A review by canada_matt
The Final Cut by Michael Dobbs

4.0

Dobbs ties off the House of Cards series with a bang and pens, perhaps, his best novel of the trilogy. Diving head-on into a Thatcheresque prime ministership, our main character, aptly nicknamed “F.U.” forges ahead and tries to lay the groundwork for a place in the history books as the longest serving prime minister of the 20th century. Little does he know that his actions from decades past will come back to haunt him as his own party stands fractured and on the brink of disaster. Add to that, a cocky election call and all Britons are looking at how things will play out at 10 Downing Street, as well as around the world. Layering this main story with the potential reunification of Cypress, led by F.U. and his Foreign Minister, the story’s pushes through like something out of the world of Jeffrey Archer. Highly entertaining and while perhaps somewhat predictable, Dobbs pushes F.U. to the brink of his wretchedness in order to lie and steal his way into the minds and books of schoolchildren everywhere.

I am now prepared to find and watch the BBC series, sure not to have any spoilers ruin the book for me. Dobbs paints wonderful political and character imagery throughout the series and leaves the best for last. The two bookend books are, by far, the better of the three and make the series come alive and injects just enough intrigue to sate any political nut, particularly of the British parliamentary system.

Kudos Mr. Dobbs on the completion of an excellent series and on this, the literal final chapter,of our beloved set of characters.