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Young Slasher
Have you ever wanted to kill somebody? Sorry, that’s a blunt question. It might make you uncomfortable. If it does—if your stomach knots or your skin prickles—then your answer is yes. You probably don’t want to admit it. I get that. But it doesn’t change the fact that deep down you’re a killer. Like me. My name is Mia Sanguine. I’m a 17-year- old girl, living in Australia. I go to school, play percussion in the orchestra, and study when I have to. I like horror movies, comic books, and punk music. Oh, and yeah, a group of teenagers has ruined my life. So I’m going to kill them. But don’t get me wrong—I’m not talking about some Columbine-styled rubbish. No offense, but this isn’t the United States. All I need is a mask, an outfit, and a pair of knives. You see, I’m going to become a slasher movie villain. Like Jason, Mike, or Ghostface. In real life. Not because it’s right. But because of what I am. A YOUNG SLASHER.
322 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 27, 2016
35 people are currently reading
590 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
April 23, 2023
I found this a really fun read! Lots of humor, pop culture references, and a teen protagonist who goes from fringe kid to slasher in an arc that’s really fun. There was enough blood and kills, and the popular kids got their due. Definitely recommend this one especially to graphic novel fans.
July 30, 2016
Young Slasher, the latest from S. Elliot Brandis, is a slasher horror story that owes an awful lot to comic books, particularly Mark Millar’s Kick-Ass and uber-scribe Grant Morrison. This is a story that wears its influences proudly on its sleeve and name-drops them with regularity, not necessarily to be cute to show off a measure of pop culture awareness, but because these are the things that shape and inform our titular killer, who goes by the very comic book-ish name of Mia Sanguine.
Mia is a real-life movie slasher for the twenty-first century. Inspired by comic books and horror movies, her psychopathy even comes with its own Spotify playlist so that she can kill with a punk soundtrack. Her origin story is rooted in modern-day Big Topics of our time, as her and her best friend are ridiculed and bullied by their high school peers. Mia was a late transfer to a private school filled with spoiled, rotten rich kids and her taste in fashion and music made her an outcast. Her friend Casey is struggling to define his sexuality and is routinely harassed by his bigoted, homophobic classmates. And so, they hatch a plot, inspired quite knowingly by Kick-Ass. They want to become real-life horror movie killers.
And although I stated above that this is a horror story, that’s not entirely correct. It has all the benchmarks of a horror narrative – that sleek, cool looking cover; a terrific bit of the old ultraviolence; a fantastic slasher villain with an impressive array of cutlery and scorn – but Young Slasher is more accurately a fun work of metafiction. As Mia might say, this book is “meta as fuck!” and the meta narrative run multiple layers deep, reaching quite a bit beyond merely the fictional, fourth-wall breaking killer that fans of Deadpool will recognize.
Aside from being an interesting thought experiment and clever literary construct, this book would not work without a reason to care beyond picking out points of reference and trying to figure out what’s real and what’s not. That’s where the characters come in. Mia is simply a fun girl to hang out with for the couple hundred-some pages that she exists in. She’s brutal, but also empathetic, and, perhaps troublingly, somebody I could relate to.
As a victim of bullying during my own school years (being the only kid with a gnarly scar running the length of my chest from open heart surgery and unable to engage in the more rough-and-tumble aspects of gym class made me both an outcast and, since I couldn’t run, easy pickings. When I eventually found comfort in junk food and became overweight, I was then the fat, scarred outcast), I found myself fully sympathetic to Mia and Casey. I could understand their urge to find primal satisfaction in waging war against their tormentors, even if, even at my lowest, I wouldn’t have gone so far as to take an axe to somebody’s head (although I’ll admit to fancying some pretty dark daydreams about how to handle the idiot jock who liked to leave an empty seat between us so he could kick that empty desk over the seatback of my chair and into my spine over and over and over during high school Geometry).
Mia and Casey may want to be villains, but, like most fictional anarchists, there’s a certain measure of joyful escapism to be had in their exploits. It’s fun to watch them turn the tables on their bullies, even as they go far beyond the pale in their brutality, taking a beeline right away from justice and straight on to revenge.
