My Heart is a Chainsaw - It Will Saw You in Half From Within
I received an ARC via Netgalley for this incredible novel by Stephen Graham Jones.
My God, I loved it. It is filled with slasher movie references and it made me feel proud to actually get them all. I connected with Jade, the main character, in a very special and deep way. The thoughts she had, the constant connecting of horror movies to her everyday situations, it felt like reading a story about myself at times. If you love slasher films from the ‘70s to the present, there is no way you can read this book without feeling right at home and among friends.
Jade is from a broken home, doesn’t much enjoy going to school, but really wants to work her way out of the town of Proofrock and away from her father. When some mysterious murders take place, her horror-buff mind goes into overdrive, making connections and seeking out who the Final Girl will be when their town’s ‘movie’ ends. We get to explore the possibilities of who the murderer is and why each victim may have been chosen, all while learning about Jade and the town’s past.
It is so well-written. I loved so many of the characters deeply. Jade, who came off hard and unfeeling to others at times, was actually filled with compassion for those around her. The time spent suspecting each character was equally spent caring about them and being surprised by their actions. Unlike a great deal of slasher movies, I actually went through the whole book being unsure of who the killer was until it was revealed.
I was shocked, battered, and broken by the end of this book. Stephen Graham Jones sawed my heart in half. I cried when I was done, for the justice and injustices that were prevalent in the story and in reality. I had to clean my bathroom right after I finished this book, and I was weeping while I did it, unable to stop thinking about it.
This book holds a special place in my horror-loving heart. It has fun, fright, suspense, big emotions, and will leave you torn to pieces. Please, read it.
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