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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I hate when I don't like a book as much as I want to.
Don't Fear the Reaper has some absolute highs: Jones's knowledge and use of the visual language/shorthand of horror movies and his wildly cinematic kills are as good as ever, and Jade and Letha are scream queens up there with the best of them. Their arcs (individually and together) continue to be fantastic. Letha taking up Jade's mantle and steeping herself in slasher lore as a form of protection and survival in response to the trauma of the Independence Day Massacre, embracing horror for all the ways it can save her? Jade trying to forget and erase that knowledge from herself for all the ways it didn't save her in the previous book, before accepting that this is who she is for a reason? Truly great stuff.
Jade is unquestionably the heart of this trilogy, and I think the story this time did not always do justice to that. Too many POV shifts, too many characters, an overly complicated plot, somewhat disappointing final reveals/resolutions...I could go on. Dark Mill South especially seemed like an odd addition; he never quite fit into the action for me and almost felt like a distraction for the sake of so much misdirection that never really paid off. I would have liked a tighter focus on our Proofrock heroes and villains — really just a tighter everything, period.
Will absolutely still read the 3rd book, but I'm hoping it re-centers Jade as the Final Girl we need and deserve and lets her go out with a bang.
Don't Fear the Reaper has some absolute highs: Jones's knowledge and use of the visual language/shorthand of horror movies and his wildly cinematic kills are as good as ever, and Jade and Letha are scream queens up there with the best of them. Their arcs (individually and together) continue to be fantastic. Letha taking up Jade's mantle and steeping herself in slasher lore as a form of protection and survival in response to the trauma of the Independence Day Massacre, embracing horror for all the ways it can save her? Jade trying to forget and erase that knowledge from herself for all the ways it didn't save her in the previous book, before accepting that this is who she is for a reason? Truly great stuff.
Jade is unquestionably the heart of this trilogy, and I think the story this time did not always do justice to that. Too many POV shifts, too many characters, an overly complicated plot, somewhat disappointing final reveals/resolutions...I could go on. Dark Mill South especially seemed like an odd addition; he never quite fit into the action for me and almost felt like a distraction for the sake of so much misdirection that never really paid off. I would have liked a tighter focus on our Proofrock heroes and villains — really just a tighter everything, period.
Will absolutely still read the 3rd book, but I'm hoping it re-centers Jade as the Final Girl we need and deserve and lets her go out with a bang.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
In this follow-up to My Heart is a Chainsaw, we open the narrative up to multiple POV characters, all of whom contribute to a bit of unreliable narration. While the central story is gripping and moves along, we end with a lot of uncertainty regarding what actually happened. Is it possible that Dark Mill South killed NO ONE in Proofrock? . I felt that this sequel spent a lot of time gazing back at the events of the first book without bringing those insights to resolution. Is it a good read/listen? You bet, but it’s held back by some unclear meandering.
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
dark
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
There is just something so intensely epic about Stephen Graham Jones' stories. All I can say is that I am glad that this is a trilogy, so hopefully, we have more Jade Daniels to look forward to.
dark
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:
Complicated
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes