This book is so much more than a thriller. It sure has the structure and storyline of a thriller, but it is also a tribute to the 70's, 80's and 90's slashers movies that, at this point, are cult films for horror fans.
Jade is a half Indian girl in her senior year that lives with an abusive father. She has a job as a custodian in the school system and has a very close relationship with Mr Holmes, his history teacher. She starts to write a serie of essays for Mr Holmes to get extra credits, about a very unusual theme that happens to be Jade's obsession: the history of slashers in movies.
At the same time, she is certain that, during the 4th of July celebrations, something terrible is going to happen. A real life slasher will massacre everyone in town. She even knows who the final girl is going to be: Thea, a new girl in town who lives on the other side of the lake in a rich people new development.
A lot of stuff happens, and every little detail seems to give Jade a new reason to believe in her crazy theory. But is she right or everything is just a mechanism to cope with abuse, as everyone seems to believe?
SGJ is such a great writer. He not only writes the most perfect horror books, he also raises awareness about very sensitive topics like the high rate of abuse among the native american girls.
A wonderful book by one of the best writers of the genre.

As originally published on The Nerd Daily

In his latest book, My Heart is a Chainsaw, Stephen Graham Jones gives us a breathtaking coming-of-age story that will appeal to both die-hard horror fans and readers new to the genre.

Jade Daniels has lived in rural Proofrock, Idaho her entire life. The lake and the adjacent island are filled with legends, superstitions, and a tangled, tragic history. Just like Jade.

When a group of wealthy new residents start developing a ritzy community on the island, her town slowly starts changing. But outside of the obvious signs of gentrification, Jade is the only one who notices a definite pattern emerging. And it paints a bloody picture.

As summer crawls forward, Jade is convinced a killer is lurking in the shadows, waiting to strike. Armed with an extensive knowledge of slasher films, Jade is sure she knows what’s coming. But no one will listen.

My Heart is a Chainsaw is a slow-burn horror story with profound bite. Outside of the initial blood sacrifice, the first half of the book is light on the gore. This may be surprising for fans, especially those new to Jones through the spectacular, The Only Good Indians, where blood and viscera flew early in the pages and built into a brutally beautiful finale. The end of My Heart is a Chainsaw is just as brutal and beautiful, but the journey we go on is far, far different.

Jade Daniels is the resident outcast. Mostly abandoned by her mother, she’s left to live with her abusive father. And she finds solace in the only place that makes sense to her: slasher films. Her collection will make die-hard horror fans envious, and the love Jones feels for the genre is woven throughout every single one of these details. The chapters are titled after the movies, and Jade references everything from tiny specifics only avid fans will pick up on to major pop culture elements that will be largely recognisable to everyone.

The result is this book reads as an homage to the slasher genre. But rather than write in a way that excludes new readers, Jones uses a clever storytelling device through Jade. We essentially get a ‘Horror 101’ breakdown, in Jade’s own words through extra credit term papers. Each paper takes us through these movies in a broad, yet thorough manner. We learn about the history of the slasher genre, character motive, plot devices, and standard tropes like the blood sacrifice and the final girl.

This is a lovely balance between the horror aficionado and someone who may be new to the genre. Fans will love the constant slasher references, and because Jade is an enthusiastic fan herself, she is willing to talk about her favourite films, devices, characters, and more to anyone that even half-listens. In our case, that means we not only get incredible insight into Jade herself, but we get a personal guide into the slasher world.

It may seem that by giving us what to expect, that the story would feel trite or cliché. Instead, Jones takes all of those tropes, devices, and expectations and shatters them. The papers guide us through what we should expect, and Jade does this too, seeing the clues and wrangling them to fit what she assumes is happening, or at least, what should happen. Except, Jade isn’t exactly the most reliable narrator. She turned to horror at a time in her life when she was at her lowest. She’s learned to use it as a shield, defending her heart, her inner self with the vehemence of a resurrected killer.

