I am not certain what to think about this at all. It seemed like two different stories that had similar elements and could be combined, so they were, but when it came to wrapping it up and coming to a conclusion, it was too muddled. I don't usually mind open-ended or some things being unanswered, but in this case it felt like a bit more back story as to one critical plot element would have been well-served. And there were hints that this machine didn't work, it had flaws, so what about the sisters? Were the effects of their "therapy" real?
Overall, I think this just ended up too messy and muddled - strongly post-modern, but sadly in a not-so-good way.

Final Girls by Mira Grant
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another win for Mira Grant (Seanan Mcguire). :)

This is a short psychological technothriller involving virtual reality, psychological therapy, and a bit of industrial espionage.... but if you're REALLY worried that you'll be missing out on a few nom-nom moments, don't be. This has everything we've ever wanted in a book from the horror/SF queen.

The real joy comes from both the characters and the cool explanation of how to use dreams and virtual reality together to build helpful, if fake, memories and establish a better foundation for one's psyche.

Were you scarred by something in your childhood? Missing fundamental connections with your loved ones? Perhaps just need to take care of a few phobias? No problem. Introducing scripted dreams/memories. :)

Of course things go to hell.

And that's what we love so much about these books, right?

Most interestingly, however, is the focus on FRIENDSHIP in this novella. It's pretty damn awesome.

I'd say go run out and buy a copy, but it's at a whopping $40 at the moment! Still, it's worth it. :) Assuming you're not using Netgalley! Hi, Netgalley!

Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this cool ARC! :)

Really enjoyed this. A great idea and beautifully written. Could it have been better as a short story? Well, probably. But I always think stories should be shorter. Still very good though.

The first thing that struck me about this story, was the lyrical wording. It was a pleasure to read just from that perspective. Combined with the beautiful writing and the plot which is intriguing given its length the story brings up questions that we are, or should be, asking. What does the future ethics of virtual reality look like? This story takes these questions, spins a fascinating two level plot, and writes it in gorgeous language. Did I also mention the cast of all incredibly awesome female characters? This makes for a very interesting, short, read and I would encourage anyone who enjoys horror, is interested in psychology and ethics, or virtual reality to pick this up.

esther hoffman is a skeptical journalist who's doing a piece on a new controversial, but so far proven effective, form of therapy. essentially, it's an adapted regression therapy, where patients face horror-movie scenarios in order to overcome a significant event, or to change something in their personalities. dr. webb, the creator of the method, invites her to try it out for herself so she can see it's really effective. and it does work, in a way. esther is definitely affected.

i've read another piece by mira grant before, rolling in the deep, and this one reminded me a lot of it: compelling characters, a plausible story that morphs into unimaginable horrors, and fantastic writing. there's a tale of female friendship woven into the science and the deaths in this one that definitely made it stand out. although it's very short, the conection shown between the characters was entirely believable and well-constructed.

this one was particularly interesting to me because i'm a psych major, and i was surprised because the way dr. webb described her procedures was completely realistic, albeit it would not stand in a contemporary setting, because it completely disregards some notions that have become common even in the most behaviour-centric forms of therapy.

and also this would just never happen because it's way too risky and the horror-story scenario formed here would definitely happen lol

but STILL. this was ridiculously entertaining and i read it in one sitting, which is definitely a rare occurrence to me now that i'm a working woman. definitely recommend that y'all check this one out, even if you're not usually into horror (like moi!), because it's super quick and interesting.

E se la nuova frontiera della psicoterapia fosse l'horror?

Se immergersi, con l'aiuto di un mix di farmaci e sotto rigoroso monitoraggio medico, in uno scenario accuratamente costruito utilizzando tutti i topoi del genere risanasse traumi, cancellasse fobie, ricucisse conflitti, cambiando attraverso l'esperienza (simulata, ma non per il corpo - e il corpo influenza la mente) quello che siamo, ma in modo sottile, senza modificare la nostra personalità?

E se nel mezzo di una sessione l'orrore si scatenasse davvero nella clinica, e il sogno indotto diventasse davvero una corsa contro la morte per puro, semplice spavento?

