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kimveach's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Child death, Gore, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Cursing, Injury/Injury detail, Stalking, Alcoholism, Car accident, Grief, Gun violence, Medical trauma, Toxic friendship, Violence, Blood, Death, Gaslighting, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
4.5
"Coincidences are fine in real life. But in fiction, they're bad writing."
I’ve been meaning to try his books for years now, and of course there was no way that I was going to resist the blurb of The Last Word for long. I love books with bookish angles, and what is more fascinating AND terrifying than a thriller read where an author slash killer goes after a person leaving him a one star review? And while things can be said about the plot being over the top and you definitely have to suspend your belief, I personally didn’t care because I was too busy enjoying the ride. This was exactly the dark, twisted and exhilarating read I needed! There is just something about the writing style that makes it very easy to fly through the pages, and the plot itself only increases that pace. The POVs are somehow blurred in points, and at times it takes a second before you realize who is in the spotlight; this would usually highly annoy me, but somehow in The Last Word it only added to the suspense. There are plenty of twists along the way as well, and with (at times) two contrasting POVs telling how the events happened it makes you wonder what is the real version. Again, this is usually something that would bother me, but in this case it somehow worked. Even the characters: none of them are exactly likeable, but since the main focus is on the plot and the life or death situation it's not as important. The Last Word definitely tips its toe in the horror genre though, and warnings are in place for particularly gruesome and graphic scenes as well as animal cruelty. If you think you can stomach those and like your thrillers on the dark and twisted side, I can highly recommend this story.
Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Mental illness, Abandonment, Torture, Toxic friendship, Violence, Vomit, Alcoholism, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Misogyny, Stalking, Death of parent, Gun violence, Infertility, Animal cruelty, Blood, Child death, Bullying, Body horror, Self harm, Suicide, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Confinement, Cursing, Gore, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Panic attacks/disorders, Rape, and Suicidal thoughts
icieri's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Mental illness, Violence, Child death, Death, Blood, Car accident, Grief, Gun violence, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts
janbee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Pregnancy, Stalking, Blood, Child death, Gaslighting, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Car accident, Death, Gun violence, Infertility, Mental illness, Medical trauma, and Murder
rachwilken's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Murder, Violence, Vomit, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Stalking, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
Minor: Mass/school shootings and Alcoholism
cardanrry's review against another edition
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, Gore, Infertility, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Body horror, Grief, and Gun violence
Moderate: Alcoholism
bekah1210's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Violence, Animal cruelty, and Murder
Moderate: Death, Car accident, Suicidal thoughts, Infertility, Child death, Mental illness, Gun violence, and Grief
Minor: Bullying, Domestic abuse, Alcoholism, Stalking, and Mass/school shootings
gaby_readsss's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The suspense, the setting, and the pace kept me turning page after page. I thought the timing and delivery of each plot twist was cleverly done. Even when I thought I knew what was coming, the plot changed and became something entirely different.
I loved how there’s literally a “draft” from the villain point of view within the book. Each narrator makes you question everything and leaves you wondering which version is real and which version is fake until the very last word. ;)
I found it funny how the author kind of roasted himself by mentioning thriller tropes are unrealistic while using those exact same tropes. 😅
This book is one of my favorite thrillers of the year. I recommend reading it, but make sure to read trigger warnings ahead, as it does mention some heavy topics.
I was so freaking worried reading this book whenever Laika was in trouble or when she got harmed. 😕
Thank goodness she survives.
The ending was a bit of a reach, but at the same time I choose to believe Emma somehow survives literally being thrown out in the ocean tied with a backpack full of rocks, while being poisoned. Like, how is that possible?
One of my theories is that she actually dies and is imagining that she survives? But I choose to believe it’s real and she’s going back to Shawn. 😭
I knew it was Deek from the beginning, especially considering there’s not a lot of characters at the beginning of the story. He was my main suspect all along and I was right! But the other plot twists had my jaw on the floor. 😨
Graphic: Gore, Murder, and Suicidal thoughts
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Child death, Infertility, and Car accident
emharris's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Violence, Blood, and Body horror
Moderate: Child death, Vomit, Stalking, Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Grief, Gun violence, Suicidal thoughts, Murder, Mental illness, Mass/school shootings, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Infertility, and Gore
Minor: Car accident, Confinement, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
mmccombs's review against another edition
4.0
Graphic: Car accident, Stalking, Violence, Gore, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, and Injury/Injury detail