I was so excited when I received this arc, Off The Reservation was one of my most anticipated reads this year. I have not read a Stephen Graham Jones book I did not love and this book was no exception. There might be an argument to say that I’m biased towards his work, but I don’t think it would hold water because I do genuinely believe they are all just so good.

The Only Good Indians was the first book I ever read by Stephen Graham Jones and when I first fell in love with his writing, so it’s only fitting that the first arc I receive by him is the sequel to that novel. I plan to keep this review fairly vague because I think it’s best to go into it as blind as possible in regards to plot points - looking up trigger warnings is completely up to you but I do always recommend it if there’s specific things you’re worried about. This is a horror novel, after all.

Stephen Graham Jones does two things in his writing that I always look forward to. The first is that he will take fairly common monsters - werewolves, vampires, etc, - and put his own unique twist on them; and he makes them feel so specifically human in the process despite their monstrousness. In this case, Jones creates a possession story that stands out to me as very singular among the many possession stories I’ve read.

The second thing he does is a bit hard for me to explain. He writes scenes where truly horrific things but the scene leading up to it will feel very calm. And I often have to reread these scenes just to fully take them in and I personally really love that. The best word I can think of to describe this writing style is ‘punchy’ and lends itself incredibly well to a possession story with some gnarly body horror.

The characters in this novel were done incredibly well. Their dynamics with each other had me invested in that as much as the possession, especially in the last half of the novel. My favorite character was Christiana and I only wish we got more of her.

As with any good horror story, this book isn’t just about one thing. This is a novel about possession, generational trauma, family dynamics, and grief. While it is a sequel to The Only Good Indians and I believe the reading experience is enhanced if you read that book beforehand, I don’t think you absolutely have to have read The Only Good Indians to enjoy this book. I tend to reread The Only Good Indians in fall and I am very excited to have Off The Reservation now to read right after.

In regards to trigger warnings - I’m not equipped to list them all but I would caution readers, in particular trans readers, that there is a character in the novel who experiences transphobia. This includes a hate crime that happens off page before the events of the novel but she does reflect on it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Saga Press for the eARC!