One of the best tricks in a slasher film is misdirection. Get the viewer to look the other way, so when the jump-scare happens, we never see it coming. Jones does this in the most spectacular fashion, lulling us into believing that Jade knows what’s coming. When she’s shocked, so are we. Jones weaves this story with a deft hand, showing us where to look but in such a subtle way that we forget we’re supposed to be on our toes, that a killer could jump out from anywhere. But Jones subverts even that expectation, making the killer second to the revelations that truly cut through us violently and deeply.

This book may be horror on the surface, but as Jones has pointed out in past interviews, we like to be scared so we remember that we’re alive. But living can be so hard sometimes. Through the horror lens, we get a devastating but gorgeous story about a girl trying so hard to not just live, not just survive, but heal and become whole.

Jade has experienced immense trauma, and while we don’t learn the extent of that trauma until the end, we feel it from the very beginning. It’s in her every movement, wrapped in every sentence. She’s wrapped her heart in barbed wire ensuring that anyone who dares to get close enough, will get cut. But she’s also desperate for connection, wanting to be seen, wanting to be told it’s okay, that she’s okay. Anyone who has experienced deep trauma will immediately recognise this heartbreaking duality in Jade. She talks horror, and hopes she’ll find someone who will talk horror back. But when they see through this defense, try to see the girl behind the blood-splattered cover, she shuts down, doing anything to get away including throwing herself out of moving boats and cars. Jade has such genuine defense mechanisms, such visceral and real responses both internally and externally, that she becomes real. It’s easy to imagine her fidgeting next to us, filling our ear with slasher facts while taking complete control of our hearts.

Horror isn’t about death. It isn’t about the gore, or the blood, or the violence. They’re stories about revenge and justice. They’re about retribution. And inherent within those themes is the underlying glimmer of hope. Slasher films are Jade’s safety, but they’re also her salvation. If her life is a slasher film come to life, then maybe, just maybe, she can finally get the justice she’s been denied her entire life. And even here, her trauma feels real. She doesn’t care what happens, only that something is happening. She doesn’t need to be the star, in fact, she can’t even see herself in that role. Her desperate need for justice overrides even her desire to survive. If that doesn’t absolutely tear your heart into pieces, the way she fervently clings to hope that justice will finally be served will.

Of course, Jones gives us plenty of gore and blood and supernatural violence towards the end. This may be an intimate coming-of-age story, but it’s still a slasher to the core. We watch plenty of people die in explosive and imaginative ways. But the most horrifying elements end up being far more human, and far more real. By the time we get there, we are so invested in Jade’s survival, that the book has moved well past the typical slasher trope. We don’t just hope she survives; we need her to survive. She’s more than a final girl, she’s our girl, and we would do anything for her.

My Heart is a Chainsaw is a powerful story that will appeal to a wide range of readers. Jones proves that a story can have both heart and sharp teeth. This book crawls under the skin, it bites, it clings. Within just a few pages, this book takes hold and slowly eviscerates in the best possible way. This is a story, a character, that will leave indelible scars, reminding the reader of Jade and her journey long after they close the cover.

Throughout it all, Jones takes our heart in his hands and squeezes, giving us a breathtakingly stunning and heartbreaking story brimming with unbridled hope. This is a story that hurts, but that pain serves to remind us of all the things horror should. That we’re alive, that there’s light in darkness, that not only do we deserve to survive––we deserve to live.

I have this a four out of five stars, I really enjoyed it and would buy the physical copy for myself. I really liked the story line and liked how people didn’t really believe the main character but they wanted to help her. I felt bad for the main character on things test have happened to her. There is a trigger warning for sexual assault.

I have tried to read this multiple times and unfortunately I am not going to be able to get through it. I am just too confused. This is a book that is not going to pick up until the end and I don't want to stick around and read a slow paced book for that long.

