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A review by hoganbreathesinink
Her Final Words by Brianna Labuskes
2.0
I loved Brianna Labuskes’ bestselling novel Girls of Glass, so when I had the opportunity to read this ARC of Her Final Words, I jumped at the chance. I was hoping for something similar to her previous novel I’d read, something that would seize me from the beginning and keep me interested—and more importantly, something that would have an ending that I wouldn’t have seen coming.
About the book:
After a young girl confesses to the murder of a 12-year-old boy, Agent Lucy Thorne becomes entangled in a case set in a small town with big secrets.
Lucy feels that there is much more going on than just a simple cut and dry murder, especially when it quickly becomes clear that the small town of Knox Hollow carries an undercurrent of dark, cult-like activity.
My thoughts:
When it comes to Her Final Words, I was constantly left wanting more.
The story itself is well thought out, but I found myself wishing there was more action to mix in with all of the dialogue and information that we are constantly being fed. And there is a lot of information. Names, connections, personal feelings...it was a lot to keep up with when there really wasn’t much else going on to balance it all out.
The characters did not seem nearly as fleshed out as her bestselling novel, Girls of Glass, and the lead up to the climax and subsequent ending certainly did not surprise me.
When it comes to Labuskes, she is a wonderful writer. Her plot development is on point, and she’s shown with her other books that she is capable of throwing her readers for a loop and giving shocking endings. I know she tried to do the same with this novel, but there was something about the story overall that just fell flat.
The majority of the issue may have been the setting: a small town with an ominous Church, where the believers hold many secrets—some of them dark and unsettling, but all deeds are done in the name of God and the greater good.
This type of stereotype is difficult to keep fresh and exciting, as it’s been done over and over. The whole “Christians are twisted and do bad things in the name of God” spiel is unimaginative. I know things like this happen in real life, sure. But what about other religions? It’s not only Christians that can be kooky and unbalanced—and they’re not that way just because they’re Christians.
But even with all of that, the motive for the killer never packed the punch that I wish it had. We had so much build up to the reveal that, when it was all said and done, I felt a little disappointed in the ending.
While I didn’t enjoy Her Final Words as much as Labuskes’ other works, that certainly does not mean I don’t recommend her books. She has a very unique way of telling her stories; the multiple timelines and perspectives makes you feel like a detective yourself as you try to piece it all together. Overall, her writing is unique and fresh in that way.
So while this one didn’t capture me as well as I’d hoped it would, I’m just one person. And I know there are many people out there that I would highly recommend read Labuskes’ books.
Thank you to Netgalley for sending me this ARC!
About the book:
After a young girl confesses to the murder of a 12-year-old boy, Agent Lucy Thorne becomes entangled in a case set in a small town with big secrets.
Lucy feels that there is much more going on than just a simple cut and dry murder, especially when it quickly becomes clear that the small town of Knox Hollow carries an undercurrent of dark, cult-like activity.
My thoughts:
When it comes to Her Final Words, I was constantly left wanting more.
The story itself is well thought out, but I found myself wishing there was more action to mix in with all of the dialogue and information that we are constantly being fed. And there is a lot of information. Names, connections, personal feelings...it was a lot to keep up with when there really wasn’t much else going on to balance it all out.
The characters did not seem nearly as fleshed out as her bestselling novel, Girls of Glass, and the lead up to the climax and subsequent ending certainly did not surprise me.
When it comes to Labuskes, she is a wonderful writer. Her plot development is on point, and she’s shown with her other books that she is capable of throwing her readers for a loop and giving shocking endings. I know she tried to do the same with this novel, but there was something about the story overall that just fell flat.
The majority of the issue may have been the setting: a small town with an ominous Church, where the believers hold many secrets—some of them dark and unsettling, but all deeds are done in the name of God and the greater good.
This type of stereotype is difficult to keep fresh and exciting, as it’s been done over and over. The whole “Christians are twisted and do bad things in the name of God” spiel is unimaginative. I know things like this happen in real life, sure. But what about other religions? It’s not only Christians that can be kooky and unbalanced—and they’re not that way just because they’re Christians.
But even with all of that, the motive for the killer never packed the punch that I wish it had. We had so much build up to the reveal that, when it was all said and done, I felt a little disappointed in the ending.
While I didn’t enjoy Her Final Words as much as Labuskes’ other works, that certainly does not mean I don’t recommend her books. She has a very unique way of telling her stories; the multiple timelines and perspectives makes you feel like a detective yourself as you try to piece it all together. Overall, her writing is unique and fresh in that way.
So while this one didn’t capture me as well as I’d hoped it would, I’m just one person. And I know there are many people out there that I would highly recommend read Labuskes’ books.
Thank you to Netgalley for sending me this ARC!