The Final Girl Support Group
Lynette is a member of the “Final Girl Support Group,” several women who have been lone-survivers of horrible massacres. After one of the members is found murdered, she suspects that it is the start of another cycle they are all too familiar with.
I read this book by mistake, but it was the second best mistake in my life (my conception being the first).
I initially was looking for a Stephen Graham Jones book with a similar title (The Last Final Girl). I had finished my first book by him and was eager to find more. So when I stumbled across The Final Girl Support Group by Grady Hendrix, I started it without thinking too much about it. I didn’t know what the book was supposed to be about anyways, so it was no big. I realized a couple pages in that the writing style was different, but was intrigued nonetheless and decided to finish the book. And it was a good read with a super interesting concept.
The Final Girl Support Group is about Lynette, a woman who survived a terrible massacre that left her as a lone survivor, and a support group of women consisting of similar survivors. The group exists as a way for the women to support each other, not being able to find solace in typical support groups or friendships. When one of the final girls is found murdered, Lynette has a strange feeling that this attack was not random, and that the final girl support group was soon to be in danger.
The concept of the book was great. Where do you find peace when youre whole life has been destroyed by a homicidal maniac? How do you find companionship in a world full of suspicious characters? Hendrix apparently was watching Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors when he had the novel idea. In Dream Warriors, Nancy (the final girl from the first Nightmare movie) works as a counselor for other victims who have survived Freddy’s attacks. Hendrix does a great job exploring this idea, giving nods to classic slasher movies throughout the novel. He also does a great job of placing the readers into the paranoia and survival instincts of Lynette, someone who relies on these skills throughout the novel.
Though I enjoyed the read, it did get a bit slow at times towards the middle of the novel. I also would have enjoyed a bit more exploration of the different slashers involved in each of the characters lives. Though most of them were based off other famous slasher movie characters, I would have enjoyed reading up on some of the unique qualities. But that could just be me I guess.
Rating: I give this book 8.5 maniacs out of 10. Very interesting concept, well explored in most of the details, with just a little bit too slow of a middle in the book. Still a great read.
If you are looking for a movie, I will never not recommend any of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies. If you need a specific, start with the original one. If you want something a bit deeper in the franchise, check out Dream Warriors. Outside of that franchise, check out Antichrist. A man takes his grieved wife to an isolated cabin to provide therapy for her, having suffered a mental break after the death of their son. Things quickly take a dark turn as they explore her grief, and he realizes things may not be as simple as they appeared to be. Trigger warning: this movie is dark and fucken crazy.
For a great book, check out Grady Hendrix’s Horrorstor. A couple of employees attempt to catch a thief at their ikea-esque work store after hours, only to discover that the store may be haunted the fuck up. For something less quirky, Stephen Graham Jones wrote a great book The Only Good Indians that I loveeeeeee. Four friends are haunted by their actions from their youth, and can do little to stop what is coming after them.
Until next time…
-M