A review by muljadi
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

adventurous dark mysterious tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

"Complex histories of members of the Blackfeet Tribe grapple with a past that devours each of them."

Stephen Graham Jones is called the Jordan Peele of horror for a good reason: unsettling stories that immerse the readers into the cruel reality that is caused by societal injustices. This book reflects on the effects of displacement and injustices done to Blackfeet Tribe and, on a broader scale, the Native American communities.

The consequences of federal and state laws that call for the genocide for Indigenous people are shown in full force here,
as this novel starts off with a brutal murder of Ricky Boss Ribs and details the tragedy of his younger brother Cheeto overdosing. Jones writes all of this on the first page of his novel and writes it matter-of-factly, giving a sense of tiredness to the normalcy of Indigenous folks befalling terrible fates. This continues throughout the rest of the book, with impoverished communities, contentious relationships with law enforcement, and broken familial relationships that touches on the rest of the men from the Thanksgiving Hunt.


The Only Good Indians is marketed as a horror but personally, I found it more to be a thriller. Yet, the true sense of horror does not come from the monster that lies in this book, but rather the dystopian reality that Indigenous folks have to live with. Jones does a remarkable job with storytelling and integrating the cultural traditions of the Blackfeet tribe, pushing the boundaries of the horror genre by spotlighting the sins of American society.

PROS
  • Beautifully crafted world
    • I found myself enraptured in Jones' world mapping. Every sensation and every event is portrayed with the utmost care, making it easy to imagine yourself as the protagonists of the book. The scenes in which a character drives through town on a motorcycle, plays basketball, or participate in a funeral rite are packed to the brim with details.
  • Complex characters
    • All of the people that are in this book have fully fleshed motivations and ideals; their personalities stand out. Everyone also has a flaw that turns out to be tragic for each of them. Jones is able to create believable characters that captures an essence of horror and history.
  • Intriguing storytelling
    • A common critique of the book is that the writing style is too complicated or boring. While there are some flaws that come with the plot (explained below), I think a strength of Jones is to keep the tension writing with different point of views, especially the chapters that are written in second person. Indigenous storycrafting is an artform that is beautiful to read; the payoff is as good as the lessons that each voices tell you.

CONS
  • Confusing plotlines
    • It takes a while to understand the totality of the book and, while this can be a great tool, I find that some parts are still confusing after reading multiple times. The confusion of certain plotlines
      Denorah's basketball arc, the entirety of the Thanksgiving Hunt, and Lewis' yellow light
      are important and intentional, but they can also sometimes dissuade focus from the story. Ultimately, I read ahead, knowing that with additional research on my part, I can come to understand what Jones was trying to write about.
  • Trope-ish monster
    • The monster in the book itself is intriguing,
      coming from legends that include demonic animal spirit. I also really enjoyed the shape-shifting aspect of the Elk Head Woman and I thought that provided some interesting commentary on how evil can come to the Blackfeet Nation from anyone
      . But I was a tad disappointed because I thought the monster could serve to do more to elevate Jones story, especially regarding their background. Not all "villains" should have deeper motivations, but, although they had a nice resolution at the end, I felt that we could have gotten more from the monster.

Final Thoughts: This book was a wonderful read, especially as spooky season approaches. Don't let the confusion intimidate you! With time, you will enjoy a masterful tale that speaks of horror in multitude, from the monster that we create within ourselves to the monster that society creates.

Although this review strays away from mentioning these sensitive topics, the book contains the following:
racism, gore, violence, sexism, alcohol and drug abuses, and murder. 
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