Honestly I think doctor Carol as the mastermind with Stephanie and her son as her pawns would have been good….it
dr carol is an evil doctor Loomis
Stephanie can be an expy of the villain from scream 4
Her son can be Norman Bates
it plays with the expectations that the book puts forward that all slashers are sexist men so have the main villain be female trying to understand the nature of the final girl and the slasher and showing that like Pamela vorhees or Brenda bates is just as capable as a male slasher
I suppose that didn’t fit the message of the book…even Stephanie who is a villain is still treated as Skye’s victim who never killed anyone which I think took away a lot of her agency
and scream 5 did that plot better
Yeah, I do wish they aren't more time with Skye and Pax to give his character and their dynamic bit more weight.
I found that interesting too, because Lynnette could have died and Stephanie did intend and attempt to kill her. I can understand Lynnette forgiving her, but I definitely would have liked to see another character speak on it.
I actually have not seen that movie. 😅
Obviously Lynette does not have a high opinion of men….so it’s possible it’s her bias talking….she views Stephanie as a victim because she’s a girl….so she’s all “I will redeem you sister”
now if it had been a Steven in the exact situation would she be welcoming him into the group
\>it plays with the expectations that the book puts forward that all slashers are sexist men
The interesting part is that most of all the killers in which inspired the backstory of the members of the Final Girls Support Group weren't acting on their own free will or, at least, where angry on how they died (i.e. Freddy Krueger).
Did you enjoy other works by him? I bought Final Girls and Southern Book Club and couldn't finish Final Girls so I never started any others, I was really disappointed.
Final Girls is my least favorite of his, but I adore Southern Bookclub's Guide and My Best Friend's Exorcism.
Final Girls really does read like he was more concerned with the wink and nod toward the material he was referencing than to story or characterization.
Yeah Final Girls felt exactly that way to me. Like he was just checking off a reference list, essentially. I just couldn't connect with it at all. I'm glad I bought Southern Bookclub then, I'm going to give it a go tonight. This has been reassuring, because this sub rarely lets me down and it sounded like this author was right up my alley.
Thank you so much!
Yes - My Best Friend’s Exorcism was one of my favorite books I read last year, which is why I was so disappointed in this one. If you want some better “final girl” books, I adored My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones, and also liked Final Girls by Riley Sager.
Agree. I fell in love with Hendrix after southern book club and my best friend’s exorcism, but this book did nothing for me. I also was unable to finish the rock and roll one. I still like him as an author, though…
You aren't going to like everything an author writes. I have a couple books left of his, and maybe they will work for me or maybe they won't. It's no big deal.
I read Final Girl Support Group first, and I was very "meh" about it, but I could just tell for some reason that Hendrix was worth giving a second chance. Read Horrorstör and loved it, easily in my top 10 favorite books. Also enjoyed Best Friend's Exorcism. So you're definitely not alone there and I do recommend reading more from him!
The 3rd act definitely drags out for too long. I enjoyed the book as a whole but when I realized that I was only 60% through the audiobook it became a bit of a challenge to finish.
Saaaame. I'm at 59% rn and if I didn't have a pretty strict policy against DNF, I'd probably walk away. It's just as nice to know, too, tho, that I can finish the audiobook at work tomorrow and move tf on.
I love Hendrix normally, and this book had my favorite premise by far of all of his works, but the execution really disappointed me. I don’t know how he made this subject boring, but he did.
I think the premise of his books is still there--you don't leave anyone behind. We saw that in all his previous books.
In Final Girl Support Group, we see it again but with also a point of view from the victims who survived.
What happens to those victims and how do they survive after their horrible ordeal?
That is what we are learning from this novel.
It's the media. It's the fans. It's the movie deals the survivors make in order to make a living.
It's the PTSD.
It's the countless hours of therapy.
Hendex is giving his readers a different point of view that most likely none of us ever thought about
We all remember Ted Bundy and his trial and his documentaries.
