A review by stellahadz
The Only One Left by Riley Sager

dark mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

I was intrigued by the premise of this book, and I had it on hold at the library for AGES, so apparently I wasn't the only one. The atmosphere (spooky mansion on the edge of a cliff) was set up perfectly, as was the characterization, although some of the characters seemed a bit caricature-ish, specifically Mrs. Baker. The story was intriguing, and I couldn't wait to see where it went. That being said, while all the reveals at the end were shocking (as in, I didn't see any of them coming, and what I *thought* would be the big reveal turned out to be a total non-starter) -
I just felt like there were too many. It ended up being a lot to keep track of, and it feels like cheap writing to have to stuff the ending with as many plot twists as possible instead of just having one or two really excellent, chilling reveals.
The writing also veered into r/TwoSentenceHorror territory at times, specifically at the end of chapters. (Short sentences. 
And line breaks. 
Were used WAY too frequently. 
For dramatic effect.)

Overall, it's a great story with a lot of potential, but the writing leaves something to be desired. It's good for what it is - a twisty, somewhat soapy Gothic story - but it's far from the best thriller I've read. 
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