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aedoran08's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
thereadingrambler's review against another edition
dark
emotional
fast-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
4.5
I Was a Teenager Slasher by Stephen Graham Jones
One Sentence Review: This was a fascinating take on the slasher genre that proposes a way of looking at the slasher (the figure and the genre) that I have never encountered before.
I have been deep in Stephen Graham Jones’s bibliography lately and his approach to the slasher. The Indian Lake trilogy plays with the concept of the final girl in interesting ways, and this book turns the lens on the slasher himself. Seventeen years after his killing spree, Tolly is telling the story of what he did and why. Telling a villain story can be executed so poorly, especially when that villain is a slasher, a breed of villain who is so mindlessly evil that any tragic backstory is irrelevant compared to his crimes. Tolly does not shy away from the fact he did many evil things, but the circumstances through which he becomes a slasher are unlike anything I’ve encountered before and, to me, paint the genre in an entirely new light.
This has Jones’s distinctive writing style that he has developed in the recent years of his career (as compared to books like Mongrels or Only Good Indian). The conceit of an adult man recounting what happened when he was a teenager can often fail, falling into traps of weird nostalgia, excuses for behavior, and the many other kinds of rose-colored glasses we put on when we look back at our youth. But Jones balances an adult’s perceptions (and fully developed brain) with the choices of a scared and hurt teenager. I sympathized with both the teenage and adult versions of Tolly and the things he went through. And yes, Tolly is a sympathetic character even though he is the slasher (as is obvious from the title). He is both the mindless force of evil and a complex human figure struggling with a series of complex choices, none of which are good options.
If you are someone who is fascinated by the slasher genre not because of its goriness and violence but because of the complex ideas about culture that are presented through this genre, I would highly recommend this book.
One Sentence Review: This was a fascinating take on the slasher genre that proposes a way of looking at the slasher (the figure and the genre) that I have never encountered before.
I have been deep in Stephen Graham Jones’s bibliography lately and his approach to the slasher. The Indian Lake trilogy plays with the concept of the final girl in interesting ways, and this book turns the lens on the slasher himself. Seventeen years after his killing spree, Tolly is telling the story of what he did and why. Telling a villain story can be executed so poorly, especially when that villain is a slasher, a breed of villain who is so mindlessly evil that any tragic backstory is irrelevant compared to his crimes. Tolly does not shy away from the fact he did many evil things, but the circumstances through which he becomes a slasher are unlike anything I’ve encountered before and, to me, paint the genre in an entirely new light.
This has Jones’s distinctive writing style that he has developed in the recent years of his career (as compared to books like Mongrels or Only Good Indian). The conceit of an adult man recounting what happened when he was a teenager can often fail, falling into traps of weird nostalgia, excuses for behavior, and the many other kinds of rose-colored glasses we put on when we look back at our youth. But Jones balances an adult’s perceptions (and fully developed brain) with the choices of a scared and hurt teenager. I sympathized with both the teenage and adult versions of Tolly and the things he went through. And yes, Tolly is a sympathetic character even though he is the slasher (as is obvious from the title). He is both the mindless force of evil and a complex human figure struggling with a series of complex choices, none of which are good options.
If you are someone who is fascinated by the slasher genre not because of its goriness and violence but because of the complex ideas about culture that are presented through this genre, I would highly recommend this book.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Gore
dreamer626's review
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
This was the first book that I ever read by this author. The reason I decided to pick it up is because I made a promise to myself to read more genres outside of my comfort zone, one of these genres being horror. The synopsis also intrigued me.
I would say that the beginning of this book was the most interesting to me. I read that first 50ish pages so quickly. After that my interest started to fall off again until something happened in the plot. The last third wasn’t too bad either. Where this book suffers is the middle.
At times it was also hard to follow where the plot was going. I think that would be its biggest weakness. Overall not bad for my first book from this author and I will be reading more of his work in the future.
This was the first book that I ever read by this author. The reason I decided to pick it up is because I made a promise to myself to read more genres outside of my comfort zone, one of these genres being horror. The synopsis also intrigued me.
I would say that the beginning of this book was the most interesting to me. I read that first 50ish pages so quickly. After that my interest started to fall off again until something happened in the plot. The last third wasn’t too bad either. Where this book suffers is the middle.
