I Was a Teenage Slasher is a solid read from start to finish. It’s not quite my favorite from him, but it is such an interesting concept executed in a way that’s just so SGJ.

This is absolutely a slasher, and quite gruesome at times. We follow Tolly as he reflects on his life, particularly the summer that turned him into a slasher. We read about the experience from his perspective, recounting the events years later. It plays with the genre in a fun way.

Given that The Angel of Indian Lake is one of my favorites so far this year, it is hard not to compare them, which I know isn’t fair. But there are times the comparison shows the strength of this work, because I did not expect to care as much about Tolly as I did - almost instantly. He doesn’t have a ton in common with Jade, but there is a heart to both that pulls me in. I was almost as emotionally attached to Tolly as I was to Jade, which is impressive considering I spent a fraction of the time with him.

For folks who have been curious about SGJ and want to give one of his books a try, I would certainly recommend this as an entry point.