Scan barcode
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
4.25
"There are some moments in life when you realize, deep inside yourself, that nothing will ever be quite the same again."
I tend to enjoy Will Dean's writing, and I'm still not sure why it took me this long to finally pick up The Last One. This book came at the right time for me though, because it was exactly the suspenseful, exhilarating and simply wild ride I was craving. I went in blind, and I'm SO glad I did because the story had an even bigger impact this way. I don't want to give away any spoilers, but what I can say is that you definitely have to be able to suspend your disbelief in order to enjoy The Last One. The plot is over the top and farfetched, but at the same time extremely entertaining and I simply HAD to keep reading to discover what was going on. I love a story with a locked room element and/or remote setting, and it doesn't get more remote than a seemingly abandoned cruise liner in the middle of the Atlantic ocean. Things can be said about the fact that not all characters are exactly likeable, but in a situation this extreme it is no surprise that you will see the worst aspects of a person. I loved how you, like the characters, had no clue what was going to for a long time, and while some of the big twists were a bit too farfetched for me, as a whole it somehow worked. I do have to say that I wasn't a fan of the open ending, and too many questions were left unanswered. That said, if you enjoy suspenseful and unique thrillers that will take you on a true rollercoaster ride, The Last One is a great option. Unless you want a credible and realistic plot that is...
Graphic: Addiction, Bullying, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Blood, Vomit, Dementia, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
medleyofshannon's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Gaslighting
bibliomania_express's review against another edition
1.0
I'm mad I spent hours being anxious and upset for a cheap last page twist. I'm mad that this book had the audacity to inflict such pain on characters and not grapple with the absolute moral failings of the world it presents. To suggests that a scenario like the one in this book would be brushed aside by the world at large - by friends, loved ones, even strangers - is disgusting and angering.
This is essentially The Truman Show meets the dark web. The main character (and some others) is confined on a ship against her will, tricked into staying, forced to complete life-threatening tasks, not allowed to leave, and forced to think multiple people died. All in the name of a "new, bold reality show".
I do not reccomend. In fact, I don't think I'll ever read another book by this author.
I'm so mad that the vague premise made me intrigued and hid all this evilness, and that there wasn't a single trigger warning provided up front.
Trigger warnings for: confinement, kidnapoing, starvation, psychological torture, (apparent) suicide, violence, gore, (apparent) murder, drugging, gaslighting, past parental emotional abuse, addiction, past teen pregnancy.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Body horror, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Suicide attempt, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Addiction, Dementia, and Pregnancy
nialiversuch's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.75
Graphic: Addiction, Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Grief, Suicide attempt, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
Moderate: Alcohol
Minor: Drug abuse and Drug use
sharlapeggy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Vomit, Dementia, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
sophiesbookshelf2's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The short chapters mean you can get through a lot in one sitting and there was an interesting premise there, the writing is OK, easy to read.
The rest is not great, gets increasingly not great and the ending, to me, was bad
Moderate: Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, and Kidnapping
ameliannelise99's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Death, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Death of parent, and Abandonment
disguisedposer's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
Graphic: Addiction, Confinement, Cursing, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
meganpkin's review against another edition
Oh and in 2023 not having characters respect eachothers choosen preferred names felt unnecessary as a character flaw for Smith when we already know he is racist, bigoted and misogynistic, we get it. I spent alot of time telling the oages 'I get it'. However, this might make a good thriller tv show because it would cut out the option for a pontificating inner dialogue.a shorter version would have been better, my opinion.
Moderate: Addiction, Deadnaming, Drug abuse, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexism, Suicide, Toxic relationship, Xenophobia, Stalking, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
kdheuer's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
I have mixed feelings about this book. If I had been reading a hard copy, I would have chucked it across the room upon reading the first major twist. The pacing kept me going, but I had a big chip on my shoulder for the rest of the book. I felt as manipulated as our main character did the whole way through. After putting the readers through what they did, the twist ending felt like a slap in the face.
Still, I like a thriller, and I was on the edge of my proverbial seat. I just wish I didn’t feel so manipulated.
Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Suicide, Vomit, Medical content, Dementia, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail