Review: “The Only Good Indians”

OK, obvi I’ve been on a bit of a horror kick lately. That’s just were I am at this point in the pandemic, OK? Anyway …

This was a weird one. Good, but weird. If you’re a linear thinking/reader, “The Only Good Indians” by Stephen Graham Jones might frustrate you.

I intentionally didn’t look up anything about this book before diving in because I wanted to come at it with an unbiased perspective. This was not at all the story I’d been expecting.

Full disclosure: I listened to the audiobook, and I’m so glad I did. Shaun Taylor-Corbett’s narration of Jones’ words felt so incredibly authentic. This is a story about a group of American Indian men who are haunted – literally – by a heinous act committed a decade prior. Hearing this story in the voice of an indigenous man made it resonate so much more than I think it would have if I had read the book myself.

Jones’ writing style is wickedly cinematic. I can still picture the scenes he set in vivid detail. His writing is also haunting … to the point that I would feel uneasy while listening to the story and feel compelled to look over my shoulder.

As the four main characters in this book are literally stalked by demons of their past, Jones gives us glimpses of the culture and heritage they either have drifted or run from. This book provided an interesting perspective on the relationships indigenous people have with their ancestry and culture and with the feeling of being caught between that world of ritual and the modern world outside the reservation.

I wasn’t in love with the ending of this one, though. It felt a little disjointed and rushed. It definitely jarred me and confused the hell out of me. But I think that might have been the point.

Overall, “The Only Good Indians” is a good addition to the gothic horror genre. Speaking of which, this book satisfies the “genre novel by an Indigenous, First Nations or Native American author” criteria of the 2021 Book Riot Read Harder Challenge. And the audiobook is definitely the way to go with this one.

3 out of 5 stars

Review: “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires”

Y’all know I love a good horror story. Typically, stories focus on one central terror with maybe a social issue or two highlighted if the author is any level of “woke.” Grady Hendrix is not a typical author, and “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires” is not a typical horror story.

I don’t know how Hendrix managed to stuff some of my worst fears in a single story, but he did. The novel centers on Patricia Campbell – a wife and mother doing her best to be a “good Southern woman” in Mount Pleasant, S.C. … in the early 90s. That scenario alone is enough to give me anxiety and palpitations.

The societal judgment and expectations placed on women during the 90s was incredibly unrealistic, and it was downright horrific for Southern women. Throw in a hefty dose of classism and racism, you this book is already a horror show. But did I mention the vampire-like creature preying on children in a poor, black neighborhood. Y’all … Y’ALL!

I enjoyed this book. I really did. It was a great suburban horror. But I definitely had more than one moment where I had to put it down and step away from it.

CONTENT WARNING: There are instances of sexual assault, involuntary institutionalization and child harm in this book. Hendrix handles them carefully and does not include these scenes in a way that feels frivolous or gratuitous. They are integral to the plot and are part of what make this a horror story. That being said, if that isn’t your jam, you might want to skip this read.

This is one of the most disturbing books I’ve read in a long time – and I narrate horror fiction! If you’re a horror fan, definitely pick up “The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires” … and read at your own risk.

4 out of 5 stars

Review: “Mexican Gothic”

I’ve gotten a few recommendations for this one, so I decided to give the audiobook a shot and listen while sewing facemasks. I was too distracted to get many masks made.

Silvia Moreno-Garcia’s “Mexican Gothic” centers on Noemí Toboada’s journey to High Place – a faraway estate in the Mexican countryside – to visit her ailing cousin. Noemí is a socialite from a wealthy, well-connected family, and her father sends her to High Place after receiving a disturbing letter from her cousin Catalina … whom she hasn’t seen since Catalina married a charming but mysterious Englishman named Virgil Doyle.

From the first step Noemí takes into High Place, everything seems off and creepy. The house staff members are barely more than drones, and the Doyle clan is incredibly controlling and dark. This includes old, ill patriarch Howard, who has some very outdated (read: disgusting) views on race and ethnicity. Noemí also is tormented by strange, intrusive nightmares during her stay at High Place. Her foul mood is only exacerbated by her infrequent and heavily monitored visits with Catalina, who seems to be slowly descending into madness.

And that’s really all I can say without giving too much away. If you enjoy Lovecraftian horror (but, you know, in a way that doesn’t glorify racism and misogyny), you should give this a read.

“Mexican Gothic” is slow to start, but the multidimensional characters carry you through to the meat of the story. If you do decide to check out this story, I highly recommend the audiobook. Frankie Corzo does a phenomenal job narrating this ultra-weird story and gives each character a very distinct voice. Her ability to switch between accented dialogue is impressive and reason enough to give it a listen.

So if you’re looking for a beautifully written, super weird distraction of a horror story, “Mexican Gothic” is for you.

4 stars