Title: The Only Good Indians
Author: Stephen Graham Jones
Publisher: Gallery/Saga Press
Page Count: 336
Publication Date: 2020
Category/Genre: Fiction, Adult Fiction, Horror, Thriller, Fantasy, Mystery, American Indian, Cultural
Good Reads Rating: ★★★★☆ (3.74)
My Rating: ★★★★★ (4.5)
The creeping horror of Paul Tremblay meets Tommy Orange’s There There in a dark novel of revenge, cultural identity, and the cost of breaking from tradition in this latest novel from the Jordan Peele of horror literature, Stephen Graham Jones.
Seamlessly blending classic horror and a dramatic narrative with sharp social commentary, The Only Good Indians follows four American Indian men after a disturbing event from their youth puts them in a desperate struggle for their lives. Tracked by an entity bent on revenge, these childhood friends are helpless as the culture and traditions they left behind catch up to them in a violent, vengeful way.
Haunting and Spinetingling. This novel was a wild ride from the first chapter to the ending.
A horror story with a Native American infusion and twist, we explore what happens when nature comes for payback and takes revenge… and what it takes to stop such a cycle crossing generations.
“The land claims what you leave behind.”
It is an intimate story that reflects on the effects of intergenerational trauma, substance abuse & racism, the resilience of familial/friendship bonds, community ties, and tradition.
Jones paints a portrait of modern Native American life on and off the reservation with all of its harsh realities and struggles.
The writing was filled with texture and grit and quite often snarky and humorous.
I would highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys horror, dark, magic realism, cultural influences, and big twists. TW for animal brutality, death, and gore.2d