Name: Jonnie's review of The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones
Item: The Only Good Indians
Rating: 5
Author: Jonnie

Stephen Graham Jones

Peter Straub’s Ghost Story meets Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies in this American Indian horror story of revenge on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation. Four American Indian men from the Blackfeet Nation, who were childhood friends, find themselves in a desperate struggle for their lives, against an entity that wants to exact revenge upon them for what they did during an elk hunt ten years earlier by killing them, their families, and friends.

The Only Good Indians

Natalie Sypeck 

Christian Beck

I've never read another book like this one. Impeccable use of (occasional) second-person perspective, twists I really did not see coming, and a lot of gruesome shit I would not tolerate reading from most authors. 

I unintentionally read this for Stephen Graham Jones Day (I do not yet know enough about him to say why October 1st is his day), and since it's my first of his, it feels particularly special, and sort of like fate. I can't wait to read my next of his, and then another after that, and another, and another, etc.

Jonnie

I've never read another book like this one. Impeccable use of (occasional) second-person perspective, twists I really did not see coming, and a lot of gruesome shit I would not tolerate reading from most authors. 

I unintentionally read this for Stephen Graham Jones Day (I do not yet know enough about him to say why October 1st is his day), and since it's my first of his, it feels particularly special, and sort of like fate. I can't wait to read my next of his, and then another after that, and another, and another, etc.

It took a bit for me to get into it but once devastating tragedies started to happen I was hooked! 

Patty Pforte

A USA TODAY BESTSELLER A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year In this latest novel from Stephen Graham Jones comes a “heartbreakingly beautiful story” (Library Journal, starred review) of revenge, cultural identity, and the cost of breaking from tradition. Seamlessly blending classic horror and a dramatic narrative with sharp social commentary, The Only Good Indians is “a masterpiece. Intimate, devastating, brutal, terrifying, warm, and heartbreaking in the best way” (Paul Tremblay, author of A Head Full of Ghosts). This novel 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 violent, vengeful ways. Labeled “one of 2020’s buzziest horror novels” (Entertainment Weekly), this is a remarkable horror story “will give you nightmares—the good kind of course” (BuzzFeed).

A Novel

This novel is nearly not so much interesting to me through its horror mechanics (one does have to wonder whether slasher horror is suitable for the book format to begin with) but because of the themes and setting it offers.

The novel provides a layered and realistic representation of the lives of Native Americans in the USA today. It does not shy away from the grit of everyday life and the stereotypes they have to face but also works to show the culture of Jones' own tribe. What I found particularly fascinating is how from the start it sets out to break the stereotypical narrative of the Native American in tune with nature, often poised in contrast with the white coloniser who seeks to control nature, that fiction (predominantly by non-Native authors) has loved to use and showcase in very heavyhanded manner up to this point. Rather the conflict nearly becomes between the modern living of Native Americans and the traditions of the land to which they belong, creating a much more complex and interesting conflict.

This novel is nearly not so much interesting to me through its horror mechanics (one does have to wonder whether slasher horror is suitable for the book format to begin with) but because of the themes and setting it offers.

The novel provides a layered and realistic representation of the lives of Native Americans in the USA today. It does not shy away from the grit of everyday life and the stereotypes they have to face but also works to show the culture of Jones' own tribe. What I found particularly fascinating is how from the start it sets out to break the stereotypical narrative of the Native American in tune with nature, often poised in contrast with the white coloniser who seeks to control nature, that fiction (predominantly by non-Native authors) has loved to use and showcase in very heavyhanded manner up to this point. Rather the conflict nearly becomes between the modern living of Native Americans and the traditions of the land to which they belong, creating a much more complex and interesting conflict.

elizabeth

I wouldn't recommend this book to everyone. You have to be open to some brutality. Some mystery. Some gore and body horror. Some weirdness. Some saying, "what just happened?" and rereading the last few paragraphs again. And you have to be open to Jones's unique brand of lyrical prose. All that being said, if you check those boxes, I don't know why you wouldn't love it. 

I've seen folks refer to this as "Indigenous Gothic." I want more of that.

Amulya Garimella

one of the best things i've ever read... period. so so well written and manages to be terrifying, funny, sardonic, sad, serious, gorgeous, and thought-provoking all at the same time, deftly sliding between tones. the antagonist is so well developed and shaded, terrifying and vulnerable with so much depth. denorah is a fantastic protagonist and so so badass, yet not grating at all (as many "badass girl" characters can be). (+ all the guys are VERY GREAT characters as well and full of emotional depth) beginning can def be a slow burn but that just makes things even more rewarding. once things get going, they. go. off. the. rails!!!!!!!

