What an absolute triumph of a horror novel. This novel kept me up more than one night, either from contemplation or reading it, begging to know what happens next.

The plot itself is told from a dizzying array of perspectives, this I feel is no accident. It keeps you at the best of times on your toes and at the worst scrambling trying to find your footing but all in a good way if that makes sense. It completely immerses you in the theme, the content, the horror, causes you to feel.

The horror is built into the shadows around you then unleashed in a rush of ichor and gore before retreating yet again, where you know it exists biding its time, and you curl up on your couch just waiting for the surfeit of blood and terror to burst forth and consume the world around you.

The moral, the point of the story, is subtle, drawn out, allowing the reader to put the gray puzzle pieces together creating a sense of satisfaction at the end. Allowing you to feel that you were a part of the tale and the teaching. A much more effective approach than bludgeoning one over the head with a line drawn neatly between good and evil.

Excellent, excellent tale, writing, plot, feeling, and pacing.

A wonderful, literary Native American horror novel that is incredibly empathetic to both the hunters and that which hunts them.
The characters are real, the gore is just right and the end had me holding my breath until the last page.⁣
This is one of the best horror stories that I’ve ever read!
Thank You NetGalley and New Press for this ebook copy!

After requesting this book, I learned that there was gruesome animal abuse and death. These descriptions are incredibly hard for me to read and cause significant distress. Had I known that the book included this, I would not have requested the book. I will not be reviewing this book.

I wish the publisher would have included a trigger warning or content warning in their description of the book to prevent this from happening.

I will not be publishing anything to Goodreads, Amazon, or BN.

While impressed with the story, I did not enjoy some of the gorier details of the "Elk Lady's" revenge. The writing is vivid and definitely paints a picture. However, having never read another Stephen Graham Jones novel, I have no way of knowing if this is standard or just to invoke horror. I also felt a lot of the revenge was unnecessary.
A crime against nature was committed when this particular group of men was just a bunch of kids. Yes, definitely old enough to know better but I just felt like it escalated pretty quickly.

I'm not a reader of scary books, but this got such good reviews and is written by an Indigenous author so I picked it up...and when the first gory thing happened about a third of the way in, I nearly hung it up...but I was really drawn in by the representation of the Native American characters, and (once I got used to it) the writing, so I slowly picked my way through some more pages. Thankfully, the gory stuff is well spaced out and mostly there's a feeling of impending dread, but also, ultimately of power and triumph.

I'm really glad I finished this book, though I don't think I'm a convert to the genre just yet.

So I started this book, then forgot about it, remembered it, started reading it again, forgot about it, then raced through to the end. It's a crazy, crazy book. It's like magical realism horror. I feel like I didn't completely understand all of it, or why what they did was so terrible, but I did end up enjoying the book and will be reading more from this author.

Four men find the actions of their past have come to exact revenge in this gorgeously written opus by Stephen Graham Jones. Indelible imagery and a beautifully developed plot raise this head and shoulders above its contemporaries; it almost surpasses Mongrels, Jones' werewolf masterpiece. The clear-cut poetic consequences of choices made long ago are the bones of this book, but it's the small touches. Revenge morphing into familiar forms. The way you will never be able to look at a spinning ceiling fan ever again. Easily the best book of last year.

Audio: Honestly, after finishing this I really only wanted to give it 2 stars, but I went with 3 because I think the Audio was a mistake for me and didn't want to punish the story for my error. I feel like at some point I missed something and that caused me to not be "in" the story. Based on what I listened to, I think it has potential and because of this I will one day actually read the book and give it the fair shake it deserves. What I can tell you about the story is that it is full of Native American lore which I did find interesting. It is also pretty gruesome, not just involving people, but animals, which I know is harder to stomach for a lot of readers so figured a warning was in order. Also, by the end I was getting more into the story and I was all in on the action, concerned for the last victim because their fight and determination were fierce. So yes, three stars because I believe the fault of me not loving it is mine, not the book's. Also, I think this author has an interesting voice so I will check out their other works.

This title and summary caught my attention right away. I enjoyed the build-up and the horror of the book. I hope the author continues writing and I will buy more books.

I really didn’t enjoy this book. I expected a tale of horror, but it didn’t come across that way to me. I think the idea was good, but it just fell flat. I couldn’t really get interested in the story and hard a hard time finishing it.

I have no idea how exactly to explain my initial reaction to this book. I’ve read countless books in English, which is not my mother tongue, I live in an English speaking country and use the language every day, but once I started The Only Good Indians I felt like I don’t understand a word, like I’m reading in Chinese. After a few pages, I even passed the book to my SO to make sure that my brain didn’t suddenly lose its ability to read or to understand a sentence. And no, it clearly wasn’t me, it was the writing. I still have no idea what exactly happened there, what the issue was. Each word had a meaning, but somehow, put together, they just didn’t have any sense. Somehow, after a few chapters, things sort of went back to normal and the phrasing was smoother. Despite that, the book still didn’t catch me and I just wanted to finish it faster and be done with it.

