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mfrisk's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I really wanted to enjoy this book - I love a cheesy horror movie with slasher elements and figured this would also delve into how that intersects with how we consumer true crime and survivor stories.
I kept waiting and waiting for more exciting moments to happen in this book but the beginning really dragged, the middle felt like it was headed somewhere, but then ultimately the ending was disappointing and overly reliant on tropes and cheesy lines.
Additionally, there wasn’t really any discussion or thought put into the discussion of true crime, survivor stories, and how the media shapes how we view these events.
The whole book felt like an unfortunate missed opportunity.
I kept waiting and waiting for more exciting moments to happen in this book but the beginning really dragged, the middle felt like it was headed somewhere, but then ultimately the ending was disappointing and overly reliant on tropes and cheesy lines.
Additionally, there wasn’t really any discussion or thought put into the discussion of true crime, survivor stories, and how the media shapes how we view these events.
The whole book felt like an unfortunate missed opportunity.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality, Sexual assault, Drug use, Blood, Death, Drug abuse, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Alcoholism, Fatphobia, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Mental illness, Misogyny, Violence, and Toxic relationship
savvyrosereads's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Quincy was the sole survivor of a massacre at Pine Cottage, placing her in the ranks of the “Final Girls”—women who lived through mass murder attempts—but she has no memory of the events of that night. When the first Final Girl, Lisa, is found dead, Quincy is pushed into a journey that will ultimately lead her to the truth, but may just put her in a murderer’s crosshairs once again.
I’m a big Riley Sager fan and I’ve heard a lot of good things about this one, so I was super excited to get started—especially as the synopsis seemed to promise a great slasher/horror movie vibe. But, as much as I enjoyed the writing, the first 2/3 of the book wasn’t really what I expected, and I felt like the plot dragged a bit. I wasn’t quite bored, but I wasn’t quite as entertained as I wanted to be, either.
That said, the book shifted into an entirely different tone for the final 1/3, and I flew through the ending, which I really enjoyed! Overall, if you want a unique, well-written thriller that is a fairly quick read, this is a good choice! Just make sure you hang in until the end to get the full pay-off of the plot and reveals.
Recommended for anyone, but especially if you like: slasher thriller but make it a slow burn; women finding their power; unlikable/morally gray characters.
CW: Blood/death/murder; mentions of sexual assault/child sexual abuse; mental illness/trauma/self-medication; discussion of suicide.
Quincy was the sole survivor of a massacre at Pine Cottage, placing her in the ranks of the “Final Girls”—women who lived through mass murder attempts—but she has no memory of the events of that night. When the first Final Girl, Lisa, is found dead, Quincy is pushed into a journey that will ultimately lead her to the truth, but may just put her in a murderer’s crosshairs once again.
I’m a big Riley Sager fan and I’ve heard a lot of good things about this one, so I was super excited to get started—especially as the synopsis seemed to promise a great slasher/horror movie vibe. But, as much as I enjoyed the writing, the first 2/3 of the book wasn’t really what I expected, and I felt like the plot dragged a bit. I wasn’t quite bored, but I wasn’t quite as entertained as I wanted to be, either.
That said, the book shifted into an entirely different tone for the final 1/3, and I flew through the ending, which I really enjoyed! Overall, if you want a unique, well-written thriller that is a fairly quick read, this is a good choice! Just make sure you hang in until the end to get the full pay-off of the plot and reveals.
Recommended for anyone, but especially if you like: slasher thriller but make it a slow burn; women finding their power; unlikable/morally gray characters.
CW: Blood/death/murder; mentions of sexual assault/child sexual abuse; mental illness/trauma/self-medication; discussion of suicide.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
Moderate: Child abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Mental illness, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Suicide
boundforinfinity's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
A genuinely impressive book that surprised and excited me.
Quincy's Final Girls are comprised of three, majorly smart victims. No not victims. Survivors. Quincy Carpenter, Lisa Milner and Samantha Boyd are standout, independent, strong female characters that thrill the reader.
Quincy's Final Girls are comprised of three, majorly smart victims. No not victims. Survivors. Quincy Carpenter, Lisa Milner and Samantha Boyd are standout, independent, strong female characters that thrill the reader.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Panic attacks/disorders, Medical content, Gore, Sexual assault, Suicide attempt, Mental illness, Suicide, Medical trauma, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Self harm, Sexual harassment, Stalking, Gun violence, Genocide, Forced institutionalization, Death, Blood, Mass/school shootings, Grief, Alcoholism, and Alcohol
ecn's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Nothing really kept me drawn to this book other than the will to finish it. Not the worst but not great.
You can tell a man wrote it, which I think says enough about certain scenes and characters.
