A review by notlikethebeer
The Last Girls Standing by Jennifer Dugan

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Jennifer Dugan is easily one of my top authors, and seeing as thriller/horror is one of my favourite genres, I was really excited to read this! I will admit, I think it was slightly mis-marketed; whilst there are clear thriller/horror/mystery elements, it really focuses on something more interesting: the aftermath of the thriller. It's not your stereotypical 'thrills around every corner', it's much slower and - in some ways - more insidious, but not necessarily in the way of a psychological thriller. It was a slow coming-to-terms with what had happened (as best as one can, given what Sloan went through?!) at the same time as trying, desperately, to make some kind of sense of it all, and find some kind of answers. And honestly, it really bloody shone in that way. Unfortunately, my favourite part is impossible to talk about without spoilers! -
but I really loved the ending, both the idea that there <i> were </i> no answers, and the way that Sloan became indoctrinated into the cult, almost a self-fulfilling prophecy
. I hope this isn't Dugan's only foray into this genre, because I would love to read more from her.
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