The storyline is definitely original and not one of the tipical horror plots, but that’s pretty much the only good thing I can say about it. I’ve seen so many excited reactions about this novel, I saw it in so many 2020 tops. It’s not even the fact that my expectations weren’t met. I wasn’t just disappointed, I simply disliked everything about it. The characters weren’t interesting, I couldn’t sympathize with any of them, their actions seemed illogical half of the time, the storyline wasn’t catchy, the plot didn’t make my pulse jump or give me the feeling that I’m reading a horror. In addition, I feel like the author tried so much to signal that this is a story about native indians that it became repetitive and annoying.

Considering that so many readers gave positive reviews and I’m in minority here, I’m just going to assume this was not a story for me, but it can definitely be for somebody else. So in case you’re feeling tempted to give it a try, don’t let my opinion discourage you from reading it.

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones took me a bit to understand the authors writing style and the cultural elements that kept reappearing in the book. Four friends on a reservation kill elk years earlier and are stripped of their hunting rights. Each of these four friends in present day must atone for the crime that they committed. This book can be gruesome and not for the squeamish. Overall, this was a satisfying horror/mystery.

After months of trying I never managed to finish this book. Which is rare for me. The great amount of characters and the indirect use of language don't work for. Sadly I can't be positive.

Reading the many positive reviews of other people on goodreads I fully realise I am part of a small minority here. Maybe the fact that I am not a native English speaker is the cause of this. Therefor I will refrain from posting a review on goodreads out of fear I write an unfair and unjust review.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of The Only Good Indians in exchange for an honest review.

When I tried to read this book last year, I had a hard time understanding the writing and decided to give up for the moment. God knows this isn't the easiest book for a non-native speaker to read, but oh boy, was it worth it. I knew I was going to try again at some point because I was so intrigued by the plot. I'm glad I gave it a second chance because I was blown away and I absolutely loved it. This is probably going to be one of my best reads of 2021.
First of all, as I said before, although the writing wasn't easy for me to understand, I can say it is unique and fast-paced. I'll definitely check out the author's other works, starting with The Night of Mannequins.
What I loved most in this book was the characters - which was a bad move: I forgot for a second I was reading a horror novel and got attached to them - especially to Lewis, Cassidy, and Gabe; they're the heart of this novel. I also liked the friendship between them, so this book made me sad instead of grossed out or scared.
I enjoyed this book because the author took popular elements from the horror genre - gore, final girls, a hint of slasher stories, etc - and subverted them. This new wave of horror told by BIPOC writers made me fall in love with the genre all over again because the cultural aspects they bring to the table are so refreshing and interesting to read about, and "The Only Good Indians" is an example of that.
I finished reading this a few days ago and I'm still obsessed with it. It made me have this rare moment in which I stopped and thought to myself, "Oh God, I'm so glad to be alive in the period this novel was published so I get to read it."

Thank you, Stephen Graham Jones and Netgalley, for allowing me to read this book as an ARC!

When I was a child, whenever I visited my grandparent's house, I would always have the same dream. I'd be in my dad's room there, and in the corner there was this goat head creature who told me its name was Mahmamoo. It would pursue me slowly down my grandparents' carpeted stairs. Only once did I ever have the dream anywhere else, and it was like he followed me. That dream filled me with a stomach-dropping dread. And that dread is this book.

A decade after a reckless hunting spree (the "Thanksgiving Classic"), four friends from the Blackfeet Nation are forced to reckon with the harm of their careless act. Alongside the heart-pounding horror delivered in the book's casual yet gripping prose, The Only Good Indians stares down both the difficulties and the unstoppable hope and endurance of Indigenous lives head on.

This novel was absolutely chilling. I would just be reading along, getting invested in the characters, and suddenly something really disturbing would happen, leaving me sitting bolt upright with my hand over my mouth. What was most incredibly was the sense of release and catharsis also provided by the book, provided a perfect tonal balance. A truly cinematic experience.

Really enjoyed this book. Different horror, which is always a good thing. Great characters, and a great story. #TheOnlyGoodIndians #NetGalley

Quite successful monthly pick with broad appeal. For fans of both horror and fiction, this title really begs for discussion.

I will definitely be checking out more of Jones’ books. His character work is incredible, and his ability to seamlessly shift protagonists is honestly super impressive. This is top shelf horror.

Ultimately written as a horror novel, Stephen Graham Jones delivers so much more. The narrative is masterfully written, engrained with complex social injustices and an intimate portrayal of the realities of hope. The subject matter is delivered violently with brutal cause and yet somehow invokes a tender compassion from the reader. Loved it!


Thank you to #NetGalley and #GalleryBooks for the #egalley of #TheOnlyGoodIndians which was read and reviewed voluntarily, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Horror isn't usually my go-to genre but this book was really interesting (but also a little creepy)! It involves four Blackfeet men who make a grave mistake involving a herd of elk and years later must pay for it. The reckoning comes in the form of a supernatural hunt which includes Denorah, the daughter of one of them. Although very violent in parts, it's also satisfying as we witness the cycle being broken so
healing can begin.