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“Slashers make final girls come into their own. Let their inner lights shine.” – Brittany in The Last Final Girl
“The final girl is a trope in horror films (particularly slasher films). It refers to the last girl(s) or woman alive to confront the killer, ostensibly the one left to tell the story.” – Wikipedia
Happy Spooktober everyone! The Last Final Girl by Stephen Graham Jones was my selection for the Spooktober Readathon’s prompt for reading a slasher horror. At the beginning of the book, the killer is closing in on his final victim, Lindsey, and her horse. He has already killed off most of the football team and homecoming court – all while wearing a Michael Jackson mask. He becomes known as Billie Jean.
The book changes point of view often, sort of like a screenplay. It can be a little unsettling, sort of like the slasher film itself. Everyone is disoriented and trying to hide or run from the killer. In the midst of all of the chaos, the killer remains calm and therefore has the upper hand.
The setting is in a small town in Texas, where football games and beauty pageants are possibly the most significant events to ever occur. The new homecoming court was chosen by latest final girl, Lindsay Baker. She chose four other final girls to be on the court: Crystal Blake, Mandy Kane, April Ripley and Izzy Stratford. Izzy probably knows more about horror movies than anyone. Even though, she is a slasher film expert, Izzy doesn’t see all of the twists and turns that Billie Jean and possibly a few others have in mind. She and the other final girls are just trying to survive and be the last, final girl.
The idea of a killer wearing a Michael Jackson mask is the creepiest thing that I have read this week. It’s daylight but I have looked over my shoulder about ten times, while writing this review. I think it is interesting to read the lyrics of “Billie Jean” to see if there are any similarities with the characters.
Recommendation
If you are a fan of slasher films and fiction and don’t mind the somewhat disorienting pace, then you could possibly enjoy The Last Final Girl.
If you are a complete and utter scaredy cat or just not a fan of slasher films, then you might not appreciate this book. Honestly, I’m still looking over my shoulder.
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