moving, running and fighting. I also did like the fact that the final battle was at the camp because that were the first final girl was born and it will be where the last final girl is killed. I also kinda loved Julia in the end she kinda iconic and I think her love/hate friendship with Lynne was really cute. Also thought it was really cute that Julia stayed at Lynne bedside and they all came a visited her when she was in hospital. Also loved that are final girls were final girling and I love that they are all fighting and helping each other. I just loved that no matter how angry or upset they were each other they still care and fought and came through for each other when it counted and you know what no matter how old and irrelevant they are (which they were not) never count a final girl out and just don't fuck with them because they are bad bitches only. I also loved that at the end you know they are going to be okay and that are happy and they are all living and healing together and I just thought that was really cute.

So in summary there is one rule for this book just don't fuck with final girls because you can never beat the originals also that was such a power move at the ending visiting Stephanie in prison just so they can have a final girl support club meeting

The Final Girl Support Group XXIV:A New Beginning 
"I know what happened to those girls. They turn into women. And they live."

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nicheinterests's review against another edition

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dark 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

4.5


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rustmaiden's review against another edition

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adventurous 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

3.5


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