So excited to have received this book as I’ve heard so much about it. And it lived up to the hype. I absolutely loved this and look forward to more from the author. I plan to do a more in depth review on my goodreads but this is the type of horror content I’m looking for

This is not an easy read, it takes a bit of time and effort to get into the flow of the story, particularly Jade’s narrative thought stream. But, once you’re in, strap yourself down, because it’s a hell of a ride. The story’s protagonist, Jade, is a slasher film-buff. She is absolutely obsessed with the genre, as well as it’s wider context within horror and film. This character’s fixation functions as a narrative force, offering constant hints and clues of potential impending chaos and onslaught, while also resonating with horror film-buff readers. Despite my severely limited knowledge of slasher filmographies, I enjoyed this plot devise immensely (and all the Jaws references resonated deeply with my soul 😊). However, what I appreciated the most about this slasher tale, is how it handled real and actual trauma and abuse. Rather than using this as another plot piece, there was depth and nuance to it, and it proved narratively essential. <i>My Heart is a Chainsaw</i>, much like the slasher films it venerates, is fun and disturbing, comedic and tragic, profound and horrific, and ultimately a well crafted tale.

Thank you to NetGalley for an early electronic copy of this book.

I read The Only Good Indians earlier this year, and it really got under my skin and stuck with me for a long time. The sense of dread flows through the entire book, from the first page to the end.

There is a similar sense of dread within My Heart Is a Chainsaw as well, but with a completely different perspective. Jade is a great character, and reminded me a bit of my high school self when I would spend Friday nights in the local video store renting each of the horror movies until I had made my way through them. This novel is a love letter to those movies, and to those of us who love them. I want to say more, but there is so much that is wonderful about this book, to say more would ruin the experience for other readers.

The best book I've read in years. It made me laugh and left me in misery. I've never wanted to hug a character more than this one. It's phenomenal, and you will not get over the ending for a long time.

https://berkeleyfictionreview.org/2021/08/23/a-love-letter-to-slasher-cinema-a-review-of-my-heart-is-a-chainsaw-by-stephen-graham-jones/

My Heart is a Chainsaw follows Jade through the real world slasher story that she finds herself in the middle of. I won't say more so that you can experience it for yourself.

I absolutely loved this book. SGJ has such a unique way of writing that requires attention and focus in the best way. I love that Jade is such a rebellious character. She is hard to love but you can't help it. This book is gory and wonderful. The authors note makes me love this book 1000x's more. SGJ has a unique ability to bring to light real issues in the world under the guise of horror. This book will not be for everyone. If you aren't into slashers, you will struggle with the references. For me, I loved it and will always love it. This book was so good.

I loved Graham Jones previous book " The Only Good Indian". While this book is different, the writing and imagery are still spot on. I loved this book and can't wait to see what lies in store for this amazing author!

A horror novel by the author of the extremely excellent The Only Good Indians . Both novels are set in the modern-day American West and both feature Native Americans as the main characters, but other than that they’re fairly different. The Only Good Indians’s horror was the subtle, lasting sort, the kind that gets under your skin and lingers. My Heart Is a Chainsaw is a slasher through and through – the kind that’s all about jump scares and gross death scenes that you have to watch through your fingers, but which leaves you giggling in between the shrieks.

Jade Daniels is a 17 year old horror fan with a terrible life; she’s on the verge of failing to graduate high school, she’s friendless, she has an extremely strained relationship with her father and basically never sees her mother, and she opens the book by attempting suicide. The vast majority of her thoughts and conversation (and school papers, many of which serve as excerpts throughout the book) focus on slasher movies. Someone’s actually put together a list of all the movies she references, which is extremely impressive because there’s a *lot* of them. Jade’s convinced that she’s cracked the code, and if a slasher shows up in her small town (and she very much hopes one will) she’ll know how to survive. She even has a Final Girl all picked out: Letha Mondragon, new kid in school from the rich side of town. (By the way, I ship Jade/Letha extremely hard, and I really hope someone writes that for Yuletide.) Except then people do begin dying violently, and Jade has to figure out how to get anyone to take her seriously and not assume her warnings are some kind of horror-inspired prank.