George

Amelia Lang 

This is the best horror I think I've ever read I'm so blown away

A bit slow to start, once this cosmic horror picks up you won't want to put it down (no matter how graphic it gets).

Isabella Chiara Vicco 

Lara Engle

This book was a slow starter for me, but once it gets going, it's relentless. I'm not even sure what to say about it without giving spoilers. Just know that this one is no-holds-barred, full-speed-ahead horror that really pays off in the end. I've never read an indigenous gothic book before and I'm glad this was my first.

this wasn't as spooky as i was hoping, but it was definitely a solid read.

Almost DNF. Slow read some parts were interesting but definitely had to force myself to finish it. Had potential but made me confused a lot too and had to reread a lot of pages to understand what was going on

Jasmin 

There was certain parts of this book I enjoyed but a lot of parts I couldn’t even understand what was happening. I feel like I had to re read a lot of pages because it was just a lot.

Carlie katt

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER From USA TODAY bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones comes a “masterpiece” (Locus Magazine) of a novel about revenge, cultural identity, and the cost of breaking from tradition. Labeled “one of 2020’s buzziest horror novels” (Entertainment Weekly), this is a remarkable horror story that “will give you nightmares—the good kind of course” (BuzzFeed). From New York Times bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones comes a novel that is equal parts psychological horror and cutting social commentary on identity politics and the American Indian experience. Fans of Jordan Peele and Tommy Orange will love this story as it follows the lives of four American Indian men and their families, all haunted by a disturbing, deadly event that took place in their youth. Years later, they find themselves tracked by an entity bent on revenge, totally helpless as the culture and traditions they left behind catch up to them in a violent, vengeful way.

Maga P

I picked up this book completely blind just based on the fact that it was horror and that it was being heavily talked about. I wasn't familiar with the author before this so discovering as I read that
<spoiler>it was basically a slasher featuring a revenant elk </spoiler> was a wonderful surprise.

The quasi stream-of-thought narration took me some time to grasp but the visuals were really good. That coupled with the way it worked up the tension made me feel like in the middle of a slasher movie, and I could see this being easily adapted as one— There's more than one scene that I couldn't help but picture as a cinematic in my head, specially when they had tinges of other well known horror tropes.

<spoiler>Like Denorah sitting in class and looking out the window only to find Elk Head Woman there, bringing up a similar —and often emulated in horror media— scene with Laurie Strode and Michael Myers from the Halloween franchise, in case anyone was doubting at that point that Denorah would be our final(s) girl</spoiler> 

Basketball being so prominent kinda threw me off but that's on me for not being big into sports, although I see what it was going for. And if the match at the end lost me, the following scenes got me back anyways and that's what matters.

And God, that ending! <spoiler>We love closing the cycle of violence and we love women being compassionate to other women and we absolutely love Denorah, whom we're welcoming to the final girl hall of fame.</spoiler>

 The fact that I kept at it despite my HUGE aversion to animal death is a testament to how good this book is, I think. It made me feel like I needed to see it all to the the end, and when I put it down between reads it kept haunting me— I saw echoes of it in other media and situations, and I suspect it will keep happening.

After this I'll be reading more books from the author in the future and also going down the list of influences he mentioned in the acknowledgements, that's for sure.

Alexa M

**3.5
the first half was a solid 3 at best and the second half a 4 so 3.5 it is

So yeah I just finished this masterpiece and oh my gosh it was amazing. To read about a vengeful spirit and told in the way it was told. I loved that the author really made it so I could imagine what happens and see it play out as I read the story and get sucked into the story. The writing is so good and I really enjoyed this book. 