[Note: I received an advance copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.]
Mia is a real-life movie slasher for the twenty-first century. Inspired by comic books and horror movies, her psychopathy even comes with its own Spotify playlist so that she can kill with a punk soundtrack. Her origin story is rooted in modern-day Big Topics of our time, as her and her best friend are ridiculed and bullied by their high school peers. Mia was a late transfer to a private school filled with spoiled, rotten rich kids and her taste in fashion and music made her an outcast. Her friend Casey is struggling to define his sexuality and is routinely harassed by his bigoted, homophobic classmates. And so, they hatch a plot, inspired quite knowingly by Kick-Ass. They want to become real-life horror movie killers.
And although I stated above that this is a horror story, that’s not entirely correct. It has all the benchmarks of a horror narrative – that sleek, cool looking cover; a terrific bit of the old ultraviolence; a fantastic slasher villain with an impressive array of cutlery and scorn – but Young Slasher is more accurately a fun work of metafiction. As Mia might say, this book is “meta as fuck!” and the meta narrative run multiple layers deep, reaching quite a bit beyond merely the fictional, fourth-wall breaking killer that fans of Deadpool will recognize.
Aside from being an interesting thought experiment and clever literary construct, this book would not work without a reason to care beyond picking out points of reference and trying to figure out what’s real and what’s not. That’s where the characters come in. Mia is simply a fun girl to hang out with for the couple hundred-some pages that she exists in. She’s brutal, but also empathetic, and, perhaps troublingly, somebody I could relate to.
As a victim of bullying during my own school years (being the only kid with a gnarly scar running the length of my chest from open heart surgery and unable to engage in the more rough-and-tumble aspects of gym class made me both an outcast and, since I couldn’t run, easy pickings. When I eventually found comfort in junk food and became overweight, I was then the fat, scarred outcast), I found myself fully sympathetic to Mia and Casey. I could understand their urge to find primal satisfaction in waging war against their tormentors, even if, even at my lowest, I wouldn’t have gone so far as to take an axe to somebody’s head (although I’ll admit to fancying some pretty dark daydreams about how to handle the idiot jock who liked to leave an empty seat between us so he could kick that empty desk over the seatback of my chair and into my spine over and over and over during high school Geometry).
Mia and Casey may want to be villains, but, like most fictional anarchists, there’s a certain measure of joyful escapism to be had in their exploits. It’s fun to watch them turn the tables on their bullies, even as they go far beyond the pale in their brutality, taking a beeline right away from justice and straight on to revenge.
[Note: I received an advance copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.]
July 30, 2016
I really enjoyed Young Slasher, but I am the type who invariably ends up on government watch-lists based on my browsing history.
This book is downright nasty, and makes me worry about S. Elliott Brandis' state of mind. He delights in torturing his characters, delivering many of them to utterly repugnant, stomach-churning deaths.
Our main character, Mia Sanguine, is a 17 year old outcast, bullied and tormented by a group of snobby rich kids dedicated to making her life a living hell. When her world is changed forever by the acts of these horrid teenagers, she decides that there is only one logical conclusion. Mia must become a real life horror movie slasher and ride the crimson tide of vengeance against those that wronged her.
Self-aware and genre-savvy, Young Slasher both embraces and plays with genre tropes, while delivering plenty of fresh meat for the grinder. It's always a breath of fresh air to read a horror novel set in Australia, and Young Slasher has a distinctly South-East Queensland feel.
With a thought-provoking, gear-shifting ending that could make or break your enjoyment of the story, Young Slasher is destined to leave a bloody trail of mangled corpses in its wake.
I give this book a Hell Yeah.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy of Young Slasher from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This book is downright nasty, and makes me worry about S. Elliott Brandis' state of mind. He delights in torturing his characters, delivering many of them to utterly repugnant, stomach-churning deaths.
