Reviews tagging 'Mental illness'

The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix

199 reviews

ccoterie's review

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.

alexdefel513's review

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? It's complicated

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Car accident, Death, Gun violence, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Violence, and Stalking

Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Mental illness, Addiction, Alcoholism, and Ableism

tiffanne11's review against another edition

tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

2.75

The first 70% or so of this book was a great thriller. Our cast of characters are "final girls", reminiscent of the last one standing in a slasher film but they lived through these traumas. The main character, Lynnette, copes with excessive paranoia, locking herself away and not getting attached to anyone. 
Everything changes when one of the members of their group is killed. No one is sure who they can trust and Lynnette runs. 
The majority of the book is building up this tension about who is hunting the final girls and why. As a reader, you are wondering if it is all in her head or if there is a killer out there orchestrating this whole thing. 
Unfortunately, the "reveal" makes no sense. It's not evidenced in the text. You couldn't figure it out, and that is not what makes a good twist. A good twist is one that makes all of the pieces slot in together and make sense. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Murder, Medical trauma, Mass/school shootings, Gun violence, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Gore, Mental illness, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Ableism, Suicidal thoughts, Death, Vomit, Violence, Torture, Kidnapping, and Death of parent

tabea1409's review

adventurous 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? It's complicated

3.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Medical content, Gaslighting, Death of parent, Cursing, Mass/school shootings, Death, Animal death, Kidnapping, Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Mental illness, Drug use, Animal cruelty, Addiction, Alcoholism, Toxic relationship, Grief, Cancer, Stalking, Injury/Injury detail, Gun violence, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Emotional abuse, Drug abuse, and Child death

narbine's review against another edition

dark emotional 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

3.25

interesting premise. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Murder, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Misogyny, Torture, Death, Abandonment, Blood, Mental illness, and Grief

Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Alcohol, Alcoholism, Child death, and Stalking

mothmania's review

dark emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cancer, Grief, Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Violence, Gore, Child death, Mental illness, Murder, Death of parent, Panic attacks/disorders, Terminal illness, Blood, and Gun violence

Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Cannibalism, Addiction, Car accident, Misogyny, Stalking, Drug abuse, and Medical content

cssquared's review

adventurous dark emotional mysterious reflective 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 had high expectations and it lived up to the hype. The characters were highly developed and the story was exciting. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Addiction, Child death, Kidnapping, Medical content, Mental illness, Stalking, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Body horror, Death, Murder, Violence, Torture, Domestic abuse, Injury/Injury detail, Vomit, Drug abuse, Gore, and Toxic friendship

Moderate: Rape

thelittleone's review

dark mysterious tense fast-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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Death, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Mass/school shootings, Violence, Blood, and Child death

Moderate: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, and Death of parent

Minor: Drug abuse

sarah_mcmullan_nz's review against another edition

dark slow-paced

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

1.0

If you're not  a horror movie fan maybe, if you are NOPE

As someone who makes their living out of watching and writing about horror films, this book was incredibly frustrating to read. 
In all honesty, I think I enjoyed trying to figure out who the characters were supposed to be way more than reading this poorly written, sloppily plotted incredibly obvious story. 
Having said that - don't waste your time. 

There are far better horror books, books about final girls and final girl films out there. Find them. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Kidnapping, Blood, Drug abuse, Cancer, Cannibalism, Death, Death of parent, Toxic relationship, Child death, Gaslighting, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Sexual assault, Addiction, Panic attacks/disorders, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Torture, and Toxic friendship

justaddwater's review

adventurous dark funny fast-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? Yes

4.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Grief, Adult/minor relationship, Panic attacks/disorders, Murder, Emotional abuse, Torture, Gore, Mass/school shootings, Addiction, Confinement, Car accident, Death, Gaslighting, Gun violence, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Stalking, Kidnapping, and Blood