Bibliographic Information:
Title: The Only Good Indians
Author: Stephen Graham Jones
ISBN: 978-1982136451
Publisher: Gallery / Saga Press
Copyright Date: May 2020
Reading Level / Interest Level: Min/Max grade levels 8-12 (Novelist).
Genre / Format: Horror/ Book
Themes: Vengeance, Trauma, Multiple Perspectives
Awards or Honors: Alex Award (2021)
Plot Summary: Four young Blackfeet men venture out on a winter hunt and go through a harrowing, bloody experience. Because they ignored the community’s hunting boundaries and hunted without permission from their elders, they were banned from ever hunting in that area again. This incident affects the four young men in different ways. A decade later, these four friends find themselves in very different places in their lives and they hardly remember the bloody hunt that resulted in their banishment. But when a mysterious entity begins to hunt down the friends one by one, those still alive begin to remember the harrowing event from their youth. All actions have consequences, these four friends just needed a reminder...
Author Background: Stephen Graham Jones is a prolific author. A NYT bestseller, he is the author of over 30 books, the newest release being My Heart is a Chainsaw (2021). A huge fan of slashers and all things horror, Stephen Graham Jones' love for the genre comes through in his writing. A Blackfeet Native American, Jones' work uses the genre of horror to explore themes of identity, cycles, and racism in America. Stephen Graham Jones has a PhD from Florida State University; he lives in Boulder Colorado where he teaches English at University of Colorado Boulder (University of Colorado Boulder, n.d.).
Critical Evaluation for Books and Non-Print Items: The book has an interesting structure: it is told in three parts. While all three parts are connected, they feel like natural breaks in the story. This three part structure makes it easy to go through the book in one sitting and it also makes it feel like a movie with a beginning, middle, and end. The book opens with a bloody murder and while it does slow down dramatically right after that, the story builds up to an epic showdown. Along this murderous path, we get to learn more about the four Native American brothers, their upbringings, and their passion for basketball. This creepy, creature feature takes place in the backcountry and explores life in a Native American reservation, told from the perspectives of Blackfeet men. If you are a fan of horror, slashers, thrillers, and (lots of) gore, I highly recommend it!
Creative Use for a Library Program: Design Your Own Movie Poster Stephen Graham Jones is a huge horror movie buff (as am I). For this activity, teens will design their own movie poster inspired by The Only Good Indians. A competition will be held and the winner will have their artwork framed and displayed in the library. Staff will reach out to the author for a book talk (and hopefully have him sign the movie posters inspired by his work).
Speed-Round Book Talk or Short Book Trailer: Ten years after a harrowing winter hunt, four Blackfeet men begin to experience strange visions. Someone, or something, has been watching them. And now, this vengeful, mysterious being is ready to kill. Will the friends be able to figure out what’s hunting them before they meet their end?
"...horror needs stabbing dummies, sure, but it also needs the reader to care about those stabbing dummies, and the real violence inherent to horror, it's not always the chainsaws, it's often the objectification and reduction, in that the reader can leave your text thinking people, especially women, are things. and that's actually dangerous and destructive. that puts the blade on the chainsaw" (Stephen Graham Jones, Reddit AMA 2019).
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation: Some parents may oppose the book because of the graphic depiction of violence. Hunting is a big part of the story, so those who have issue with hunting may not want their teens reading books that detail the gory process. As I have mentioned before in other reviews, the goal of the library collection is to capture the diversity of ideas, cultures, and perspectives. The hunting activities are presented as a way of life for these characters, not just sport, so it is integral to the story. We may also face pushback due to the graphic depictions of violence against women. Throughout the story, multiple female characters meet a gruesome fate -- this is a common trope that many take issue with as it may perpetuate harmful stereotypes. I would guide concerned patrons to online discussions by the author where he addresses that very critique. Jones argues that while the horror genre has the negative reputation of being cast as misogynistic and perpetuating the male gaze, he himself goes out of his way to ensure that all his characters are treated as people, not things (Reddit, 2019).
Reason for Inclusion: The story is told from the perspective of four Blackfeet Native American men; there aren't many stories in popular culture that explore life in a Native American reservation. All of the characters are authentic and interesting -- you want to get to know their background and motivations because they are presented as people (not stereotypes). This book was included in the collection because it is a gripping story that gives the reader a good scare while humanizing and normalizing Native American characters in popular media, helping destroy years of colonial lies and stereotypes. These stereotypes exist today because of lack of exposure to Native American culture. The book touches on these themes as well as exploring the tension between older generations that follow traditions and younger generations who also want to explore the world outside of the reservation.
Enhancements
An interview with the author Stephen Graham Jones