Our main character, Mia Sanguine, is a 17 year old outcast, bullied and tormented by a group of snobby rich kids dedicated to making her life a living hell. When her world is changed forever by the acts of these horrid teenagers, she decides that there is only one logical conclusion. Mia must become a real life horror movie slasher and ride the crimson tide of vengeance against those that wronged her.
Self-aware and genre-savvy, Young Slasher both embraces and plays with genre tropes, while delivering plenty of fresh meat for the grinder. It's always a breath of fresh air to read a horror novel set in Australia, and Young Slasher has a distinctly South-East Queensland feel.
With a thought-provoking, gear-shifting ending that could make or break your enjoyment of the story, Young Slasher is destined to leave a bloody trail of mangled corpses in its wake.
I give this book a Hell Yeah.
Disclaimer: I received an ARC copy of Young Slasher from the author in exchange for an honest review.
October 3, 2016
Young Slasher hooked me from the opening page. The story of Mia Sanguine's journey from ordinary teenager to mask wearing killer hurtles toward its inevitable finale, but there are plenty of twists and turns along the way. I found myself desperate to get back to the book so that I could read more. It's impossible to talk about the ending without spoiling it. I will say that I loved it, and it fitted the book perfectly.
The writing is sharper than Freddy Krueger's knives with some deft nods to pop culture, Mia is a compelling narrator and the underlying motives for her actions are portrayed skillfully and all too believably.
Make no mistake, this is a horror novel but the violence and gore is offset by a keen wit and strong characters. Highly recommended.
I received an advance copy of this book for review. And then I bought it anyway.
The writing is sharper than Freddy Krueger's knives with some deft nods to pop culture, Mia is a compelling narrator and the underlying motives for her actions are portrayed skillfully and all too believably.
Make no mistake, this is a horror novel but the violence and gore is offset by a keen wit and strong characters. Highly recommended.
I received an advance copy of this book for review. And then I bought it anyway.
June 4, 2017
Young Slasher, I'm not sure how I feel about this book, I mean it was a good gore filled romp and it only took me a day to read it, will I read it again, probably not, will it stand the test of time, probably not, was it a good fast paced easy read definitely.
The pop culture references, most people seem to have really enjoyed them, and for the most part I did as well, there were some though that really felt like they had been shoehorned in and didn't really work or seemed a bit silly. I loved some of the more obscure horror film references, it was nice to see I Spit on Your Grave get a shout out (although she does say that the remake was the better film which is verging on blasphemy)
The whole premise of her becoming a real life slasher movie villain is great, I just wish that the book could have took a step back maybe, it would have been nice to see it play out over a period of time, think Freddie Kruger menacing people to the point that they can't function in their day to day lives, think Michael Myers stalking people from a distance, this is basically Jason Vorhees wired to the moon on speed and killing people 100mph (not that that is necessarily a bad thing, as I said earlier it makes for a faces paced easy read)
The ending was a bit bizarre as well, I can see what the author was trying but I don't think it was needed, the book would have been fine without it, yeah it was a cool little twist at the end but it would have also left the reader with something to ponder over had it not been included.
On a side note I actually read this on my Kindle, I think that is the first time I've plugged it in and charged it up in about 2 years, ah well I suppose it has saved me some space on my bookcase.
All in all a good book that never managed to be brilliant.
Appologies if this is a bit of a shitty review but I've been staring at my Kindle for the last 5 hours solid and my eyes (and brain) are pretty frazzled.
The pop culture references, most people seem to have really enjoyed them, and for the most part I did as well, there were some though that really felt like they had been shoehorned in and didn't really work or seemed a bit silly. I loved some of the more obscure horror film references, it was nice to see I Spit on Your Grave get a shout out (although she does say that the remake was the better film which is verging on blasphemy)
The whole premise of her becoming a real life slasher movie villain is great, I just wish that the book could have took a step back maybe, it would have been nice to see it play out over a period of time, think Freddie Kruger menacing people to the point that they can't function in their day to day lives, think Michael Myers stalking people from a distance, this is basically Jason Vorhees wired to the moon on speed and killing people 100mph (not that that is necessarily a bad thing, as I said earlier it makes for a faces paced easy read)
The ending was a bit bizarre as well, I can see what the author was trying but I don't think it was needed, the book would have been fine without it, yeah it was a cool little twist at the end but it would have also left the reader with something to ponder over had it not been included.
