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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Last Days follows documentary filmmaker Kyle as he delves into the sinister history of a cult. I absolutely loved (and hated) the creatures in this novel. The emaciated, mottled, human-like forms that run on all fours, smell of death, and emit swine-like screams absolutely kept me awake. Something about the description of a porcine figure in ecclesiastical garb checked all the boxes of horror for me. Nevill's writing is relentless in its ability to evoke dread and discomfort.
I have to give props to Nevill not only for his ability to create a cult, but for learning the (very technical) ways of filmmaking, playing homage to Paranormal Activity and Blair Witch. Where other found-footage horror novels fail, Last Days shines.
My only qualm is that it started to get unnecessarily lengthy towards the end, which stifled some of the story's momentum. However, I think this adds to the bleak despair we feel alongside Kyle as Max rambles and we descend into madness with him.
Read this with the lights on. 4.5 stars
I have to give props to Nevill not only for his ability to create a cult, but for learning the (very technical) ways of filmmaking, playing homage to Paranormal Activity and Blair Witch. Where other found-footage horror novels fail, Last Days shines.
My only qualm is that it started to get unnecessarily lengthy towards the end, which stifled some of the story's momentum. However, I think this adds to the bleak despair we feel alongside Kyle as Max rambles and we descend into madness with him.
Read this with the lights on. 4.5 stars
What a rollercoaster I consented to ride! “Last Days” started off strong, kinda sorta puttered about in the middle, and then just…ended. Sure, there was plenty of tension. Thrills and chills? Absolutely! It scared the crap out of me more times than I’d care to admit to the seven people who read my reviews. Did this book place Adam Nevill on several Big Whopper (TM) horror lists? Apparently! If it were a competition of how many times he could explain how fat the mean bad lady was, he definitely won!
Hyperbole aside, I feel it’s petty of me to dwell on the boredom created by the (rather insidious, if you think about it) misogyny depicted in “Last Days,” but I can’t help but tack off a few points because of it. It is such a let-down when the story is captivating in all the right ways, but you kind of end up wishing the worst for the characters because of their shitty personalities. I don’t think we’re supposed to read Kyle as a whiny edgelord but if the duck quacks? My sympathy dwindled as I read and read and read. I suppose a certain irony can be found in my attachment to literally every other character than the protagonist, given the subject matter of the narrative.
Regardless, I’d recommend this book to a fan of spooky cult reads with a warning of its density and lead character quality.
3/5 because of the gristly layer of “um, actually”
Hyperbole aside, I feel it’s petty of me to dwell on the boredom created by the (rather insidious, if you think about it) misogyny depicted in “Last Days,” but I can’t help but tack off a few points because of it. It is such a let-down when the story is captivating in all the right ways, but you kind of end up wishing the worst for the characters because of their shitty personalities. I don’t think we’re supposed to read Kyle as a whiny edgelord but if the duck quacks? My sympathy dwindled as I read and read and read. I suppose a certain irony can be found in my attachment to literally every other character than the protagonist, given the subject matter of the narrative.
Regardless, I’d recommend this book to a fan of spooky cult reads with a warning of its density and lead character quality.
3/5 because of the gristly layer of “um, actually”
This book could have been an email. While the first 1/3 of this was awesome and had great scares, the last 2/3 was far too long and and wordy. Overall, the plot was great but the execution was not.
challenging
dark
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Amazing book for anybody who loves cult and horror. I dont often get scared by horror books, and I've read my fair share. But this book had me leaving my bedside lamp on when reading at night! Great writing style, and great story!
dark
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death, Body horror, Child abuse, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Violence, Blood
Moderate: Child death, Fatphobia, Rape, Cannibalism
Minor: Suicidal thoughts
The author was fantastic at building the suspense and clearly outlining the horror. I felt the audiobook possibly didn’t let me completely absorb the true horror and build up and it would have scared me more if I had chosen to read it paperback, in bed, at night. Many other reviews suggested the first 75% is spectacular but the last 25% fumbles to the conclusion. I think I regret not having read it paperback and missed the opportunity to really absorb its scene-setting and horror building.
Though it has taken me a while to read this book, it is was worth those hours.
The detail in setting the story brought the book to life and leaves the reader wondering what is really in the darkness.
A great book and I look forward to my next one by Mr. Nevill.
The detail in setting the story brought the book to life and leaves the reader wondering what is really in the darkness.
A great book and I look forward to my next one by Mr. Nevill.