Kaitlyn Grooms

Kristen Claiborn

I love my online book club! We have between four and five book picks each month that include a genre pick, a TBR pile theme (like the book with the ugliest cover), a read around the world pick (October of 2021 we did Demons by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, don’t recommend), our main pick which we choose from the Book of the Month Club’s five main selections, and the social perspectives pick. This was October 2021’s social perspectives selection, and I honestly wouldn’t have even heard of this book had it not been for this book club. Let me repeat, I love my online book club. 
	This book started out kinda garbled and moved pretty slowly. I was honestly confused throughout the first third of this book, until the first major death scene. I about gave up on it (I really hate giving up on a book). These authors spend a lot of time and energy writing a book, the least I can do is finish it, even if I don’t love it. So I powered through, giving myself a page-deadline to quit if it didn’t get better. Then I got to the motorcycle death scene. Dear lord that was one of the most gory deaths I have ever read! As morbid as it sounds, I was hooked at that point. At that point in the story, it started to come together a little bit better and didn’t seem to be as much of a jumbled mess. Jones was adding in sprinkles of the back story, which allowed me to put it together. 
	Jones did a fantastic job building the suspense with the ghost hunting these men and their families. Much like when I watch idiots in horror movies make bad choices, I was actively yelling at the characters in the book. It was fantastic. I was really impressed with how Jones built the suspense and the terror as the characters were trying to get away from the calf girl. It might be some of the best horror I have read. It didn’t garner five stars because of how jumbled it was towards the beginning and how long it took the story to become cohesive. Other than that, however, it’s a fantastic book. 


https://booksbitesandballs.wordpress....

Taylor

slower paced than i typically go for, but once the horror started it sucked me in.

Ryan LaFerney

In The Only Good Indians, four young Blackfeet men ignore the hunting boundaries of their community and fire into an elk herd on land reserved for the elders, but one elk proves unnaturally hard to kill. Years later, they’re forced to answer for their act of selfish violence, setting into motion a supernatural hunt in which predator becomes prey. 

The mysteriously supernatural Elk Head Women is out to seek revenge for that fateful day and she has come to kill. The four men at the novel's core basically accept the elk's vengeance, but Denorah, the daughter of one of the four men, refuses to believe in the need for vengeance. Can she survive? 

I don't want to say too much about the plot (and I'm afraid I've said too much already) other than it focuses on each of the four Blackfeet men (as well as Denorah, the daughter of one the men) in parts and how they are being haunted both figuratively and literately by their past mistake(s), and what starts out as a slow burn of a novel, ramps into a nail-biting, frightening, and satisfying ending that suggests the cycle of generational trauma, the cycle of violence, has been overcome.

The Only Good Indians is one of best novels I've ever read in any genre. It's a violent tale of vengeance, justice, and generational trauma. But it also a tale about putting an end to cycles of such trauma, so in this sense, The Only Good Indians is a tale about hope; a tale about recovery. While it combines elements of the slasher genre (a favorite of Stephen Graham Jones), Jones ability to write authentic characters is where this novel truly shines. Jones is Native American himself, and his portrayal is meticulously detailed, and real. This gives the novel a realism that is striking and scarily good.

Stephen Grapham Jones is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Read this book. You won't regret it.

I love to see representation. We don't see it enough. As I am not indigenous, I cannot fully understand the struggles portrayed in this book nor fully appreciate the cultural traditions. However, there are plenty of indigenous peoples who have reviewed this book on youtube, instagram, and in this review thread that I would strongly recommend referencing.

This book is dark, brutal, and warming at times. It's very fast paced and written as a conscious stream of thought so it can be difficult to follow at times. If you listen to the audio book, the narrator reads it like it's a stream of thought so it will be fast and you might miss some things along the way.

Please be aware that there is graphic content!

This book beautifully highlights the effects of colonialism, racism, intergenerational trauma, and substance abuse. It also shows the warmth and joy in family/friendship and tradition. The author weaves these aspects together in such a way that this story is just so bittersweet. There were parts where I was just ruined and I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop during those warm, happy moments. This book had me firmly in its grasp from the beginning all the way to the end.

amidpages

I love to see representation. We don't see it enough. As I am not indigenous, I cannot fully understand the struggles portrayed in this book nor fully appreciate the cultural traditions. However, there are plenty of indigenous peoples who have reviewed this book on youtube, instagram, and in this review thread that I would strongly recommend referencing.

This book is dark, brutal, and warming at times. It's very fast paced and written as a conscious stream of thought so it can be difficult to follow at times. If you listen to the audio book, the narrator reads it like it's a stream of thought so it will be fast and you might miss some things along the way.

Please be aware that there is graphic content!

This book beautifully highlights the effects of colonialism, racism, intergenerational trauma, and substance abuse. It also shows the warmth and joy in family/friendship and tradition. The author weaves these aspects together in such a way that this story is just so bittersweet. There were parts where I was just ruined and I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop during those warm, happy moments. This book had me firmly in its grasp from the beginning all the way to the end.