My Heart Is a Chainsaw is absolutely fantastic. It’s fast paced, deliciously gory, and with a genuinely moving heart under it all. It’s not exactly surprising where Jade’s character arc ends up going, but it still made me want to cheer. The writing is extremely cinematic and so compelling that I was reading it on the subway and would have missed my stop if my partner hadn’t tugged me up. And then I stayed up late to finish it!

Overall, it’s very different in style from Jones’s last book, but still a must-read for the horror fan.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4271887186

Stephen Graham Jones can do no wrong in my book. This slasher homage is beautiful in its brutality. I absolutely adored it and almost wish there was a sequel in the works! I have recommended this highly to many friends already.

It took SO much of my brainpower to get through this one. Stephen Graham Jones wrote one of my favorite horror novels, The Only Good Indians, which had me super excited for this new work of his. Unfortunately, 75% of it wasn't something that I enjoyed reading. While the opening scene was amazing and had me excited to see what was going to happen next, the slow pacing of the majority of the rest of the novel dragged it down. There was so much that made this such an odd reading experience, but I can't really pin down why. The characters reacting so oddly to everything that was happening, Jade's endless fixation on wanting to confront a slasher in real life in her town, and the confusing nature of everything (it was so hard for me to follow) made it a book that is difficult for me to write a cohesive review about. If the story interests you, go for it. Just be ready to put a lot of energy into getting through the slower parts before the gruesome finale.

I love the the books I've read by Stephen Graham Jones in the past and this book was no different. I grew up watching horror movies in the 80's so all the references in the story had me wanting to rewatch all of the movies, and a few I've never heard of before. The story itself kept you wondering if everything Jade was interpreting was real or just in her head. I think it was a page turner and would recommend to anyone who loves slasher / horror

This is my first read from this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I love how the author pays homage to slasher films in this book. I grew up on Friday the 13th, Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street, so I was in good company with the main character in her love of all things slasher. I appreciate that the author not only entertains his audience, but also educates his audience about Indigenous people. I have plans to read The Only Good Indians soon. I look forward to learning more about this author and discovering his other stories.

Wow. Wow. Wow. THIS is the October book you need in your life.
1. I love horror movies.
2. I love horror stories that reflect on the genre.
3. I love underdogs.

This story features the school outcast, the classic horror story set up, reflections on “how the story goes,” and ties it all together with suspenseful perfection. This horror is kinda deep though. There’s a strong dose of classic slasher but there’s also a surprisingly sophisticated take on the horror. This book looks at scary stuff like being bullied, part of a marginalized group, the child of an abusive alcoholic, and suicide. It’s not for the faint of heart - or those who trigger easily. But definitely worth the read.

If you're an avid reader (or listener) of true crime stories and podcasts, then My Heart Is a Chainsaw should definitely be on your to-read list.

Jade is a horror movie fanatic who doesn't want to be the star of her own horror story ... but she doesn't have a choice when she finds herself in the middle of danger.

My Heart is a Chainsaw won't be for everyone. If you're squeamish, if you aren't very patient with books that are a little slow to get going, if you aren't a huge fan of horror movies, you might struggle, as I did. If, on the other hand, you love to discuss horror movie villains, plot structure, symbolism, etc. This book would be the perfect fit for you!

The blurb of this book has me very excited to read and it pains me to say I was SO bored with this story. I even tried the audiobook and found myself zoning out while reading or listening. I think when it comes to this author I will stick to his novellas as I do better with those stories.

Slasher fans, rejoice!

My Heart Is a Chainsaw is a novel made for lovers of slasher. It truly reads like a slasher movie in book form complete with an opening kill sequence. The protagonist is slasher-obsessed and uses horror movies to cope with her own life going as far as imagining she is in one of those very movies giving the narration. When blood begins to actually spill in Jade's town, she realizes everything isn't what it seems. I loved the ride this novel went on. It's a true love letter to the genre. There are plenty of horror movie references that I truly couldn't get enough of. I can only hope there will be more novels showing this love to the slasher genre. The writing is remarkable. Stephen Graham Jones is a standout author. Highly recommended to anyone who loves horror films - this is for you!