Reviews - The Last Murder at the End of the World

5.76k reviews for:

The Last Murder at the End of the World

Stuart Turton

3.76 AVERAGE

benatkins123's review against another edition

3.25

adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

jaredgoggans's review against another edition

4.0

adventurous dark emotional mysterious sad medium-paced

georgesays's review against another edition

4.0

Not a straightforward murder mystery, but a thoroughly enjoyable one. An interesting, detailed world with enough to keep you guessing and reading. It took me a while to finish because I kept taking breaks, but it's a good time for sure.

shyuanie's review against another edition

3.0

adventurous mysterious slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

It took me much longer than expected to finish this book. I found myself flipping back and forth, rereading passages, and feeling quite confused by the world building, the plot, and the characters. I am not entirely sure whether it was me or the writing style, but eventually I decided to switch to the audiobook. That turned out to be a big mistake, as I struggled to tell the characters apart because they all sounded the same. If you plan to read this, I would recommend sticking to the physical copy.

Fortunately, I managed to piece together some understanding of the world and its premise. The story is set after an apocalypse where humanity is close to extinction because of a poisonous fog. Most of the surviving humans are placed in hibernation pods while three Elders remain to solve the crisis: Niema, Thea, and Hephaestus. Niema, a scientist, also creates simulacrums, artificial versions of people designed to preserve aspects of humanity. The simulacrums live under strict rules and every night their memories are wiped by an artificial intelligence called Abi, leaving them without true autonomy.

The mystery begins when Niema is found dead. Her death lowers the barrier that keeps the fog at bay, which means time is running out. Panic spreads across the community as everyone tries to discover who is responsible and whether they can repair the damage before the fog engulfs them.

It took me quite a while to get to grips with everything, and by the time I had pieced the world together, I was not as invested as I hoped to be. Still, I carried on because I wanted to see where it would lead. When the ending and revelations finally arrived, I felt a little disappointed. Perhaps I was expecting something more groundbreaking, but at the same time I could see how the conclusion fit the story.

Overall, it was a good read, though it took patience and effort to fully grasp.

maryvirginia_'s review against another edition

4.5

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Complicated

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

nick72's review against another edition

3.75

mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Complicated

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

birdsong_28's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: A mix

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Yes

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Good. I listened to the audiobook version of this..Full of twists and turns. Explores the idea of a supposed ideal village until an unexpected murder takes place which makes them question everything they ever knew.