Review: Final Girls

Final Girls by Riley Sager
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

You know the last remaining girl in a slasher film? The one covered in blood, surrounded by her dead friends, but ultimately victorious over the villain (until the sequel at least)? What happens next to her? This book attempts to answer this question.

Full disclosure: I did something I don't often do before writing my own review - I read others' reviews first. A lot of the negative reviews do have some valid points: shallow characterization, lack of gore, a slow start, repetition of a Xanax/Wild Turkey cocktail, and repeated use of the word "Babe."

Ultimately, once you look beyond those points, it's a good read. The overall mystery, writing style, and twists save this book. What I love loved most was the dual storylines (the present plot and flashbacks to the massacre). The misdirection of who really did it and why was also a huge suspense point, especially towards the end. The ending is definitely a highlight and very intense. All in all, it was a fun listen and I found myself going back to revisit earlier parts.

If nothing else, it's an enjoyable story that I felt did the genre justice. I look forward to seeing what the author comes up with next.

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