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A review by coldbrewedpages
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The Only Good Indians is as haunting as it is thrilling, terrifying as it is gripping. There wasn't a moment, even in the small gifts of breathing room, that wasn't filled with tension or a sense of dread. Whether it's the growing paranoia that Lewis faces right up to the climax of his inevitable downfall, or the push and pull between Gabe and Cassidy that feels just as heart-clenchingly unavoidable, this book made me want to bite my nails, pace my room, and have a smoke all at once just to alleviate some of the impending doom that I felt.
Some highlights:
-Stephen Graham Jones' descriptions are, in a word, phenomenal. Particularly in places where tension is high, he doesn't tell you how you're supposed to feel; simply reading worms it into you until you're at the edge of your seat (or in my case, my couch) feeling as the characters feel.
-Interesting characters with unique voices. I think Lewis was my favorite, and his section of this book was easily my favorite as well. I think I related a lot to his situation as someone who used to feel pulled between two cultures and his spiral into paranoia because of his circumstances was *chef's kiss.*
-Stephen Graham Jones is a good enough writer that I, a person with negative interest in basketball, could be kept interested and invested in sections of this book where basketball was an important part for characters or plot development.
Overall, I'm sold on anything else Jones writes.
Some highlights:
-Stephen Graham Jones' descriptions are, in a word, phenomenal. Particularly in places where tension is high, he doesn't tell you how you're supposed to feel; simply reading worms it into you until you're at the edge of your seat (or in my case, my couch) feeling as the characters feel.
-Interesting characters with unique voices. I think Lewis was my favorite, and his section of this book was easily my favorite as well. I think I related a lot to his situation as someone who used to feel pulled between two cultures and his spiral into paranoia because of his circumstances was *chef's kiss.*
-Stephen Graham Jones is a good enough writer that I, a person with negative interest in basketball, could be kept interested and invested in sections of this book where basketball was an important part for characters or plot development.
Overall, I'm sold on anything else Jones writes.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Gore, Violence, Gun violence, Blood, and Child death
Moderate: Suicide