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yvo_about_books's review against another edition
4.75
"You want to know if I’m as evil as everyone says I am. The answer is no. And yes."
It's true that I seem to be having a bit of a love-hate relationship with Riley Sager's writing, and his books can go either way for me. Some I absolutely loved (Home In The Dark), while others somehow didn't work at all (Survive The Night). That said, I can never resist a good gothic thriller and I had a good feeling about The Only One Left. The blurb is nothing but enticing, that's for sure! And I'm now happy to announce that this particular book falls firm into the first category. I basically knew I was going to love this story almost immediately, and I loved every single minute spent with this book. The crumbling Hope's End mansion makes for such a perfect setting for a gothic story; the unresolved multiple murder back in 1929 and rumors about the only surviving family member Lenora Hope only adding to this ominous atmosphere. The main story is set in 1983, and Kit makes for the perfect character to help us tell the story of Lenora in past and present. Why? Well, her story is similar to Lenora with her being accused of murder/assisted suicide, but no real proof to have her convicted... In other words: guilty by public opinion. The great thing about how this story is written is that you honestly don't know for sure if both women are guilty or innocent until the very end, and it only made me want to turn those pages even faster. I also loved the flashbacks to 1929 with Lenora typing her story with Kit's help... The plot structure is clever, and there were a couple big twists I never saw coming. I had such a fantastic time reading The Only One Left, and I can recommend it to anyone who enjoys atmospheric and creepy gothic thrillers where nothing is as it seems.
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Suicide, Chronic illness, Cancer, Grief, Infidelity, Sexism, Classism, Medical content, Death, Drug abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Murder, Pregnancy, Suicide attempt, Toxic friendship, Emotional abuse, Violence, Abortion, Addiction, Confinement, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail, Abandonment, Drug use, Domestic abuse, and Medical trauma
felofhe's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Moderate: Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Child abuse, Classism, Suicide attempt, Toxic relationship, Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Ableism, Alcohol, Violence, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Physical abuse, Blood, Body shaming, Bullying, Confinement, Death of parent, Forced institutionalization, Fatphobia, Grief, Kidnapping, Sexism, and Medical content
wrensreadingroom's review against another edition
4.0
Moderate: Homophobia, Medical content, Police brutality, Self harm, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Domestic abuse, Drug use, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Misogyny, Murder, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Gaslighting, Body shaming, Suicide, Suicidal thoughts, Classism, Cursing, Mental illness, Alcohol, Blood, Adult/minor relationship, Terminal illness, Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Abandonment, Addiction, Physical abuse, Kidnapping, Sexism, Alcoholism, Gore, Infidelity, Death, Drug abuse, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Toxic relationship, Violence, and Vomit
daydaybookbay's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I would feel smart for a moment because I noticed an inconsistency in the story, but that was the whole point to notice. It threw me through a loop because I then questioned myself if the other off-points I noticed were actually supposed to be there. This lost trust in myself made it more difficult for me to piece together the plot before the author wanted to reveal a twist. Very clever writing-I love it
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Violence, Domestic abuse, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Death of parent, Murder, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Terminal illness, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Cancer, Chronic illness, Cursing, Death, Alcohol, Blood, Ableism, Misogyny, Outing, Sexism, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Self harm, Toxic relationship, and Sexual content
Minor: Rape, Addiction, Gun violence, Homophobia, Classism, Confinement, Abortion, Grief, and Medical content
harleysmom's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Murder and Gun violence
Moderate: Drug abuse, Sexism, and Pregnancy
maddysoup's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
virginia may she rest in peace love her
4.5 because it was a bit repetitive but still it was great ♥︎ ty
Graphic: Blood, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Confinement, Death, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide attempt, Emotional abuse, Death of parent, Murder, Abandonment, Medical content, Sexual harassment, Chronic illness, and Pregnancy
bookcheshirecat's review against another edition
4.0
“You're never alone when there's a book,' she used to say. 'Never ever.”
➽ The Only One Left is Riley Sager's newest book and I was eager to read it! The story is set in 1983 and follows Kit, a nurse who takes a job at Hope's End in order to take care of the infamous Lenora Hope. No one else wanted the job, but because Kit has a bad track record from her last assignment, it's her only option. She's ready to leave her childhood home with a father who despises her and a lot of bad history that led to her being investigated. There are rumors that Lenora Hope killed her entire family back in 1929, though no one could ever prove something. People still whisper about the case and treat her like a sensation, even though Lenora is now 80 and mute. It's all the same to Kit, as she needs the job and tries to tune out the rumors.
➽ I loved the suspense and feeling of unease! Right from the beginning, things ate suspicious as the last nurse fled in the night and Kit can't help but feel like there's something she isn't being told. Her room is right next to Lenora's and she keeps hearing strange noises in the night. When Lenora offers to type out her story for the first time, Kit is drawn into the mystery of the Hope case and what really happened that night. We get glimpses of Lenora's childhood and relationship with her family. She claims to be innocent but Kit has no idea what to believe. I was very intrigued for the most part, though sometimes Kit made thoughtless decisions!
Graphic: Suicide attempt, Terminal illness, Murder, Chronic illness, Death, and Pregnancy
Moderate: Mental illness, Grief, Medical content, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Homophobia and Sexism