Reviews with content warning for Grief - The Last Word

I recently finished reading a rather unique book that really challenged my expectations. The story was both predictable and unpredictable at the same time, which was quite fascinating. On one hand, the book was a little annoying because it seemed to drag on, but on the other hand, as the plot unfolded, I found myself growing sympathetic towards the characters. The outlandish nature of the story was both a positive and a negative for me, as it added an intriguing element to the narrative but also made it a bit hard to relate to at times.

Despite these contradictions, I have to admit that I ultimately found the book to be quite good. The author's ability to draw me in and make me genuinely think and feel showed skillful storytelling. Instead of being frustratingly clueless which is a cliche in most mystery/thriller books, the main character, Emma, was portrayed as a thoughtful and intelligent protagonist, even when her actions seemed questionable at times.

There were even moments that I couldn't help but find a bit humorous, particularly when the different points of view clashed in a somewhat comical way. For instance, there was a part where

Emma claimed the killer had screamed, only for the next paragraph to reveal the killer’s perspective, denying the scream. This unexpected humor provided a welcome break from the intense and adrenaline-filled plot.

Overall, I think I would recommend this book. Its outlandish nature is what gives it its charm, and while you might have a sense of who the killer is, the real mystery lies in how events will unfold.

Content Warnings

orizenda's review against another edition

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dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Some parts I was like… Emma is so stupid sorry. But this was a fun book. I didn’t really see the main “twist” or secret or whatever you want to call it beforehand. The one about the author stalker main guy was painfully obvious so idk if that was supposed to be a twist but that made me mad at emma. but anyway. I was glad it was more than just a thriller

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lexithelion's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This book is incredible, I loved it. It was my first introduction to this author and I picked up this book on a whim before I went on vacation. It took me a very short time to finish because it was very hard to put down; I kept wanting to know what happened next. The author is very good at writing compelling characters and created a beautiful plot line. At one point it does get a little frustrating because people keep “dying” but keep coming back, and in my opinion it happens way too much and at one point I stopped believing that anyone was actually dead. But otherwise I will pick up more books from this author!

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judassilver's review against another edition

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dark funny inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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erinmichele_reads's review against another edition

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emotional funny reflective tense

3.0

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kenziewol's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Will I ever give a 1 star book review again?…probably not

Seriously though this book had me going wtf multiple times, I thought I knew but I was wrong, but then also kinda right???? But not really? And I was genuinely getting mad at the end and was even kinda scared at some moments (I feel so blessed I don’t live alone because I’d be terrified to sleep at night for fear of being watched 😅) — I listened to the audiobook version and would definitely recommend

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crabcake28's review

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dark emotional funny sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I read this expecting a lot after reading No Exit and I wasn’t disappointed. While it didn’t exactly have the mood I was hoping it would have, I still enjoyed it immensely. The book had me in shock, heart broken, cringing, and even laughing out loud at parts. I absolutely loved the back and forth between narrators and the realization that one of which was not in anyway reliable. Definitely the kind of book I’ll reread with a whole new perspective.

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