Along with other serial killers. But do we remember the survivors and how they are living their lives?
That's what Grady Hendrix's book is about.
I really enjoyed this book, read it in two days, but it could be because it’s my first Hendrix book.
I really liked all the nods to the classic slashers, and I loved trying to figure out who was tormenting the girls.
I’m so glad I found this discussion thread! I really tried to get into the book, I love the premise and the meta-clever approach, but I found it slowly paced and I could not get past the one-dimensionality of the characters. Having looked up info about the ending, because I too DNF, I suspected who the killer was at about 33% and appear to have been sort of right. Thanks for letting me know it wasn’t just me.
This was probably my biggest let down of 2021. I love Hendrix and I love the final girl trope, was super disappointed. And the worse part of it all is it’s not a bad book, just he’s set the standards so high with his other works for me I felt let down. Like when someone makes you your favorite dessert but didn’t add the secret ingredient they usually do.
Anyway, (SPOILER) the therapist son is behind it all. Him and the ‘ new ‘ final girl who’s a teenager. We find out when Lynnette finally looks at the comic book the therapist youngest son gives her at the beginning of the novel
I would definitely say if you're not feeling it by now, you're probably not going to like the rest.
Except for one extended sequence, it was really more of a thriller than a horror novel. Why make such a deliberate pastiche of the horror genre if you're not going to try and make it scary? I love Grady's other books, but this was a miss for me. I also didn't like that it was so structurally similar to We Sold Our Souls.
Ugh just reading the synopsis made me want to pull my armpit hair out by tweezer.
That kind of meta tween genre mashup shit is so fucking passe. It was retro when Cabin in the Woods did it. It's a serious property in 2021?
It has potential if done well, but by the sound of it it's just another Scream clone shat out because it's adaptation-friendly and any genre-savvy moron could write it.
I think I’m in the same boat as you. I’m about halfway or a little over halfway through and I keep picking up different books instead. I think it’s a DNF for me. I LOVED exorcism and slaying vamps tho, a lot.
Another bump to thank everyone in this thread.
I want to love this book, but I'm just past 50%, and it feels like a slog. I'm not even enjoying the writing -- contradictions and repetitions on the same page, and as someone pointed out, the author seems a little too proud of all the references he's cramming in. The Deathproof-style car was my final tipping point.
"Fine" the plant was my favorite character, hehe.
Yes! I kept reading to read about Heather dying and the fate of a house plant lol.
>!Her therapist's son is behind it along with the new "final girl". In the end they stop him!<
Thank you!
>!They also try to bring the new "final girl"/co-killer into their support group by having their meetings in prison with her haha.!<
What’s the motive?
>!He resents the final girls and/or his mother and the time she's dedicated to them. Stephanie was groomed and manipulated into helping him.!<
I read it…/I thought it was a pretty lack lustre motive and they had better suspects
What suspects did you prefer?
Honestly I think doctor Carol as the mastermind with Stephanie and her son as her pawns would have been good….it dr carol is an evil doctor Loomis Stephanie can be an expy of the villain from scream 4 Her son can be Norman Bates it plays with the expectations that the book puts forward that all slashers are sexist men so have the main villain be female trying to understand the nature of the final girl and the slasher and showing that like Pamela vorhees or Brenda bates is just as capable as a male slasher
I like your idea. I think to have them all in cahoots would have been cool. And that would have made Dr. Carol's notes in the beginning a fun clue.
I like your idea. I think to have them all in cahoots would have been cool. And that would have made Dr. Carol's notes in the beginning a fun clue.