I don't usually pick up thrillers but this one was so good!! The way it was written threw me off a bit, but i definitely think the style really set the tone of the characters. So many times i would just sit there like 🫢 the end of the second and third part literally had me FERAL. i was so invested.

Claire Jorgensen

Montgomery Pierce

The Only Good Indians is as haunting as it is thrilling, terrifying as it is gripping. There wasn't a moment, even in the small gifts of breathing room, that wasn't filled with tension or a sense of dread. Whether it's the growing paranoia that Lewis faces right up to the climax of his inevitable downfall, or the push and pull between Gabe and Cassidy that feels just as heart-clenchingly unavoidable, this book made me want to bite my nails, pace my room, and have a smoke all at once just to alleviate some of the impending doom that I felt. 

Some highlights: 
-Stephen Graham Jones' descriptions are, in a word, phenomenal. Particularly in places where tension is high, he doesn't tell you how you're supposed to feel; simply reading worms it into you until you're at the edge of your seat (or in my case, my couch) feeling as the characters feel. 
-Interesting characters with unique voices. I think Lewis was my favorite, and his section of this book was easily my favorite as well. I think I related a lot to his situation as someone who used to feel pulled between two cultures and his spiral into paranoia because of his circumstances was *chef's kiss.* 
-Stephen Graham Jones is a good enough writer that I, a person with negative interest in basketball, could be kept interested and invested in sections of this book where basketball was an important part for characters or plot development.

Overall, I'm sold on anything else Jones writes.

Janice Hopper

Be careful of decisions you make. Sometimes the consequences can kill you.

Part ghost story, part monster story, this book packs a real wallop. Four young native American men decide to go hunting when and where it's forbidden by tribal law and custom. The stumble on a herd of elk who are sitting ducks (sorry for the mixed metaphor) for them. The wasteful hunting, and in particular, the death of one young female, have far-reaching consequences.

This book is like a classic tragedy. These young men are constrained by the memories and customs of their people in the modern world. They can't be the warriors that they had been, but they do what they can. The way they have to live now force them into lives they're not wholly comfortable in. Sometimes they make bad choices, because sometimes even a bad choice is better than no choice at all. When their past actions start to catch up with them, there's a lot of collateral damage. You can see what's coming, and you can see why it's coming, and it breaks your heart to know that there's really no way to escape the fate that was laid out for them.

This is a horror story. There is some gore, some gruesome deaths, so if reading about that troubles you, beware. But it's also the story of men trapped by their lives, but also caught up into something more than human, who wants revenge.

I express myself badly here. But it's a GOOD book. The first part and the last part probably work best for me, but you have to go through the middle to set up the ending.

I've enjoyed reading Stephen Graham Jones ever since I stumbled on Mongrels by accident. He also writes excellent (and unsettling) short stories. If you enjoy reading horror, I very highly recommend his writing.

I listened to the audio version, and it was fine. I listened pretty much straight through, with a break or two for sleeping. :)

Tilde C

Effective, creepy and gory horror, centering Native American characters, written by a Native American author. Jones has a distinct writing style, lots of run-on sentences in a kind of stream-of-consciousness way, lots of synonyms and repeated words, and sometimes I don't even understand exactly what he's trying to describe but the language is nonetheless evocative, a feeling of atmosphere and forward motion. I think his style works extremely well for the horror parts, it effectively conveys panic and madness, but my real criticism is really that all of Jones' point-of-view character in this book have the exact same voice. It's more noticeable because there are a fair of amount of POV characters, and they feel fully realized, they're each mostly compelling in their own ways... But I kept needing to search for context clues to figure out which one was acting protagonist for that chapter.

Anyway, there's maybe not much sense that the book is building to something -- we mostly see the vengeful spirit methodically mess up one main character, then move on to the next, and the next... But the ending felt appropriately climactic, and might be the only time I've teared up over the conclusion of a horror book.

Ewan

Just shy of 3.5 but I almost DNF a few times so I have to go down to 3 instead of pushing up to 4. 

Just too many issues for me. I'll wait until I've gathered my thoughts a bit before writing more

Christian Beck &
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

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Christian Beck &The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones

Reviews

Highlights

Join the club

Christian Beck &
The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones