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stacemiddleton 's review for:
The Last Word
by Taylor Adams
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed this. It was twisty and fun and is the perfect thriller for the bookish community and those of us who review books. This started out with a simple yet intriguing premise, a solitary woman reads a naff horror e-book and leaves a one star review (so far so normal) - only for the author to track her down and make her the star/victim of his next horror release. What ensues is a gripping nightmarish game of cat and mouse.
It felt cleverly done, the novel premise was thoroughly and intricately explored. Rather than just being a starting point for this book and then abandoned, it became central to the story and our author really commited to it, using it as a springboard to take the story to the next level and go in some interesting directions. It really worked and felt fresh, having us questioning the leading lady's reality and everything as it was unwinding - were the author's slasher books based on real slayings? was she in one? Is her author pursuer human or something more? And even more concerning...are they working alone?
Similarly, I enjoyed the points in which the author and main character were responding to each other's narratives and versions of what could've happened and that kind of dialogue they had going in parts. These felt very meta and surreal, pushing the book beyond usual narrative boundaries and really stretching it within it's thematic limitations. It also encapsulated the power struggle going on between the two.
I enjoyed the tension that was built and it kept me on the edge of my seat. I found it so gripping and our heroine was a real fighter. She didn't give in and I enjoyed being in her head, as much as it was a dark place to be at points. I found her really witty with a dry outlook and sense of humour. From the offset we knew she had experienced some kind of trauma and was overcome with guilt over it, adding another layer of mystery and suspicion to this story that we gradually unpack during it's course.
I also adored her dog. After recent reviews in which I've trashed the use of a cliché animal insert, Laika was so refreshing. She was believable and the voice/commentary and personality the author gave her was genius, felt fitting (read: they actually sounded/felt like a dog) and was so adorable! Unlike some of the other books I've recently reviewed, the addition of the dog felt relevant to the story and wasn't just a gimmick. It served a key plot point in giving our heroine purpose, we knew survival wasn't about self-preservation for Emma early on, so her best friend Laika became her reason to keep going and motivation despite all that she endures.
I read this super quickly and found it really engaging. Whilst it didn't have the largest cast of characters and probably would've benefitted from a few more to aid with the misdirection, the ones we were introduced to were fully realised, complex and had some element of moral greyness. I enjoyed this authors writing and the pacing of this book and would definitely recommend it. It's also made me want to pick up some of their other works.
It felt cleverly done, the novel premise was thoroughly and intricately explored. Rather than just being a starting point for this book and then abandoned, it became central to the story and our author really commited to it, using it as a springboard to take the story to the next level and go in some interesting directions. It really worked and felt fresh, having us questioning the leading lady's reality and everything as it was unwinding - were the author's slasher books based on real slayings? was she in one? Is her author pursuer human or something more? And even more concerning...are they working alone?
Similarly, I enjoyed the points in which the author and main character were responding to each other's narratives and versions of what could've happened and that kind of dialogue they had going in parts. These felt very meta and surreal, pushing the book beyond usual narrative boundaries and really stretching it within it's thematic limitations. It also encapsulated the power struggle going on between the two.
I enjoyed the tension that was built and it kept me on the edge of my seat. I found it so gripping and our heroine was a real fighter. She didn't give in and I enjoyed being in her head, as much as it was a dark place to be at points. I found her really witty with a dry outlook and sense of humour. From the offset we knew she had experienced some kind of trauma and was overcome with guilt over it, adding another layer of mystery and suspicion to this story that we gradually unpack during it's course.
I also adored her dog. After recent reviews in which I've trashed the use of a cliché animal insert, Laika was so refreshing. She was believable and the voice/commentary and personality the author gave her was genius, felt fitting (read: they actually sounded/felt like a dog) and was so adorable! Unlike some of the other books I've recently reviewed, the addition of the dog felt relevant to the story and wasn't just a gimmick. It served a key plot point in giving our heroine purpose, we knew survival wasn't about self-preservation for Emma early on, so her best friend Laika became her reason to keep going and motivation despite all that she endures.
I read this super quickly and found it really engaging. Whilst it didn't have the largest cast of characters and probably would've benefitted from a few more to aid with the misdirection, the ones we were introduced to were fully realised, complex and had some element of moral greyness. I enjoyed this authors writing and the pacing of this book and would definitely recommend it. It's also made me want to pick up some of their other works.