Reviews - The Last Days of Jack Sparks

927 reviews for:

The Last Days of Jack Sparks

Jason Arnopp

3.86 AVERAGE

silkymoonshine's review against another edition

3.0

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: No

Loveable characters: No

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

innae's review against another edition

4.5

I a little surprised this book hasn’t been talked up more..granted it is from 2017, so maybe I missed the hype. This one was tricky, and maybe I should have picked up on more than I did, but it was highly entertaining, which is what we all want from our escapism.

sophduncshep's review against another edition

4.5

challenging dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

guido_the_nature_guide's review against another edition

3.0

Give it another half star. It was well written, in happy contrast to some of the truck stop book rack "horror" books that I pick up every year in the weeks leading up to All Hallows' Eve. It was only barely scary, though. The author spent more time making Jack Sparks a giant asshole (necessary for the theme and plot) than creating a creepy or horrific atmosphere. Sure, there were some gory scenes, but they didn't give me the heebie jeebies.
On the other hand, credit the author for the excellent job tying everything together at the end, details of which I must omit to avoid spoilers. I imagine that the outline/flow chart that Arnopp drew up before he actually started writing must look like some complicated M. C. Escher staircase where a person constantly ascends, only to find himself at the bottom. Imagine, rather, an M. C. Escher rollercoaster.
A number of other reviewers have remarked that, yes, Jack was an obnoxious self-centered puke, but they sorta liked him. Nah. Maybe I have outgrown my loveable anti-hero phase, but I thought Jack got his just desserts, even if it is true his brother messed him up as a child. I was hoping some demon would rip out his heart and eat it. And, no, that last sentence was not a spoiler.

darlenechatt's review against another edition

4.5

dark mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

I'm going to have to re-read this book sometime. The end had me scratching my head, but not unsatisfied. I think its a very clever book and even if you think you've guessed the end, you probably haven't.
I wouldn't be surprised if upon a re-read, my rating changes to 5 stars.