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kiannaamaya's review against another edition
4.0
this book was a little hard for me to follow and it took me longer to read than it should have, but for the most part i enjoyed it. this story was very clever. it’s just not exactly what i expected from a horror book. i’m not even sure if i can describe exactly how i feel about this one. i would still recommend this to someone, just not as a introduction to the world of horror.
i will give this a 3.75 stars.
i will give this a 3.75 stars.
afennelly's review against another edition
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
earl_greater's review against another edition
dark
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
4.5
Though the first point of view shift was jarring, the story was dark and well-written. I can generally see twists and turns coming, especially in the horror genre, but “The Only Good Indians” had me gasping and surprised in a bunch of different places.
jujubean1989's review against another edition
3.0
I liked parts of the story and other parts were so hard to comprehend. I feel like the author injected so much in between plot points that it became jumbled. I am Native American so I can relate to many of the characters in this book and I enjoyed the character build up. When I got to the horror parts it felt as if I was reading a separate story. I did enjoy the horror story, I mean this is one of the first Native American horror stories I've ever read besides actual history. I just think it could have been simplified with some editing and been more readable/consumable to people like me who love to read a book really fast so I can spend the rest of the day thinking about it. But I honestly didn't catch a lot of the subtexts so I was left wondering if I even understood what I just read.
cinemazombie's review against another edition
5.0
Horror is an interesting genre to me because you can make almost any situation terrifying if you know how to spin it. It is also a genre where that flexibility of setting leaves it vulnerable to misuse - heavy-handed metaphors can become literal ('the monster IS racism!') and our heroes can triumph by literally killing their problems (or be killed by them).
Stephen Graham Jones does not have that problem. This is easily one of the most effectively scary books I have ever read. By shifting to multiple perspectives, he avoids the issue of 'the narrator can't die, the book will end!', so you have that genuine tension. His characters are relatable while also making dumb (and scary) choices, and he is not hesitant to plunge deep into gory details. With all that, his story has an excellent horror grounding that flows seamlessly with the social issues it tackles. And he has the raw talent to make a scene with a game of pickup basketball a nerve-shredding page-turner.
Stephen Graham Jones does not have that problem. This is easily one of the most effectively scary books I have ever read. By shifting to multiple perspectives, he avoids the issue of 'the narrator can't die, the book will end!', so you have that genuine tension. His characters are relatable while also making dumb (and scary) choices, and he is not hesitant to plunge deep into gory details. With all that, his story has an excellent horror grounding that flows seamlessly with the social issues it tackles. And he has the raw talent to make a scene with a game of pickup basketball a nerve-shredding page-turner.
ellenhawkins's review against another edition
2.0
I'm really surprised that this book is considered horror. I feel like it should have been a lot scarier to fit that category, but then I'm no horror expert. There some things I loved about this book, especially the premise itself. A crime against nature so heinous that nature seeks to avenge itself is a great idea for a story. I also liked reading something from the perspective of Native Americans, even though some references were obscure for me.
My main complaint is that the book did not live up to its potential. I wanted more suspense and fear. The monster was revealed too soon rendering it less scary. And showing things from the monster's perspective so early on was a mistake in my opinion (again, making things less scary). I am very easy to scare, and this book did not scare me at all.
My main complaint is that the book did not live up to its potential. I wanted more suspense and fear. The monster was revealed too soon rendering it less scary. And showing things from the monster's perspective so early on was a mistake in my opinion (again, making things less scary). I am very easy to scare, and this book did not scare me at all.
shuryk's review against another edition
dark
medium-paced
2.0
This was a book about basketball with a ghost story in the background. The ghost story was good at least.
mommaslonglegs's review against another edition
4.0
This was a wild wild ride I for one was not ready. Would recommend but three things to note: This reads like a native legend, it was probably one of the most difficult books I've read, and you gotta just trust the process it is confusing but you will catch on
sim_4520's review against another edition
1.0
I don't like the plot of the book and the writing style.