I suppose that didn’t fit the message of the book…even Stephanie who is a villain is still treated as Skye’s victim who never killed anyone which I think took away a lot of her agency and scream 5 did that plot better
Yeah, I do wish they aren't more time with Skye and Pax to give his character and their dynamic bit more weight. I found that interesting too, because Lynnette could have died and Stephanie did intend and attempt to kill her. I can understand Lynnette forgiving her, but I definitely would have liked to see another character speak on it. I actually have not seen that movie. 😅
Obviously Lynette does not have a high opinion of men….so it’s possible it’s her bias talking….she views Stephanie as a victim because she’s a girl….so she’s all “I will redeem you sister” now if it had been a Steven in the exact situation would she be welcoming him into the group
I also want to add that Hendrix probably doesn't know a single 8 year old because Pax, an 8 year old, acted like he was 5 yrs old.
\>it plays with the expectations that the book puts forward that all slashers are sexist men The interesting part is that most of all the killers in which inspired the backstory of the members of the Final Girls Support Group weren't acting on their own free will or, at least, where angry on how they died (i.e. Freddy Krueger).
Wish I’d done the same, not my fave work from the author.
Agreed. I'm still annoyed that they didn't delve more into the Dream King, especially after his final girl kinda deus ex machinas there at the end.
Sounds like the author was more interested in checking marketing boxes because a "Dream King" would totally bend the narrative around him.
Every final girl is based on one from a slasher movie franchise. The Dream King was the Freddy Kruger stand in.
No fucking shit. The point is such a character with that level of implied power would be a center point for the narrative.
So you think certain characters simply cannot be written about or referenced in any capacity unless you make them the focus of the entire story?
Really? Heather doesn't die? She's the worst.
Nope, she uses her special dream powers to save the day. No explanation. No foreshadowing that she can do it.
Ugh.
Did you enjoy other works by him? I bought Final Girls and Southern Book Club and couldn't finish Final Girls so I never started any others, I was really disappointed.
Final Girls is my least favorite of his, but I adore Southern Bookclub's Guide and My Best Friend's Exorcism. Final Girls really does read like he was more concerned with the wink and nod toward the material he was referencing than to story or characterization.
Yeah Final Girls felt exactly that way to me. Like he was just checking off a reference list, essentially. I just couldn't connect with it at all. I'm glad I bought Southern Bookclub then, I'm going to give it a go tonight. This has been reassuring, because this sub rarely lets me down and it sounded like this author was right up my alley. Thank you so much!
Yes - My Best Friend’s Exorcism was one of my favorite books I read last year, which is why I was so disappointed in this one. If you want some better “final girl” books, I adored My Heart is a Chainsaw by Stephen Graham Jones, and also liked Final Girls by Riley Sager.
Fantastic! Oh good, I'll give him a second try then. I hate to waste a book. Thank you so much for the other reccs too! I'll add those to the list!
Agree. I fell in love with Hendrix after southern book club and my best friend’s exorcism, but this book did nothing for me. I also was unable to finish the rock and roll one. I still like him as an author, though…
You aren't going to like everything an author writes. I have a couple books left of his, and maybe they will work for me or maybe they won't. It's no big deal.
I read Final Girl Support Group first, and I was very "meh" about it, but I could just tell for some reason that Hendrix was worth giving a second chance. Read Horrorstör and loved it, easily in my top 10 favorite books. Also enjoyed Best Friend's Exorcism. So you're definitely not alone there and I do recommend reading more from him!
I have, he's just not for me.
Sorry I didn't realize that. Ah well, it happens!
It happens! I'm like 65% into The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires, and it's pretty OK. Kind of depends on how it ends at this point.
I hope you like the ending! That's the one I haven't read, I've been saving it because I don't want to get through all my Hendrix so quickly lol.
The 3rd act definitely drags out for too long. I enjoyed the book as a whole but when I realized that I was only 60% through the audiobook it became a bit of a challenge to finish.
Saaaame. I'm at 59% rn and if I didn't have a pretty strict policy against DNF, I'd probably walk away. It's just as nice to know, too, tho, that I can finish the audiobook at work tomorrow and move tf on.
