I’m a big fan of Stephen Graham Jones. After reading his novel The Only Good Indians, I knew I had to keep up with this author. So when I saw on Netgalley that My Heart Is a Chainsaw was available for a review, I immediately snagged a copy.
Right away, I was taken with the main character, Jade. Jones writes in a very tight first-person POV, which means the readers know everything about 17-year-old Jade. She’s smart and sassy. She knows everything about slasher movies. But at the same time, she’s troubled, vulnerable and trapped in her life. She’s the kind of kid I want to reach out to. Someone whose stories I wanted to hear. My heart really went out to her.
I also liked the character of Letha Mondragon whose perfection could have been irritating if not for the fact that she was so darn likable. She really seems to want what’s best for Jade.
This book is not for the faint of heart. Jones really does write My Heart Is a Chainsaw as if it is an actual horror movie. It’s gross and bloody, exactly what I’d been hoping for. (If you read my reivew of Carrie 2013, you know I like my horror intense.) The beginning moved a little slowly for me, and I did find myself putting it down. By the end, however, I was completely hooked. I read the final quarter of the novel in one sitting because I couldn’t bear to put it down. I certainly hope that there is a movie based on this because I will stand in line to watch it.
The final chapter, however, left me with mixed emotions which tainted my review of My Heart Is a Chainsaw. Warning: minor spoilers ahead. I am fine with horror novels and movies ending on a sour note. After all, that’s the nature of the genre. However, the final chapter seemed too extra for me. I wasn’t sure why Jones needed to tack on that forest fire or the way Jade handled the situation.
Nevertheless, My Heart is a Chainsaw is an excellent novel, and I highly recommend it.
