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A review by jenniferpalmblad
The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix
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
4.0
Ok so… I actually kind of loved this book. Horror is not my thing, but basing the characters on final girls from the larges and most recognisable slasher movie franchises made gave it an instant edge. From the very start I felt connected to these women (even Lynette, having never heard of Silent Night Deadly Night) and wanted to learn all about their lives in the aftermath of their horrible experiences that landed them in the support group. I felt the instant loss of Adrienne, grieving her very early demise. Hendrix really doesn’t waste any time getting the action and chaos going.
I appreciated the social commentary on how we view violence against women as entertainment. It’s fucked up, yet I myself thoroughly enjoy learning about true crime- having watched more YouTube videos and Netflix adaptations than I’d like to admit. The women in this book are the storytellers, they control the narrative and are active participants in everything that happens. We learn about their monsters, but ultimately I don’t recall their names as much as I do Dani, Julia, Marilyn, Heather, and even Chrissy. And I think that will be a lasting impression.
Halloween is about Michael Myers. Nightmare on Elm Street is the story of Freddy Krueger. Texas Chainsaw Massacre is synonymous with Bubba. A lot of these franchises focus on the male perpetrators, that’s how they’re remembered. It’ll be interesting to see how the film adaption of Final Girl Support Group handles this. At the moment, I’m hopeful.
This was overall a great read that left very little room for one to breathe in between horrifying events. There was a part where I was genuinely frightened, which I didn’t expect. I’m very happy I decided to pick up this book.
I appreciated the social commentary on how we view violence against women as entertainment. It’s fucked up, yet I myself thoroughly enjoy learning about true crime- having watched more YouTube videos and Netflix adaptations than I’d like to admit. The women in this book are the storytellers, they control the narrative and are active participants in everything that happens. We learn about their monsters, but ultimately I don’t recall their names as much as I do Dani, Julia, Marilyn, Heather, and even Chrissy. And I think that will be a lasting impression.
Halloween is about Michael Myers. Nightmare on Elm Street is the story of Freddy Krueger. Texas Chainsaw Massacre is synonymous with Bubba. A lot of these franchises focus on the male perpetrators, that’s how they’re remembered. It’ll be interesting to see how the film adaption of Final Girl Support Group handles this. At the moment, I’m hopeful.
This was overall a great read that left very little room for one to breathe in between horrifying events. There was a part where I was genuinely frightened, which I didn’t expect. I’m very happy I decided to pick up this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Death, Gore, Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Mass/school shootings, Stalking, Murder, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Drug use, Eating disorder, Blood, Grief, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Alcohol