On a side note I actually read this on my Kindle, I think that is the first time I've plugged it in and charged it up in about 2 years, ah well I suppose it has saved me some space on my bookcase.
All in all a good book that never managed to be brilliant.
Appologies if this is a bit of a shitty review but I've been staring at my Kindle for the last 5 hours solid and my eyes (and brain) are pretty frazzled.
August 1, 2016
Mia is unapologetic about her decisions and I really liked that about her. I really identified with her too (maybe that says something about me).
The book has been written in such a way that it could truly be a real person talking about what they did, the fact that the author writes about his own experience with Mia drives the illusion home.
If it is wrong to wish that Mia's story had a slightly different outcome then I am happy to be in the wrong.
If you hadn't guessed already I enjoyed this book immensely, even the vividly gory parts.
*This was an ARC, my opinions are my own.*
The book has been written in such a way that it could truly be a real person talking about what they did, the fact that the author writes about his own experience with Mia drives the illusion home.
If it is wrong to wish that Mia's story had a slightly different outcome then I am happy to be in the wrong.
If you hadn't guessed already I enjoyed this book immensely, even the vividly gory parts.
*This was an ARC, my opinions are my own.*
June 15, 2017
*If you can't appreciate guts, gore, horror, profanity, and killer music- this book is not for you.*
This is hands down one of the best books I have ever read. Now when I say that, you have to understand a couple things about me. I grew up a punk ass kid in high school, was picked on and bullied frequently for being a "freak". I have always been really into horror and know a ridiculous amount of pointless facts about serial killers {Jeffrey Dahmer is my fav}. I went through a goth, punk, metal, scene phase. With the back story aside, this book is NOT for everyone. I don't think a regular ol' book reader would appreciate the genius of this book. The bands name dropped in this book alone would confuse a regular person. BUT if you are a weirdo like me, this book will excite the fuck out of you. Everything about this book was AMAZINGGGG. The references to horror movies, serial killers, amazing music. I felt as if I had wrote this book myself. The "twist" ending was fantastic. I highly recommend this to anyone who relates with anything I have said. I borrowed this with the Kindle Lending Library program. The book is so fantastic that I feel guilty for reading it for free so I am immediately going out and purchasing it.
This is hands down one of the best books I have ever read. Now when I say that, you have to understand a couple things about me. I grew up a punk ass kid in high school, was picked on and bullied frequently for being a "freak". I have always been really into horror and know a ridiculous amount of pointless facts about serial killers {Jeffrey Dahmer is my fav}. I went through a goth, punk, metal, scene phase. With the back story aside, this book is NOT for everyone. I don't think a regular ol' book reader would appreciate the genius of this book. The bands name dropped in this book alone would confuse a regular person. BUT if you are a weirdo like me, this book will excite the fuck out of you. Everything about this book was AMAZINGGGG. The references to horror movies, serial killers, amazing music. I felt as if I had wrote this book myself. The "twist" ending was fantastic. I highly recommend this to anyone who relates with anything I have said. I borrowed this with the Kindle Lending Library program. The book is so fantastic that I feel guilty for reading it for free so I am immediately going out and purchasing it.
June 20, 2017
Disappointed reader
Im having trouble understanding the intended audience of this book. I found it annoying that this would come off as a suggestion for me to read. This book is either very well written if I could understand the audience it's meant for but I found the main character annoying , couldn't see the point of all the annoying music references, especially when I can't relate to them as I reading . This book would make a better screenplay than novel. Note to author , the worst ending ever. At least keep it short. I skimmed through most of it only to get the gist of it and be done .