At times it was also hard to follow where the plot was going. I think that would be its biggest weakness. Overall not bad for my first book from this author and I will be reading more of his work in the future.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
always_reading_ashley's review against another edition
5.0
This is an absolute masterpiece! An extremely riveting read full of wit and dark humor. This has an 80s slasher vibe but is told from the perspective of the slasher. And not just any slasher, but a friendly, somewhat reluctant slasher, Tolly Driver. And as far as main characters go, Tolly is easily one of my favorite fictional characters ever. It was so much fun rooting for the slasher. Everything from the plot to the setting to the character development was flawless. I highly recommend it; it is easily one of my top reads of 2024 so far.
kindlebabe's review
5.0
[ 🅐 🅡 🅒 • 🅡 🅔 🅥 🅘 🅔 🅦 ]
I literally scream every single time I see SGJ puts a new book out or has a new release coming up. When I saw this was releasing soon as I had the opportunity to read this as an earc I lost my composure. I read this is a sitting, ate 👏🏼 it 👏🏼 up 👏🏼. This book was fast paced, chair gripping and addictive! This is final girl meets slasher & that old school horror camp and gore gold ⭐️ like we’ve been fed in the previous books by SGJ and 🤌🏼 perfection is how I would describe this. The depth and detail that SGJ puts into his stories, backdrops, characters…it’s brilliant. I will always be a Stephen Graham Jones stan.
Thank you @netgalley and @sagapress for the arc in exchange for my honest review.
thatbookbetchhh's review
5.0
This book is peak horror and I cannot stop reading it💀📚
Thank you to @sagapressbooks for this wonderful review copy
⭐️I WAS A TEENAGE SLASHER, out JULY 16TH⭐️
Thank you to @sagapressbooks for this wonderful review copy
⭐️I WAS A TEENAGE SLASHER, out JULY 16TH⭐️
danaslitlist's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you so much to S&S Publishing for reaching out with the opportunity to read Stephen Graham Jones' latest book, I was such a pleasure and actual highlight of my month to be able to enjoy an advanced digital copy from one of my favorite authors.
Just like with every book I've read by SGJ I was a confused as hell for about 15-20% but knew that if I just allowed myself to enjoy the ride and let go of the wheel it would be worth it. And I was right! Fans of The Indian Lake trilogy will definitely have fun with I Was A Teenage Slasher as it spins the final girl vs slasher story we experienced with Jade and allows us a look at the other side. This also has a similar element of "supernatural" to it that we see in The Indian Lake trilogy which is, in itself, a homage to the "supernatural" wonder of the slasher genre. It's a tool to explain and mythicize how and why slashers can do what they do.
'I Was A Teenage Slasher" is a great blend of slasher gore and horror, camp, and action. Fast paced and full of all the golden tropes we know and love for the genre.
My one minor critique is that Amber really feels like a watered down version of Jade Daniels. Which honestly isn’t so much of a problem considering Amber is filling the role of the Slasher Expert, it was just something that had me sighing slightly before moving on with the rest of the book.
While the book isn't "groundbreaking" in terms of what it does or in plot twists (especially in comparison with the author's other works) I still found it clever and incredibly well written which isn't surprising in the slightest. Stephen Graham Jones knows how to capture the feeling of dread and horror despite knowing what is going to happen, while spinning together a story that compels you to keep reading.
I think this is a perfect, quick and entertaining summer read to pair with a Scream marathon.
Just like with every book I've read by SGJ I was a confused as hell for about 15-20% but knew that if I just allowed myself to enjoy the ride and let go of the wheel it would be worth it. And I was right! Fans of The Indian Lake trilogy will definitely have fun with I Was A Teenage Slasher as it spins the final girl vs slasher story we experienced with Jade and allows us a look at the other side. This also has a similar element of "supernatural" to it that we see in The Indian Lake trilogy which is, in itself, a homage to the "supernatural" wonder of the slasher genre. It's a tool to explain and mythicize how and why slashers can do what they do.
'I Was A Teenage Slasher" is a great blend of slasher gore and horror, camp, and action. Fast paced and full of all the golden tropes we know and love for the genre.
My one minor critique is that Amber really feels like a watered down version of Jade Daniels. Which honestly isn’t so much of a problem considering Amber is filling the role of the Slasher Expert, it was just something that had me sighing slightly before moving on with the rest of the book.
While the book isn't "groundbreaking" in terms of what it does or in plot twists (especially in comparison with the author's other works) I still found it clever and incredibly well written which isn't surprising in the slightest. Stephen Graham Jones knows how to capture the feeling of dread and horror despite knowing what is going to happen, while spinning together a story that compels you to keep reading.
I think this is a perfect, quick and entertaining summer read to pair with a Scream marathon.
mrlzbth's review
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
its_rosa_reading's review
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jenhurst's review
4.0
I’ve had mixed experiences with Stephen graham jones but I loved this. It was just such a fun, fast read! I think it had some gore (as expected) but there was so much more heart to it then I expected. Going in I expected more like a memoir of a serial killer but it felt more like a drama at parts with the dialogue and set up. It’s very unique and even if you aren’t a big Stephen graham jones fan I highly recommend this.
4.5/5 stars.
Thanks netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the e-arc!
4.5/5 stars.
Thanks netgalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for the e-arc!