A review by scarwilde
My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones

dark tense medium-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

4.25

A difficult read at times, because our main character is such a troubled, traumatized mess of a teenager, but for all that, she's not unrelatable. She's funny and daring and bright, and so awkward and down on herself, it hurts. I've seen a lot of slasher movies, but there were still some referenced in here that I've never even heard of, so this book has left me with some homework to do.

There are enough moments that leave you off-balance, never sure whether to think Jade is going in the right direction, that the end still manages to be a surprise. And oh, that ending--cinematic in scope and rollercoaster-fast. I've been reading a lot of bleak history lately, and this was a machete-wielding snack of a book, drenched in blood and lake water. Just what I wanted it to be.
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