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A review by missbreathing
Don't Fear the Reaper by Stephen Graham Jones
dark
emotional
mysterious
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? Yes
5.0
I loved everything about it! I loved Chainsaw, and I had high hopes for the sequel, and this still blew those expectations away.
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All the stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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I’ll try to summarize some thoughts, keeping in mind that I could never do my love for it justice:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
This starts off strong and stays that way the entire 400+ pages. Since we don’t really get the emotional aftermath of the big event at the end of “Chainsaw”, the first 30 or so pages served as a much needed catharsis. I cried lots (but this might just be a me thing 😂).
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
In true SGJ fashion, the character work is spectacular. He’s able to get into the minds of even the most heinous of characters and paint them as realistic and dimensional people. The growth and arcs of the established characters was amazing, and I loved seeing them interact.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The writing is superb. I dare say this is SGJ’s best. He has the subtlest way of cutting to the bone. Just one line has the power to take my breath away. There’s strong symbolism and memorable, cinematic imagery that fits perfectly into the horror/slasher tradition. This sequel also manages to keep the meta lens that makes “Chainsaw” so distinctive while still keeping it fresh and nuanced. This is one of those books that works so well on so many levels that it demands to be studied, not just read.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
And the ending! I’ll be getting over that for the rest of my life.
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Jade. Fucking. Daniels. What a character! She is one of the best characters the horror genre has seen in ages. I love her, I feel for her, and I will always root for her.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I can’t wait to see how this trilogy ends! (But also, I totally can because I am not ready to say goodbye.)
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
All the stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I’ll try to summarize some thoughts, keeping in mind that I could never do my love for it justice:
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
This starts off strong and stays that way the entire 400+ pages. Since we don’t really get the emotional aftermath of the big event at the end of “Chainsaw”, the first 30 or so pages served as a much needed catharsis. I cried lots (but this might just be a me thing 😂).
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
In true SGJ fashion, the character work is spectacular. He’s able to get into the minds of even the most heinous of characters and paint them as realistic and dimensional people. The growth and arcs of the established characters was amazing, and I loved seeing them interact.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
The writing is superb. I dare say this is SGJ’s best. He has the subtlest way of cutting to the bone. Just one line has the power to take my breath away. There’s strong symbolism and memorable, cinematic imagery that fits perfectly into the horror/slasher tradition. This sequel also manages to keep the meta lens that makes “Chainsaw” so distinctive while still keeping it fresh and nuanced. This is one of those books that works so well on so many levels that it demands to be studied, not just read.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
And the ending! I’ll be getting over that for the rest of my life.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Jade. Fucking. Daniels. What a character! She is one of the best characters the horror genre has seen in ages. I love her, I feel for her, and I will always root for her.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
I can’t wait to see how this trilogy ends! (But also, I totally can because I am not ready to say goodbye.)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore
Minor: Adult/minor relationship