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A review by savvylit
My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
My Heart is a Chainsaw has an excellent concept as a meta-slasher story. The action and homages to films are both effective and quite horrific. That being said, this book was almost a DNF for me. It was interminably long. At 150 pages in, I was absolutely drowning in slasher references - yet hardly anything else had happened. The drawn-out beginning certainly served to characterize Jade and immerse readers in her obsession with slasher films. However, I truly believe that it did not have to go on for quite that long. Jade's backstory and interactions with Mr. Holmes & Sheriff Hardy could have been cut back by at least 100 pages.
The length and lack of action for so much of the book made it excruciating to read at times. However, the action, when it finally does happen, nearly makes it worth the wait. It's perfect: so gruesome, gory, and scary. I also liked the way Jade's tragic story was tied together at the conclusion. Honestly, though, the last 100 pages are so well done that the juxtaposition between that section and the beginning made me even more frustrated that it took so long to get there!
As you can tell, the pacing and length of My Heart is a Chainsaw were disappointing to me. Especially since I'd really enjoyed Jones' The Only Good Indians last year. I still love the way that Jones blends myth with reality and think of him as a master of horror. But this book was just frustrating to read.
The length and lack of action for so much of the book made it excruciating to read at times. However, the action, when it finally does happen, nearly makes it worth the wait. It's perfect: so gruesome, gory, and scary. I also liked the way Jade's tragic story was tied together at the conclusion. Honestly, though, the last 100 pages are so well done that the juxtaposition between that section and the beginning made me even more frustrated that it took so long to get there!
As you can tell, the pacing and length of My Heart is a Chainsaw were disappointing to me. Especially since I'd really enjoyed Jones' The Only Good Indians last year. I still love the way that Jones blends myth with reality and think of him as a master of horror. But this book was just frustrating to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Death, Incest, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Self harm, Murder, and Gore