Scan barcode
A review by bethbaty
The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.5
This book had so much potential to be a dope mystery with a satisfying ending, and then it was just dark with no real rhyme or reason in the end. Which, if you’re into that, I’m sure this was great. But I kind of hated it. She’s literally just crazy by the end due to all her trauma and PTSD and murders her own girlfriend happily? Ugh. I also saw the ending coming and I’ll be honest, I just stopped reading with only a chapter or two left because I knew what was coming and I knew I was going to be mad about it. And then I was right on both fronts.
The book had SO MUCH potential to be a thrilling rollercoaster of uncovering the truth of a horrific event little by little for one big crazy reveal. But it didn’t do that. Instead, we got a show of mental health and unchecked trauma that spirals out of control. And it feels like the actual main premise is simply poor communication or lack of it altogether. In every single relationship. In painfully obvious and annoying ways.
The only character I actually liked was Sloan’s ex best friend, and then that just kind of ✨ went away ✨ and never came back. Even though after understanding and kind he’d been, it seems out of character for him to just never come back?
Also, I hated—HATED—Cherry and Sloan’s relationship. These girls knew each other for what? 3 days before they trauma bonded and decided they were soulmates and entirely codependent on each other in every aspect of their lives?? They were SO toxic it was gross and made me strongly dislike both of them.
Finally, I prefer to understand a story and what really happened once it’s over. But we never actually get answers here. Was Sloan right?? Was Cherry lying? Was her mom in on it?? Her dad?? The whole sister Sasha character also seems so random and unexplained honestly. The ending comes, and yeah, Sloan is definitely mentally unwell no matter what, but like… was she right?? What really happened?
I don’t know. I’m just annoyed and angry now.
The book had SO MUCH potential to be a thrilling rollercoaster of uncovering the truth of a horrific event little by little for one big crazy reveal. But it didn’t do that. Instead, we got a show of mental health and unchecked trauma that spirals out of control. And it feels like the actual main premise is simply poor communication or lack of it altogether. In every single relationship. In painfully obvious and annoying ways.
The only character I actually liked was Sloan’s ex best friend, and then that just kind of ✨ went away ✨ and never came back. Even though after understanding and kind he’d been, it seems out of character for him to just never come back?
Also, I hated—HATED—Cherry and Sloan’s relationship. These girls knew each other for what? 3 days before they trauma bonded and decided they were soulmates and entirely codependent on each other in every aspect of their lives?? They were SO toxic it was gross and made me strongly dislike both of them.
Finally, I prefer to understand a story and what really happened once it’s over. But we never actually get answers here. Was Sloan right?? Was Cherry lying? Was her mom in on it?? Her dad?? The whole sister Sasha character also seems so random and unexplained honestly. The ending comes, and yeah, Sloan is definitely mentally unwell no matter what, but like… was she right?? What really happened?
I don’t know. I’m just annoyed and angry now.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Blood, Mental illness, Murder, Gaslighting, Gore, and Violence