Im having trouble understanding the intended audience of this book. I found it annoying that this would come off as a suggestion for me to read. This book is either very well written if I could understand the audience it's meant for but I found the main character annoying , couldn't see the point of all the annoying music references, especially when I can't relate to them as I reading . This book would make a better screenplay than novel. Note to author , the worst ending ever. At least keep it short. I skimmed through most of it only to get the gist of it and be done .
December 19, 2020
From splatterpunk to metaphysics. In one short novel.
If gruesome is your thing, this is for you. If mind-twisting thoughts about the nature of multiverses is your thing, this is also for you.
What you got here is a solid, straight-up tale of utterly vicious, bloody revenge, followed up at the end with some really profound reflections upon the nature of an author's realities possible entanglement with reality itself. A surprising post-story venture into the sort of thinking that reminds one of Escher.s 'drawings. Tightly written, good stuff for the gut and the brain. Worth your time.
If gruesome is your thing, this is for you. If mind-twisting thoughts about the nature of multiverses is your thing, this is also for you.
What you got here is a solid, straight-up tale of utterly vicious, bloody revenge, followed up at the end with some really profound reflections upon the nature of an author's realities possible entanglement with reality itself. A surprising post-story venture into the sort of thinking that reminds one of Escher.s 'drawings. Tightly written, good stuff for the gut and the brain. Worth your time.
June 26, 2018
Ok so. Spoilers ahead. You’ve been warned.
I really liked this book. Until Casey started his diatribe about being dead.
Until it didn’t end where it should have.
Until the author put himself in the book and used “multiverse” conversations with the main character to justify it.
He could have had Sarah, or even Beth take his place. Mia could have given them her book. They could have gone to see the evidence. I didn’t need 6 extra chapters of the adventures of Elliot in the multiverse.
If you stop where she gets arrested, it’s a great book.
It should have stopped there.
I really liked this book. Until Casey started his diatribe about being dead.
Until it didn’t end where it should have.
Until the author put himself in the book and used “multiverse” conversations with the main character to justify it.
He could have had Sarah, or even Beth take his place. Mia could have given them her book. They could have gone to see the evidence. I didn’t need 6 extra chapters of the adventures of Elliot in the multiverse.
If you stop where she gets arrested, it’s a great book.
It should have stopped there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2018
This has been on my e-reader for a while, and I'm not even sure why I originally got it. Anyway, I finally read it. It's dark, violent, full of teen angst, and has bit of gore. It doesn't even have any typos but it does have one word misuse ("trending" instead of "tending"). And there's a logistical problem: a teen's phone is taken away but she has it later (is it new one?).
I didn't want to like it, but I did. Highly recommended for horror readers.
I didn't want to like it, but I did. Highly recommended for horror readers.
May 9, 2021
This book was so goddamn good it makes me sick.
An incredibly inventive and thrilling read, couldn't fault it. If you like slashers, angsty teen vibes, punk music and endless pop cultural references both subtle and not so then this book is for you, dear reader. There's even a playlist for the killer on Spotify, too. (Slashers should always have playlists from now until forever.)
An incredibly inventive and thrilling read, couldn't fault it. If you like slashers, angsty teen vibes, punk music and endless pop cultural references both subtle and not so then this book is for you, dear reader. There's even a playlist for the killer on Spotify, too. (Slashers should always have playlists from now until forever.)
January 22, 2018
Read it twice in a row
Loved every sick moment of this book and you better believe I played every song on Apple Music as I learned about them. I hope this guy reads my books someday cause he truly is an inspiration.
Loved every sick moment of this book and you better believe I played every song on Apple Music as I learned about them. I hope this guy reads my books someday cause he truly is an inspiration.
January 18, 2023
Fresh slasher idea for sure, loved the first person POV. Good pace to the story, and great character development.
March 20, 2017
Young Slasher
I read this on a whim..I didn't even think I would finish it. However it grabs you. You put yourself in Mia's place. She has struggled all her life and has been disrespected by everyone except Casey. Now he is gone and she feels she MUST avenge him. Is the story true or has she just made it up ?READ THIS TAKE AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF! I RECOMMEND!!
