New York Times bestselling author Stephen Graham Jones ' The Only Good Indians is a chilling blend of horror and cultural identity. This novel immersed me in the lives of four American Indian men as they grapple with a haunting event from their past which has reared its ugly head.

The Only Good Indians 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.

Stephen Graham Jones has keen ability to weave together horror with an examination of cultural identities. He takes this skill to new heights in The Only Good Indians. As the story unfolds, these men find themselves dealing with their past decisions that pull them back into the heart of their heritage with some pretty chilling consequences.

At its core, The Only Good Indians challenges us as the reader to reflect on cultural identity. These men are caught between their heritage and the modern cultural landscape–something a lot of us can likely relate in today's world. Jones masterfully uses supernatural horror to symbolize these tensions; as the novel progresses, it becomes clear that you can never fully escape your past or cultural expectations without paying a some sort of price.

Jones' ability to craft characters is on fully display in The Only Good Indians. Each character is fleshed out with distinct personalities and histories that hooked me deep in their individual stories as well as the overall tale. Stephen's ability to draw me into their lives and allow me to care for them through thick and thin is a true skill that shines in this novel.

In addition to bringing his cultural background to this novel, Jones delivers some spine-chilling horror throughout the story. Gore and suspense are intricately balanced with the remainder of the tale in such a seamless way. This juxtaposition creates an atmosphere where tension continuously simmers just beneath the surface before boiling over. Crafting a novel in such a way gives so much more to look forward to on each page.

The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones is a gripping horror story that includes a deep commentary on identity, cultural legacy, and the potential consequences of abandoning your roots–a blend that I have become accustomed to with Jones. With a thrilling storyline and fantastic characters, this novel offers an experience that is as meaningful as it is terrifying.

The Only Good Indians is a culturally complex psychological horror centered around four friends who made a stupid decision nearly a decade ago, insulting their ancestors and branding them for life. I first heard about this book from other literature teachers, and I understand completely why it is so popular with this particular crowd. There are POV shifts, deep symbolism, and cultural richness rarely found in the horror genre. I understand also the criticism about this starting off slow. While the first chapter is fast and unsettling, Lewis's section is my least favorite of the bunch, which immediately follows it. Characters are underdeveloped overall, but this isn't a book about the individual: this is about being Blackfeet. This is an experience with consequences and feeling. And this is worth reading. 4.5⭐

I love everything that SGJ puts out and this was so wonderful. So far this is the only one of his books that snug past me and I ATE THIS BOOK UP! His writing here is so vivid and so descriptive you FEEL the book, the emotions and the feelings the characters are feeling in that moment. The way that he wrote so deep on cultural and generational trauma was perfection. The characters development here was 5 star, the horrorish aspects of this was perfection and the way you feel at the very end of this book was why this is as usual for our author, a 5 star read for me. ALREADY have recommended this book to all my book besties and my book club. Keep them coming Mr Jones.

READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS.

I did not. This was a DNF for me. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read it NetGalley.

Do you ever read a book and know that it is amazing but just not for you?

I am not opposed to bashing a book. There have been two recent books where I have rooted for the bad guy, despite there being nothing redeeming about said bad guy. This is not the case. I mean, I do root for the elk woman, but I also didn't hate the men. They made a mistake, a stupid mistake.

I did struggle with the Lewis section. It was just gross and I was unable to enter his state of mind that would allow that amount of gratuitous violence.

This is not for me but I see how others would like it. I have heard such amazing things about this novel but I should have known better.

Thank you to Saga Press and NetGalley for the DRC. All opinions are my own.

3 stars!

This harrowing story of a vengeful spirit had some really intense, awesome moments! However, I really struggled with the writing style and it significantly impacted my reading experience.

I've been aware of Stephen Graham Jones for a long time and went to see him talk at a book event a few months ago, which made me want to give his books a shot. Conceptually and atmospherically I really enjoyed this. Hannibal ingrained a love of elk-related horror into me so I was unbelievably down for a vengeful elk spirit. The kind of escalation of cruelty was really compelling and chilling, very much a car crash in slow motion. My main issue with this book is the writing style, which I know is an issue for a lot of people. It's really unique and I'm sure it works for some people, but I just had so much trouble keeping up with what was happening. At times I had to look up a summary to confirm what I thought was happening, and I never really got a grip on the characters or their personalities.

I understand why the feelings on this book are so mixed, because I bet if you can get behind the writing style it's amazing. If you can't, the whole story really feels distant in a way that detracts from the story's impact.

Thank you to Stephen Graham Jones and Saga Press for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!

Happy reading!