Reviews with content warning for Xenophobia - The Only Good Indians

I consider myself lucky to have this novel be my first thriller ever. The Only Good Indians bridges together the stylized and individualized stories of its bold characters within the familiar trappings of modern horror. Where others may see tropes, I see a textured blend of cultural identity, timeless folklore, and frightening storytelling.

Years after hunting on forbidden grounds, four friends find their lives interspersed with paranoia, guilt, and trauma as they begin wondering whether the mysterious elk they see are truly haunting them in the periphery of their seemingly established lives. Taking place mostly on the Blackfeet Reservation and surrounding areas in Montana, the snow-covered ground sets a blank canvas for the fears of each member of the original hunting party. Drawing from Blackfeet and Crow folklore, Stephen Graham Jones' novel is as impactful and greusome as it is pensive and lighthearted.

I won't spoil much of what happens since suspense is a key element of the story, but if you like impactful stories written from a culturally immersive perspective that include elements of male friendships, basketball, creepy elk, and all-around terror, this should be your next read.

Content Warnings

keen's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I've learned more about basketball from this book than I ever had in my entire life. I'm pretty sure watching several basketball games wouldn't teach me this much about basketball. How correct this information is, I don't know, but Jones must have a lot of love for it to be mentioned so often. So, if you're a basketball fan and a horror fan, this book was probably made for you specifically. Not that any of this is bad. The focus has its purpose and serves it very well to the end.

A few times, I felt like the book wasn't scary to me. Body horror, paranoia, animal mutilation, been there, done that. Each and every time, after I got comfortable, I'd be thrown off with a punch. And I loved it! Books that make me forget I'm reading a horror book add so much more to the horror. If I'm scared and nervous all the time, the effect will wear off too soon. I've never read a horror story like this either, giving my favorite horror tropes a new twist. If you like body horror mixed with animals, give this book a look.

Reading this book with my friend (who doesn't consume much horror) made the experience so much more enjoyable. We pointed out our ideas on how the book would go, the meanings within the book, and our responses to each scene. I'm excited to go through the Reader's Group Guide with her.

Additionally, Big props to Shaun Taylor-Corbett for such a good audiobook performance. It got to the point where I preferred reading along with the audiobook to reading the book without it. His ability to change his intonation for each character is something to admire. The more I listen to good audiobook performances, the more I wonder what kind of training goes into it. For Taylor-Corbett, his experience as an actor—I actually recognized his voice from the musical In the Heights—must have helped a lot.

Content Warnings