I read this on a whim..I didn't even think I would finish it. However it grabs you. You put yourself in Mia's place. She has struggled all her life and has been disrespected by everyone except Casey. Now he is gone and she feels she MUST avenge him. Is the story true or has she just made it up ?READ THIS TAKE AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF! I RECOMMEND!!
February 27, 2017
Rooting for the Slasher
This is truly a great read....the kind that you don't want to put down, and that has you rooting for the hero/villain. It also has enough twists and turns that have you asking yourself if this is a true story. And kind of hoping that it is!
This is truly a great read....the kind that you don't want to put down, and that has you rooting for the hero/villain. It also has enough twists and turns that have you asking yourself if this is a true story. And kind of hoping that it is!
February 22, 2017
Crazy and messed up, but cool
The main character, Mia , is a very messed up, misunderstood character but you can't help but like her. You kind can empathize with the horrible hand she's been dealt. This story is dark, unsettling and graphic. If you can't stand gore, don't bother reading it. I liked it because it's different and kind of fascinating in a creepy way. I'm still looking for the playlist on Pandora.
The main character, Mia , is a very messed up, misunderstood character but you can't help but like her. You kind can empathize with the horrible hand she's been dealt. This story is dark, unsettling and graphic. If you can't stand gore, don't bother reading it. I liked it because it's different and kind of fascinating in a creepy way. I'm still looking for the playlist on Pandora.
August 9, 2024
Okay settle down kids, i've got opinions to share.
Look the writting is very cringe in a coho type way but at least it was easy to get through. You can tell this was written in 2016 and i don't mean this in a good way. A lot of the references were cringe as hell but i wanted a slasher so i stuck with it. My main issue was the ending because i signed up for a slasher and got 'Mia and the multiverse'. I just wanted some blood and gore with a decent plot and ending. So why is the skull of a dead kid talking through the multiverse?
Doctor Strange from wish .
Honestly this deserves 2,5 stars not even 3.
Look the writting is very cringe in a coho type way but at least it was easy to get through. You can tell this was written in 2016 and i don't mean this in a good way. A lot of the references were cringe as hell but i wanted a slasher so i stuck with it. My main issue was the ending because i signed up for a slasher and got 'Mia and the multiverse'. I just wanted some blood and gore with a decent plot and ending. So why is the skull of a dead kid talking through the multiverse?
Doctor Strange from wish .
Honestly this deserves 2,5 stars not even 3.
September 7, 2016
What did I just read?!
I loved this book. I found it digging in the depths of Kindle Unlimited. A diamond in the rough. I am a fan of slasher films and dark humor. I hit the jackpot with this one. It's a fairly brief ride, just perfect for those times when you've read something dramatic and heavy and need a palate cleanser. It is gory, of course, but the way the book is constructed is brilliant. I'm usually pretty good at figuring out where a book is going to take me within the first chapter, maybe two. But this one kept me on my toes in the best way. I had no idea where it was going, but loved it so much, right from the start, that I just buckled in and enjoyed the ride. Definitely not suitable for all readers, it does take a certain sensibility to enjoy it, but if dark humor, slasher films, and some genuine feelings, believe it or not, are your thing, I can't recommend this book highly enough.
I loved this book. I found it digging in the depths of Kindle Unlimited. A diamond in the rough. I am a fan of slasher films and dark humor. I hit the jackpot with this one. It's a fairly brief ride, just perfect for those times when you've read something dramatic and heavy and need a palate cleanser. It is gory, of course, but the way the book is constructed is brilliant. I'm usually pretty good at figuring out where a book is going to take me within the first chapter, maybe two. But this one kept me on my toes in the best way. I had no idea where it was going, but loved it so much, right from the start, that I just buckled in and enjoyed the ride. Definitely not suitable for all readers, it does take a certain sensibility to enjoy it, but if dark humor, slasher films, and some genuine feelings, believe it or not, are your thing, I can't recommend this book highly enough.
August 27, 2016
ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!!
