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A review by pastelwriter
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
“I didn’t really grow up traditional.”
“I think tradition found you just the same.”
Well. Well. Well.
It took me almost a month to sit down to write my thoughts on this book. The shortest way to explain this is that this book emotionally devastated me, and I just needed to sit with that for a long time.
The talent of Stephen Graham Jones as a writer is just undeniable. He managed to make me care so deeply for what happened to characters I didn't even like, and I can't get over it.
First and foremost, as I was reading this, I grew incredibly attached to the first character we follow closely. Lewis was anything but perfect, but I found him an incredibly sympathetic character. I wanted so badly to see him succeed to see him turn things around. So So So Badly. So badly that some of the things he did I just kept repeating to myself, "It's not true. He wouldn't do that. He wouldn't." He seriously fucked me up. I was crying. I was distraught. I couldn't sleep. I loved Lewis so much.
So, after the author devastated me via Lewis, I thought it proper to build a wall around my heart. I told myself "I don't really like Gabe and Cass. Really. I don't. No matter what happens, I'll be fine." But then events transpire that even as I repeated that I didn't care. . . I was crying. I felt like my heart was going to burst out of my chest. I felt like I was watching a train wreck and was helpless to stop it. It was just so much. It felt never-ending. Just misery upon misery upon misery.
Truly, the horror of this book is just something that crawls under your skin. I couldn't not think about what I was reading. It wouldn't leave me in peace. I kept thinking about it because it was so horrible. It was so horrible because what happens feels beyond the precipice of what was deserved. But then I also understood where our antagonist was coming from. . . So, I just couldn't help but feel like screaming into the abyss was the only thing I could do.
The tension in this book is just wonderful. It is so well crafted. The tension ebbed and flowed in a perfect way to make you curious to see what horrifying thing would happen next even while dreading what it would be. Just. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.
Finally, the symbolism of it all? I'm sure I didn't catch everything in this book. But hell. I will always be weak for horror clearly exploring themes and incorporating symbolism into its narrative. That is the horror that fuels me. That digs deep and refuses to leave me.
Ugh. Just. Go read this. I loved it so much!
“I think tradition found you just the same.”
Well. Well. Well.
It took me almost a month to sit down to write my thoughts on this book. The shortest way to explain this is that this book emotionally devastated me, and I just needed to sit with that for a long time.
The talent of Stephen Graham Jones as a writer is just undeniable. He managed to make me care so deeply for what happened to characters I didn't even like, and I can't get over it.
First and foremost, as I was reading this, I grew incredibly attached to the first character we follow closely. Lewis was anything but perfect, but I found him an incredibly sympathetic character. I wanted so badly to see him succeed to see him turn things around. So So So Badly. So badly that some of the things he did I just kept repeating to myself, "It's not true. He wouldn't do that. He wouldn't." He seriously fucked me up. I was crying. I was distraught. I couldn't sleep. I loved Lewis so much.
So, after the author devastated me via Lewis, I thought it proper to build a wall around my heart. I told myself "I don't really like Gabe and Cass. Really. I don't. No matter what happens, I'll be fine." But then events transpire that even as I repeated that I didn't care. . . I was crying. I felt like my heart was going to burst out of my chest. I felt like I was watching a train wreck and was helpless to stop it. It was just so much. It felt never-ending. Just misery upon misery upon misery.
Truly, the horror of this book is just something that crawls under your skin. I couldn't not think about what I was reading. It wouldn't leave me in peace. I kept thinking about it because it was so horrible. It was so horrible because what happens feels beyond the precipice of what was deserved. But then I also understood where our antagonist was coming from. . . So, I just couldn't help but feel like screaming into the abyss was the only thing I could do.
The tension in this book is just wonderful. It is so well crafted. The tension ebbed and flowed in a perfect way to make you curious to see what horrifying thing would happen next even while dreading what it would be. Just. Perfect. Perfect. Perfect.
Finally, the symbolism of it all? I'm sure I didn't catch everything in this book. But hell. I will always be weak for horror clearly exploring themes and incorporating symbolism into its narrative. That is the horror that fuels me. That digs deep and refuses to leave me.
Ugh. Just. Go read this. I loved it so much!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Gore, Racism, Violence, and Blood
Moderate: Alcoholism
There are also scenes of mutilation in this book, so keep that in mind.