Una novella che è un brillante mix di fantascienza e horror, e che con uno stile coinvolgente e brillante, personaggi credibili e un utilizzo geniale dei topoi del genere costruisce una storia che toglie il fiato, chiusa da un finale sorprendente.

man, i'm so glad i didn't have to spend 40 bucks on this. not because i would have regretted the purchase if i still had disposable income to toss madly at things i love, but because the relationship between "things i want" and "things i can afford to want" is uneven and the more money i can allocate for cat chemo and rent, the fewer my panic attacks will be. so, all gratitude to the services of netgalley for people who wish they were high rollers, but are not.

this is another win for mira grant.

i can see this sci-fi/horror novella being adapted into a better-than-average episode of <i>black mirror</i>. in fact, it reads like a mash-up of the <i>black mirror</i> episode "playtest," buffy, and the free tor short i just read by julianna baggott, [book:The Virtual Swallows of Hog Island|33647502], which you can read here: http://www.tor.com/2017/01/25/the-virtual-swallows-of-hog-island/.

it's about the union of technology and therapy, where clients are shot through with pharmacological goodies and delivered into a virtual reality landscape designed by technicians with backgrounds in theater or haunted house design, intended to force patients to face their fears in a safe environment to overcome phobias, or to go through a fear-based experience with a rival or enemy in the expectation that a shared emotionally-charged scenario will diminish animosity and heal their relationship. however, every "safe environment" can be twisted into dangertown in the wrong hands. and mira grant loves to be the puppeteer manipulating those hands.

it's too short to reveal too much, but know that it has all the things that make mira grant so damn good: science bits that seem plausible, characters facing horrifying adversaries, blood blood carnage, lines like <i>any word can be an insult if it's thrown hard enough from the window of a moving sneer,</i> and an ending that is satisfying, unexpected, and a little more emotionally complicated than most.

financially untroubled folks can show your support and spend your $$$ here:

http://subterraneanpress.com/final-girls

the rest of you can get it from netgalley for free until may.

either way, you should get on it.

***********************************************

THANK YOU NETGALLEY!! review to come!

***********************************************

*oooh, the cover is up now!! and there's an EXCERPT at that link! go read it!

***********************************************

i am too freaking poor right now to be spending 40 bucks on a novella, but maybe one of y'all can grab a copy and tell me all about it:

http://subterraneanpress.com/store/product_detail/final_girls_preorder

i will be waiting.

Final Girls- by Mira Grant- This one is about dream therapy used to correct trauma from past experience. A familiar scenario in the ever-expanding use of VR tech in gaming, movies and in print. Reminds me a bit about Roger Zelazny's He Who Shapes from half a century ago. In this case the individuals undergoing the treatment are put through a series of horrific encounters tailored to their particular dynamic, in the hopes of finding closure or at the least answers to what is haunting them. The writing is full of informed asides which can put some people off, but I enjoyed its style and wit. I'm not much of a horror fan but Mira Grant(Seanan McGuire) is very good at working the well used tropes, bringing a taste of something new and adding lasting dread to her designs.

I would say this novella is mildly interesting. It never really grabbed me, but it was never really dull either. I found the whole "virtual reality as a therapeutic device" concept intriguing, but it wasn't enough to build a story around. If the twists had been more surprising, it would have had more impact, but nothing that happened shocked me. Don't go out of your way to read this one, but if it looks interesting to you, it might be something you'd enjoy.
Thanks to Netgalley and Subterranean Press for the chance to read this.

<i>Thank you Netgalley and Subterranean Press for an ARC for review purposes!<i>

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Subterranean Press Mira Grant novella? (Dies of happiness)

I can only imagine that Mira Grant was cackling in delight as she wrote this book. It's a novella that relies heavily on themes from horror movies, and the power of fear to draw people together. In <i>Final Girls</i>, Dr. Jennifer Webb has created an incredibly innovative and groundbreaking therapy. Using a combination of VR and psychotropic drugs, she helps create intensely realistic dreams for people, designed to help them overcome emotional problems in their lives. The catch is that these scenarios are all frightening experiences based on common horror stories. Though despite how weird and scary it sounds, the process seems to work.