This book is really quite different, and I mean that in a good way. It's about a teenager who becomes a slasher in order to take her revenge. It's told by the slasher girl herself, so you see and experience everything from her viewpoint. The characters are extremely realistic and the plot is well thought out. I highly recommend this book to all lovers of gory messy slasher movies.
This book is really quite different, and I mean that in a good way. It's about a teenager who becomes a slasher in order to take her revenge. It's told by the slasher girl herself, so you see and experience everything from her viewpoint. The characters are extremely realistic and the plot is well thought out. I highly recommend this book to all lovers of gory messy slasher movies.
January 24, 2017
That story you've been wanting
Reviewing cause the author told me to. My favorite thing when I write is adding little embellishments to characters, dialogue, etc that make them unique. This book delivers on that. So hard. It felt like a real kid explaining these things, like someone really sat down and accounted the events. And it was a badass girl. Plus there's a bonus Spotify list, which is an amazing idea. Fastest I've ever read a book. And omg there's going to be a sequel
Reviewing cause the author told me to. My favorite thing when I write is adding little embellishments to characters, dialogue, etc that make them unique. This book delivers on that. So hard. It felt like a real kid explaining these things, like someone really sat down and accounted the events. And it was a badass girl. Plus there's a bonus Spotify list, which is an amazing idea. Fastest I've ever read a book. And omg there's going to be a sequel
September 16, 2016
Enjoyable, fast paced, BRUTAL and packed with tonnes of references to cool punk rock bands and tunes.
However, the number of nonsensical explanations given by the Australian heroine/ villain character for American readers (... "we say xxxx, but in America they would say xxyx!"), lost this otherwise great story a star.
However, the number of nonsensical explanations given by the Australian heroine/ villain character for American readers (... "we say xxxx, but in America they would say xxyx!"), lost this otherwise great story a star.
September 20, 2016
Young Slasher is heartbreaking, funny, quirky and bloody, but written in a way that makes it all bearable. It's not a story for everyone. If you've ever been bullied, then you will relate to Mia and Casey. It's definitely worth a try.
February 9, 2017
Great Read
To me, this was a new take on the "get revenge on the bullies" plot. It was well-written written, and without giving any spoilers, the last section of the book was totally unexpected. It was easy to relate to and care for the main character.
To me, this was a new take on the "get revenge on the bullies" plot. It was well-written written, and without giving any spoilers, the last section of the book was totally unexpected. It was easy to relate to and care for the main character.
February 1, 2017
Young Slasher was actually kind of great!
I went in blind, and the story held my attention the whole way through. It was dark, twisted, gory and at times humourous.
Definitely worth a read!
I went in blind, and the story held my attention the whole way through. It was dark, twisted, gory and at times humourous.
Definitely worth a read!
Read
March 7, 2017No review or rating until after the Aurealis Award for Best Horror Novel 2017 is announced; I received this book as a judge for that category of the Awards.
March 28, 2017
Love this story
The whole story drew me in and kept my full attention from beginning to end. I wouldn't recommend this to someone sensitive or has an extremely weak stomach to gore, but other than that it's a great read.
The whole story drew me in and kept my full attention from beginning to end. I wouldn't recommend this to someone sensitive or has an extremely weak stomach to gore, but other than that it's a great read.
April 1, 2017
Helluva good read
I blazed through this story. There's no lag here, no fillers or preservatives. You get a main character that feels real, speaks in a plain, if cynical, voice and avoids the weepy, overdramatic stereotype of a teenager.
Mia is a badass. She's punk, non-conformist, and (literally) marches to the beat of her own drums. She's intelligent and pragmatic, maneuvering her way through the shark pool of a private school that she is attending, thanks to a music scholarship. Her dad was an abusive deadbeat, her mom a shattered woman who relies on drugs and alcohol. Her best friend is a sweet, melancholic boy named Casey who is bullied at home and at school.
This could have turned into a poor-pitiful-me story oh so easily, but nope, Mia don't play that. Her relationships with those she loves are strong. She accepts them as is, screwed up as they may be, and is viciously loyal. And I do mean vicious.