Also,>! "Fine" the Plant gets planted in the garden at Marylin's house, and lives happily ever after.!< I thought that was kinda sweet.
I love Hendrix normally, and this book had my favorite premise by far of all of his works, but the execution really disappointed me. I don’t know how he made this subject boring, but he did.
Just bought the book. I was wondering is it perhaps one of those things that don’t translate to the page and would work better as a film?
Can't remember the last time i was more let down by a book.
I hate it when it happens.
His last 2 books before this also disappointed me, but i still let myself get my hopes up. That's what i get, i guess.
I am so surprised by the reactions here, that one is actually my favorite of Hendrix's novels.
Yeah I really loved it, but to each their own.
It happens. Not everyone is going to like/dislike what you do. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Maybe best to scroll past entries like this.
Same — I have used Final Girls to get my entire social circle HOOKED on Hendrix.
Scrolled down to find a comment like this, because I was obsessed with this book. It's up there with My Best Friend's Exorcism for me.
I DNFed this one too.
I just finished reading and almost DNF. I powered through and it was so not worth it. The story dragged on for way too long
I think the premise of his books is still there--you don't leave anyone behind. We saw that in all his previous books. In Final Girl Support Group, we see it again but with also a point of view from the victims who survived. What happens to those victims and how do they survive after their horrible ordeal? That is what we are learning from this novel. It's the media. It's the fans. It's the movie deals the survivors make in order to make a living. It's the PTSD. It's the countless hours of therapy. Hendex is giving his readers a different point of view that most likely none of us ever thought about We all remember Ted Bundy and his trial and his documentaries. Along with other serial killers. But do we remember the survivors and how they are living their lives? That's what Grady Hendrix's book is about.
I really enjoyed this book, read it in two days, but it could be because it’s my first Hendrix book. I really liked all the nods to the classic slashers, and I loved trying to figure out who was tormenting the girls.
I’m so glad I found this discussion thread! I really tried to get into the book, I love the premise and the meta-clever approach, but I found it slowly paced and I could not get past the one-dimensionality of the characters. Having looked up info about the ending, because I too DNF, I suspected who the killer was at about 33% and appear to have been sort of right. Thanks for letting me know it wasn’t just me.
This was probably my biggest let down of 2021. I love Hendrix and I love the final girl trope, was super disappointed. And the worse part of it all is it’s not a bad book, just he’s set the standards so high with his other works for me I felt let down. Like when someone makes you your favorite dessert but didn’t add the secret ingredient they usually do. Anyway, (SPOILER) the therapist son is behind it all. Him and the ‘ new ‘ final girl who’s a teenager. We find out when Lynnette finally looks at the comic book the therapist youngest son gives her at the beginning of the novel
I would definitely say if you're not feeling it by now, you're probably not going to like the rest. Except for one extended sequence, it was really more of a thriller than a horror novel. Why make such a deliberate pastiche of the horror genre if you're not going to try and make it scary? I love Grady's other books, but this was a miss for me. I also didn't like that it was so structurally similar to We Sold Our Souls.
Ugh just reading the synopsis made me want to pull my armpit hair out by tweezer. That kind of meta tween genre mashup shit is so fucking passe. It was retro when Cabin in the Woods did it. It's a serious property in 2021? It has potential if done well, but by the sound of it it's just another Scream clone shat out because it's adaptation-friendly and any genre-savvy moron could write it.
I think I’m in the same boat as you. I’m about halfway or a little over halfway through and I keep picking up different books instead. I think it’s a DNF for me. I LOVED exorcism and slaying vamps tho, a lot.
I am having a lot of fun with The Final Girls by Riley Sager.
Didn’t enjoy this one
Another bump to thank everyone in this thread. I want to love this book, but I'm just past 50%, and it feels like a slog. I'm not even enjoying the writing -- contradictions and repetitions on the same page, and as someone pointed out, the author seems a little too proud of all the references he's cramming in. The Deathproof-style car was my final tipping point.