Not everyone buys these claims though, and Esther Hoffman, a science journalist, has been invited to write a story about the Webb's new therapy. Esther's past has made her into a perfect skeptic, and Webb thinks that if she can convince Esther that the therapy is legitimate, the publicity will help her expand her operations. So Esther comes for a visit, agrees to try a scenario, and then everything goes to hell as one would expect in this type of story!

Grant was created a fascinating science fiction world in <i>Final Girls</i> with seemingly endless possibilities. You can also tell that she's quite familiar with the tropes of horror as she uses a variety of different tools from this genre to make this story successful and wonderfully dreadful. It's thought-provoking, horrifying, and deliciously uncomfortable!

I was also pleased that the story fit the novella format. Sure, I think with the addition of some subplots, this could have made a good novel, but it certainly wouldn't be the same story. As a novella, it's satisfying and uses its length effectively.

I should note that Subterranean Press books are worth every penny. Sure, this novella is $40 if you buy it, but it's a limited edition, signed copy that's is probably as beautifully bound as the other books I have gotten from Subterranean. Plus, they tend to sell out and become VERY hard to find if you don't jump on them fast! Don't let the cost dissuade you. Subterranean produces amazing books, and if you like have extra stories from your favourite SFF authors, you should buy their stuff!

Great book. Excellent storyline and wonderful main characters. I would highly recommend this book.

Oh em gee! Can this woman do no wrong? This is a Mira Grant/Seanan McGuire work so I preordered it the first chance I got and of course threw out a request on NetGalley. It's just what you do when your favorite living author announces something new. Final Girls is also a Subterranean Press novella. I love these things! They're expensive, true, but so worth it when you can afford them. Go over to their site at HERE and check out all the pretties! I've bought books from them based solely on the the beautiful covers.

Back to Final Girls, Esther is a science reporter looking to debunk a new psychological treatment innovated by Dr. Jennifer Webb. It's basically a drug induced VR dream/hallucination in a horror movie written by Dr. Webb's staff. Esther agrees to undergo a session in the VR pod and Jennifer joins her in the dream session after Esther is already under. After that the two live through a horror movie. It's tense and fantastic.

Ms. Grant does horror so so well, that I don't think I need to tell you that this is a perfect subject for her. If you liked Feed or Parasite, you'll most likely enjoy this as well. The only problem is that it's a novella and therefore there's not enough of it.

The pacing is perfect for a novella and it has the author's signature excellent writing. I will read everything she writes and was looking forward to something new from the Mira Grant pseudonym as she breaks away from fantasy and branches out more. I hope she keeps teaming up with SubPress to write more of these because they're quick and fun. They also, like her short stories, pack quite an emotional punch in a small package.

This seems to be the year of Mira Grant aka Seanan McGuire, for me. I started the year with Rolling in the Deep, and I've read a couple of other Mira Grant and Seanan McGuire books since. Final Girls is what you'd expect of the Mira Grant half of the persona: a little horrifying, psychological, more towards the realistic speculative fiction end. This one examines the idea of a system that drugs people into receptivity, puts them into a simulated situation, and thus fixes their hangups and flaws. Sisters who hate each other can become friends, and lasting friendships can be forged based on fictional scenarios of blood and sacrifice and horror. It doesn't even have to be that realistic: it just has to feel real.

One of the main characters, Esther, is sceptical about the truth of all this. It seems too good to be true, especially since her life was severely impacted by the false conclusions of people who went through regression therapy. As you'd expect, things go wrong.

Grant/McGuire's writing is as good as usual, and the conclusion to the plot comes as a bittersweet surprise. Something is salvaged from the situation, but there's a lot of damage along the way. Because it's a novella, it doesn't do more than hint at the long-term effects of the technology it explores. Instead, we experience it, its failures and its saving graces, through the characters. It works well.

Review link live 23rd March 2017.