Riley Sager’s Final Girls explores the horror movie trope of the final girl: the girl who survives and faces-off with the killer at the end of a horror movie. The story zeroes in on Quincy, a baking blogger who, years ago, witnessed the murders of her friends while vacationing in a cabin in the Poconos. Quincy has since tried to separate herself from the “final girl” label that the media placed on her. But when a fellow final girl, Lisa, dies, and another, Sam, enters her life, she is forced to face what happened head on.
Final Girls accomplishes the main job that every thriller should: it’s thoroughly entertaining and on-the-edge-of-your-seat readable. Of all the books I’ve read this year, I think this was the one I was most engrossed in and eager to finish.
Quincy’s first-person narration works to build a connection between her and the reader. But because Quincy can’t remember most of what happened that night at Pine Cottage, we find our sympathy toward her mixed with mistrust. And the occasional third-person flashbacks of the night at Pine Cottage that are interspersed throughout the book allow the reader to know more than Quincy, building upon the tension of the present day. But these flashbacks only reveal bits and pieces gradually – keeping that sense of suspense going – until we finally learn the full version of the truth at the very end.
Along with the pacing, I appreciated Sager’s interesting use of figurative language; he uses lots of original similes and images that make this more than just a “fluff” read. And the characters of Sam and Quincy are layered. They each do despicable things, yet you can’t totally hate them (though sometimes you really, really do). Even by the end, you don’t have them all figured out.
My issue with this novel is one that is kind of unavoidable with most thrillers: it’s that inevitable twist that you’re so eager to figure out. If you’re like me and you’re running through all the possible scenarios in your head, the ending can’t possibly live up to your expectations. And it just seems too convenient that Quincy isn’t able to remember the bulk of the incident at the cottage, only to have it hit her all at once for that perfect twist ending! I had this exact experience while reading The Woman in the Window, where I was absorbed in the character’s journey only to be majorly let down by an absurd and out-of-left-field ending.
So while the end of Riley Sager’s Final Girls may have been a bit of a letdown, I can’t say I didn’t enjoy the ride leading up to it!
Rating: 4/5
Check out Final Girls on Goodreads.
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