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3.76 AVERAGE
3.76 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Unfortunately, this book didn’t work for me at all. The prologue reveals the mystery. You discover who dies, who did it, and why. Then the rest of the story tries to convince you you’re wrong, only to confirm precisely what the prologue told you. It felt less like a twist and more like a long, drawn out spoiler.
In addition, the story is told from a robot's perspective (Imagine Siri or Alexa narrating your story), which created a huge emotional disconnect for me. With no real feelings or depth to the narration, the tension and urgency fell flat, making the plot feel bland and distant. The premise had potential, but the execution left me disappointed.
In addition, the story is told from a robot's perspective (Imagine Siri or Alexa narrating your story), which created a huge emotional disconnect for me. With no real feelings or depth to the narration, the tension and urgency fell flat, making the plot feel bland and distant. The premise had potential, but the execution left me disappointed.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A weird, unique take on a murder mystery as is typical of Stuart Turton. I was tempted to DNF about half way through after the big secret reveal because I felt like there was no way to wrap it up in a satisfying way, but I’m glad I stuck with it. The world-building was a lot to take in, but overall an enjoyable read.
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Did Stuart Turton just join the list of my current favorite authors?
I will confess, I picked this book up just based off the description alone and did not clock the author (in that, it's the same author who wrote The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle). It was at the beginning of the book, reading the "By the Same Author," that tipped me off, which made me even more excited to read the book.
The Last Murder at the End of the World pulled me in from the title (just like Stu's first book), and the description sold me (post-apocalyptic world, some kind of population-wiping insect pandemic, a touch of sci-fi, and most importantly, a murder mystery). I loved every second of it. Starting from what seems to be a quaint little village on the other side of the apocalypse, to the slow trickling in of the feeling that something is not quite right (including, but not limited to: our narrator, the mind reading/controlling voice in everyone's heads), to the actual murder, and the complication to solving it (ie, everyone's memory is wiped), to the pieces that fall out of the sky to fit into the puzzle, one by one, up until the very end. I'm not saying much more than the blurb does, because the blurb really should be all it takes to convince you.
At the very center we have our detective, Emory, and she is what we should all be, someone who questions everything, even when everyone and everything around you stops you. Turns out being very important for her, and it is very very important for us right now. Stay curious, stay suspicious. Very funny that I picked up two books in a row that were "ooo sci-fi and AI, should be fun, make me jaded!" and ended up just falling harder for humanity (we're actually not so bad guys).
PS: I love Stu's tone in his acknowledgements and notes.
I will confess, I picked this book up just based off the description alone and did not clock the author (in that, it's the same author who wrote The 7½ Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle). It was at the beginning of the book, reading the "By the Same Author," that tipped me off, which made me even more excited to read the book.
The Last Murder at the End of the World pulled me in from the title (just like Stu's first book), and the description sold me (post-apocalyptic world, some kind of population-wiping insect pandemic, a touch of sci-fi, and most importantly, a murder mystery). I loved every second of it. Starting from what seems to be a quaint little village on the other side of the apocalypse, to the slow trickling in of the feeling that something is not quite right (including, but not limited to: our narrator, the mind reading/controlling voice in everyone's heads), to the actual murder, and the complication to solving it (ie, everyone's memory is wiped), to the pieces that fall out of the sky to fit into the puzzle, one by one, up until the very end. I'm not saying much more than the blurb does, because the blurb really should be all it takes to convince you.
At the very center we have our detective, Emory, and she is what we should all be, someone who questions everything, even when everyone and everything around you stops you. Turns out being very important for her, and it is very very important for us right now. Stay curious, stay suspicious. Very funny that I picked up two books in a row that were "ooo sci-fi and AI, should be fun, make me jaded!" and ended up just falling harder for humanity (we're actually not so bad guys).
PS: I love Stu's tone in his acknowledgements and notes.
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
dark
mysterious
tense
adventurous
mysterious
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This one was fine. As with Turton's other novels, it felt slow and drawn out. The setting was also not quite what I was expecting. Overall, it was less disappointing than his other books, high praise, I know.