You can tell a man wrote it, which I think says enough about certain scenes and characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug use, Emotional abuse, Toxic friendship, Addiction, Alcohol, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Death, Alcoholism, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Blood, Torture, and Murder
Moderate: Suicide attempt and Suicide
phantasmaboo's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Final Girls: A Novel by Riley Sager tells the story of Quincy, who is the lone survivor of an attack that left many of her friends dead in college. She is labelled a Final Girl, making her part of a group of young women who survived attempts to murder them. Quincy seems to have some stability in her life when one of the other Final Girls, Lisa, is found dead from an apparent suicide. Couple with the arrival of the third Final Girl, Samantha, on her doorstep one day, Quincy is quickly thrown down the rabbit hole as Sam tries to get her to remember her past and discover who she truly is.
This is really the first thriller book that I have read in a long while and I found the experience to be quite enjoyable. I didn't really consider a "page-turner", as I put it down and forgot about it for several months, but now that I've finished it, I'm glad I did. Sager has several high points to this book that represent the genre well. They include:
Complicated Characters
In my reading, I didn't really find many of the characters too likeable, but I thought that was a strength. I am glad that Sager stayed away from creating the "perfect victim" in Quincy and, instead, represented her flaws for what they were: reactions to the trauma that she endured. I also liked that because Quincy has distinct and arguably serious character flaws, as it adds to the suspense of the story. At times, it was unclear whether Quincy could be relied on to tell the story and accurately reflect on her experiences. I found myself questioning Quincy a lot and I thought that was the main strength of this story.
Compelling Plot and Pace (for the most part)
I thought that the plot and pace when it revolved around Quincy figuring out what happened to her and investigating Sam. Unfortunately, that happens mostly in the last 1/3 of the book. Still, I think that it was enough to make it a highlight. The book is fairly easy read and has a moderate pace, which I think it fitting.
Nice Twist at the End
There are some reviews that have said that they "knew what happened" from the very beginning, but I was really surprised! Maybe it's because I do not read this genre all that often, but I thought the surprise at the end was great and probably what saved this book for me.
That being said, there are a few areas that impacted my review negatively. Among them being:
Diversity
There is a distinct lack of diversity in this book, so if you are looking for a book that will represent diverse perspectives, this probably isn't it. The book is very white-centered. The only person of color that I can remember is **minor spoiler** a drug addict who is attacked , which is disappointing to say the least. I don't even think that Quincy is best represented as a white woman throughout the text either. She, and Sam, are constantly defined by the men in their lives and their relationships to them. For example, I was disappointed that a lot of Quincy's relationships with men were constructed so shallowly even though presumably she had deep connections to them (i.e., they were based on sex rather than intimacy). I found that Quincy was treated as more of an object than a person at points, even with her very real faults. I think that this did render Quincy somewhat shallow and hindered her development. At the end, when Quincy says that she wants to teach someone else how to be Final Girl, I had no idea what that meant, as Quincy barely seemed to have any character development in the text at all until the final few pages.
Pacing (now for the negative)
There are parts of this book that feel slow and disconnected. It isn't even clear what Sam is there for until the last 1/3 of the book where most of the plot comes together. While it is a mystery/thriller, I think that the middle portion of the book was meant to sow distrust in Quincy and/or show her growth, but I think it did neither very well. This is part of the reason why I put the book down and forgot about it for a while. I would have appreciated a bit more agency from Quincy throughout, perhaps having her do more investigating throughout the book rather than galivanting around with Sam.
Overall Review
I give this book 3.5 / 5 stars. I think that it is traditional within the mystery/thriller genre, although not really pushing any boundaries that I can think of. It was definitely a decent read.
This is really the first thriller book that I have read in a long while and I found the experience to be quite enjoyable. I didn't really consider a "page-turner", as I put it down and forgot about it for several months, but now that I've finished it, I'm glad I did. Sager has several high points to this book that represent the genre well. They include:
Complicated Characters
In my reading, I didn't really find many of the characters too likeable, but I thought that was a strength. I am glad that Sager stayed away from creating the "perfect victim" in Quincy and, instead, represented her flaws for what they were: reactions to the trauma that she endured. I also liked that because Quincy has distinct and arguably serious character flaws, as it adds to the suspense of the story. At times, it was unclear whether Quincy could be relied on to tell the story and accurately reflect on her experiences. I found myself questioning Quincy a lot and I thought that was the main strength of this story.
Compelling Plot and Pace (for the most part)
I thought that the plot and pace when it revolved around Quincy figuring out what happened to her and investigating Sam. Unfortunately, that happens mostly in the last 1/3 of the book. Still, I think that it was enough to make it a highlight. The book is fairly easy read and has a moderate pace, which I think it fitting.
Nice Twist at the End
There are some reviews that have said that they "knew what happened" from the very beginning, but I was really surprised! Maybe it's because I do not read this genre all that often, but I thought the surprise at the end was great and probably what saved this book for me.