The story centers mainly on the relationship between Mia and Casey. Though they are from opposite sides of the tracks, their love of music, comics and horror movies draw them together and a deep, but not romantic, bond forms between them. And they are both bullied by the popular crowd of elite rich kids they go to school with.
When a cruel prank sends Casey into a tragic spiral, Mia finds herself with a choice to make: be the victim or be the villain.
And that ending... it screws with your mind on an existential level that leaves you pondering in the infinite. Just wow.
This isn't going to be for everyone. Like the book title says, it's about a young slasher, and it definitely has its bloody, visceral side. However, this book also has something that most stories lack these days, regardless of the genre- honest to goodness heart.
4 1/2 stars. Your my kind of writer, Mr Brandis.
I blazed through this story. There's no lag here, no fillers or preservatives. You get a main character that feels real, speaks in a plain, if cynical, voice and avoids the weepy, overdramatic stereotype of a teenager.
Mia is a badass. She's punk, non-conformist, and (literally) marches to the beat of her own drums. She's intelligent and pragmatic, maneuvering her way through the shark pool of a private school that she is attending, thanks to a music scholarship. Her dad was an abusive deadbeat, her mom a shattered woman who relies on drugs and alcohol. Her best friend is a sweet, melancholic boy named Casey who is bullied at home and at school.
This could have turned into a poor-pitiful-me story oh so easily, but nope, Mia don't play that. Her relationships with those she loves are strong. She accepts them as is, screwed up as they may be, and is viciously loyal. And I do mean vicious.
The story centers mainly on the relationship between Mia and Casey. Though they are from opposite sides of the tracks, their love of music, comics and horror movies draw them together and a deep, but not romantic, bond forms between them. And they are both bullied by the popular crowd of elite rich kids they go to school with.
When a cruel prank sends Casey into a tragic spiral, Mia finds herself with a choice to make: be the victim or be the villain.
And that ending... it screws with your mind on an existential level that leaves you pondering in the infinite. Just wow.
This isn't going to be for everyone. Like the book title says, it's about a young slasher, and it definitely has its bloody, visceral side. However, this book also has something that most stories lack these days, regardless of the genre- honest to goodness heart.
4 1/2 stars. Your my kind of writer, Mr Brandis.
April 8, 2017
I got this book expecting a lot of story and character development, but if that is what you are expecting then you may want to reconsider reading it. It starts off promising and the characters do develop a little at the beginning, but things shift much too quickly and without explanation. There is not much development on how she actually became a "slasher" because though there is info in regards to her motives, the shift in her psyche is just so extreme and sudden that I found it unrealistic.
I have read a lot of books with violence in them, but know that this book takes it to a whole new level. There is literally a huge part of the book where nothing at all happens except for murders. The gory details are explicit and morbid. I can't say that I didn't expect violence in a book with this cover and title, but know that it is not your typical Stephen King type of violence, it is very medical and extremely detailed which makes for a whole new level of morbidity.
I wish that there was more story and that I felt more connected to Mia's reasons, but I just didn't get the total reasoning for her shift from a normal teen to an extreme horror movie character. Another thing to note is how the main characters make fun of pop culture, but this book is filled with tons of pop-culture references, so much so that I doubt anyone who isn't in tune with modern culture would be able to understand a lot of it.
I have read a lot of books with violence in them, but know that this book takes it to a whole new level. There is literally a huge part of the book where nothing at all happens except for murders. The gory details are explicit and morbid. I can't say that I didn't expect violence in a book with this cover and title, but know that it is not your typical Stephen King type of violence, it is very medical and extremely detailed which makes for a whole new level of morbidity.
I wish that there was more story and that I felt more connected to Mia's reasons, but I just didn't get the total reasoning for her shift from a normal teen to an extreme horror movie character. Another thing to note is how the main characters make fun of pop culture, but this book is filled with tons of pop-culture references, so much so that I doubt anyone who isn't in tune with modern culture would be able to understand a lot of it.
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