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A review by amandadevoursbooks
My Heart Is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones
challenging
dark
emotional
sad
tense
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
4.0
I loved the only good indians. So I was excited to pick this book up. We follow Jade who is almost about to graduate from high school but she's one class shy. She lives with her dad her mom's not really involved in her life and she works as a janitor in the school system that she attended. It's set in a town built on secrets. It's at the edge of a national forest and there's developers in town building new houses.
Jade's narration is chaotic, and I found it difficult to track at times. She's obsessed with horror films and slashers and she is convinced that there is a slasher cycles starting in her hometown. While she does her best to communicate the danger the adults around her don't believe her and neither do the other teenagers.
This book started slow, and like a Gothic it built up speed until it was barreling down the tracks towards the end. Unlike a Gothic, the setting itself wasn't oppressive.
It also had an interesting narrative structure. The chapters were broken up between jade narrating present day and papers that Jade had turned into her history teacher. This works to break up the tension and also to reinforce Jade's knowledge and perception of this being a slasher cycle.
If you're a person that likes horror films and knows a lot about them this book might resonate a little bit more. I feel like as a person who only is tangentially aware of horror films and who primarily reads horror instead of watching it I think some of the illusions and the meanings were lost on me.
Like all good horror it has a lot to say about the state of the world. It tackles classism, racism, and sexism, all while telling and entertaining slasher story.
I'm looking forward to the second book.
Jade's narration is chaotic, and I found it difficult to track at times. She's obsessed with horror films and slashers and she is convinced that there is a slasher cycles starting in her hometown. While she does her best to communicate the danger the adults around her don't believe her and neither do the other teenagers.
This book started slow, and like a Gothic it built up speed until it was barreling down the tracks towards the end. Unlike a Gothic, the setting itself wasn't oppressive.
It also had an interesting narrative structure. The chapters were broken up between jade narrating present day and papers that Jade had turned into her history teacher. This works to break up the tension and also to reinforce Jade's knowledge and perception of this being a slasher cycle.
If you're a person that likes horror films and knows a lot about them this book might resonate a little bit more. I feel like as a person who only is tangentially aware of horror films and who primarily reads horror instead of watching it I think some of the illusions and the meanings were lost on me.
Like all good horror it has a lot to say about the state of the world. It tackles classism, racism, and sexism, all while telling and entertaining slasher story.
I'm looking forward to the second book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Gore, Suicide attempt, Violence, Colonisation, Sexual assault, and Murder
Moderate: Sexual assault and Sexual violence