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A review by coffinfinite
My Best Friend's Exorcism by Grady Hendrix
dark
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I went into My Best Friend's Exorcism expecting a fun horror romp with some 80s nostalgia. Instead I found a harrowing tale of evengelical Christian purity culture amplified by the satanic panic of that same era. While the nostalgia element was still present for the pop culture of the time, the oppressive nature of the 80's Southern American values and prejudices are what really power the story of Gretchen Lang's possession and the havoc that it wreaks upon the lives of her friends.
The friendship between Gretchen and perspective protagonist Abby is what lends the book much of its emotional weight. Together they face injustice and violence at the hands of the incompetent and sometimes malicious adults who control their lives, and the sense of hopelessness that grows as the book progresses is palpable, and where much of the true horror comes from. By the book's conclusion I was far more frightened by the small minded mentality of the story's town than I was of the literal demon sowing chaos there.
I would highly recommend this book to those who love Final Girl horror, to those who enjoyed both The Exorcist and Mean Girls, and to anyone who wants to see why purity culture is a far bigger threat to young women than Satan.
The friendship between Gretchen and perspective protagonist Abby is what lends the book much of its emotional weight. Together they face injustice and violence at the hands of the incompetent and sometimes malicious adults who control their lives, and the sense of hopelessness that grows as the book progresses is palpable, and where much of the true horror comes from. By the book's conclusion I was far more frightened by the small minded mentality of the story's town than I was of the literal demon sowing chaos there.
I would highly recommend this book to those who love Final Girl horror, to those who enjoyed both The Exorcist and Mean Girls, and to anyone who wants to see why purity culture is a far bigger threat to young women than Satan.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Self harm, Sexism, Vomit, and Violence
Moderate: Sexual violence
Minor: Alcoholism, Drug use, Gun violence, Homophobia, Mass/school shootings, and Rape