That being said, there are a few areas that impacted my review negatively. Among them being:
Diversity
There is a distinct lack of diversity in this book, so if you are looking for a book that will represent diverse perspectives, this probably isn't it. The book is very white-centered. The only person of color that I can remember is **minor spoiler**
Pacing (now for the negative)
There are parts of this book that feel slow and disconnected. It isn't even clear what Sam is there for until the last 1/3 of the book where most of the plot comes together. While it is a mystery/thriller, I think that the middle portion of the book was meant to sow distrust in Quincy and/or show her growth, but I think it did neither very well. This is part of the reason why I put the book down and forgot about it for a while. I would have appreciated a bit more agency from Quincy throughout, perhaps having her do more investigating throughout the book rather than galivanting around with Sam.
Overall Review
I give this book 3.5 / 5 stars. I think that it is traditional within the mystery/thriller genre, although not really pushing any boundaries that I can think of. It was definitely a decent read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Death, Drug abuse, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Kidnapping, Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Suicide, and Violence
ripxw's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Mental illness, Murder, Pedophilia, Sexual violence, and Violence
Moderate: Gaslighting, Suicide, and Suicide attempt
Minor: Forced institutionalization and Stalking
seawarrior's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
While definitely a page turner, Final Girls was somewhat of a letdown for me. It probably doesn't help that I read Home Before Dark recently before this, where Sager's writing is much stronger in my opinion.
The main merit of this book is how easily it held my interest. I checked it out from the library planning to read it over several days, and ended up finishing it in a matter of hours. Unfortunately I felt that the twists in the plot were somewhat predictable, and I don't say that lightly, as I actively try not to predict the answer to mysteries as I'm reading them. This led to an anticlimatic end in my experience, made all the more unsatisfying by my mild investment in the characters. As much as I wanted to love these stubborn, surviving women, they felt a little too much like flat, paperdoll people to spark my investment or pathos.
Though I have more harsh notes on this book than positive ones, I don't feel that it's altogether terrible and I don't regret reading it. The writing isn't excellent, but it's entertaining nonetheless and I would still recommend it to others looking for an engaging thriller to read.
The main merit of this book is how easily it held my interest. I checked it out from the library planning to read it over several days, and ended up finishing it in a matter of hours. Unfortunately I felt that the twists in the plot were somewhat predictable, and I don't say that lightly, as I actively try not to predict the answer to mysteries as I'm reading them. This led to an anticlimatic end in my experience, made all the more unsatisfying by my mild investment in the characters. As much as I wanted to love these stubborn, surviving women, they felt a little too much like flat, paperdoll people to spark my investment or pathos.
Though I have more harsh notes on this book than positive ones, I don't feel that it's altogether terrible and I don't regret reading it. The writing isn't excellent, but it's entertaining nonetheless and I would still recommend it to others looking for an engaging thriller to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Blood, Death, Drug abuse, Forced institutionalization, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Violence, Vomit, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Suicide attempt and Sexual harassment
Minor: Rape, Incest, Pedophilia, Police brutality, and Terminal illness
parasolcrafter's review against another edition
dark
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore and Blood
Minor: Death, Ableism, Vomit, Violence, Sexual content, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Forced institutionalization, Alcohol, and Drug use
bookishgoob's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.0
“I’m the moth that got careless with the flame. Now i’m engulfed” slow paced and utterly uninteresting in the first half, you follow a girl with no memory of what happened to her after being the only survivor of a massacre that left all of her friends dead. she was the only survivor. she was a “final girl” a term used when talking about horror movies most of the time to describe the girl at the end of a movie that is the only survivor of what happened. the first 50% of this book left me with the feeling of wanting to just not finish at all but I don’t like to DNF books unless it’s so terrible or uninteresting so i pushed through and finished it. the twists and turns were surprising, but only to an extent. i called a few of them from a mile away, a few of them though were not so easy to spot. switching from the final girls perspective to a 3rd person account of what happened to her 10 years early was an interesting choice, just not very well executed in my opinion. not getting much on either end of the story made it dull and it felt slightly repetitive. all in all, i’m glad i finished it but i would not read it again and i don’t think i would really recommend it. unless you like slow paced stories that really feel like they have no direction in the beginning. i give this read a 2/5. it was an okay spooky season read. but if you have a choice between this title, or another thriller, i would vote that you get the other one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Abandonment, Alcohol, Blood, Body horror, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Gore, Grief, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Mental illness, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual harassment, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Stalking, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, and Torture
bastieboi's review against another edition
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
I sussed everyone, and I was still wrong. what the heck
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Drug use, Gaslighting, and Grief
Moderate: Vomit, Infidelity, and Forced institutionalization
Minor: Pedophilia, Sexual assault, and Child abuse