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A review by snarkycrafter
The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
There were elements of this book that were good and enjoyable for me, too many things irked me for me to give it a higher rating.
I found none of the characters likable, and I recognize that the author may have written them this way on purpose, but it was still hard to read a book without liking any of the characters.
The female characters all played into a “trad wife” narrative/stereotype which grated on me. They all seemed bored and unhappy, they were all being mistreated, gaslit, and/or abused by their husbands, and continuously accepted their husbands’ views and opinions as their own. I understand that this is a sad and difficult reality for many women, but it didn’t make it easier to read about in the way it was portrayed in this book.
The fact that he preyed on the poor community of color first…and (most of) the white women refused to help until it directly affected them. That was very much “on the nose”.
There were parts that were very enjoyable but others that were painful and cringey to read through. If someone were to ask me if they should read it, I’d say to give it a shot, but I wouldn’t recommend it as someone’s next read.
I found none of the characters likable, and I recognize that the author may have written them this way on purpose, but it was still hard to read a book without liking any of the characters.
The female characters all played into a “trad wife” narrative/stereotype which grated on me. They all seemed bored and unhappy, they were all being mistreated, gaslit, and/or abused by their husbands, and continuously accepted their husbands’ views and opinions as their own. I understand that this is a sad and difficult reality for many women, but it didn’t make it easier to read about in the way it was portrayed in this book.
The fact that he preyed on the poor community of color first…and (most of) the white women refused to help until it directly affected them. That was very much “on the nose”.
There were parts that were very enjoyable but others that were painful and cringey to read through. If someone were to ask me if they should read it, I’d say to give it a shot, but I wouldn’t recommend it as someone’s next read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexism
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Pedophilia, Racism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence