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the_rainydayreader's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for sending me this eARC in exchange for my review.
To start off, I had already read Stuart Turton’s book The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle when I requested this title. I had found 7 1/2 Deaths to be a fine book, just not something I thought about much later or wanted to read again. The Last Murder at the End of the World had an intriguing premise but ultimately my feelings about it are also fairly ambivalent. I could see others liking it more than I did (I did like it, to be clear), but this was just kind of forgettable for me.
I was initially intrigued by the premise of an island populated by the last people on Earth, with an AI that wiped their memories of a murder. I like murder mysteries and post-apocalyptic settings, so it seemed like it would work for me. But in the end there were a few too many clues and goings-on for me to keep track of, and the final explanation was a little confusing. It would probably make more sense if I reread the book, but I don’t want to. I was never attached to any of the characters.
The book was easily readable and I was able to finish it quickly which definitely gives this book one of three stars in my review.
To start off, I had already read Stuart Turton’s book The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle when I requested this title. I had found 7 1/2 Deaths to be a fine book, just not something I thought about much later or wanted to read again. The Last Murder at the End of the World had an intriguing premise but ultimately my feelings about it are also fairly ambivalent. I could see others liking it more than I did (I did like it, to be clear), but this was just kind of forgettable for me.
I was initially intrigued by the premise of an island populated by the last people on Earth, with an AI that wiped their memories of a murder. I like murder mysteries and post-apocalyptic settings, so it seemed like it would work for me. But in the end there were a few too many clues and goings-on for me to keep track of, and the final explanation was a little confusing. It would probably make more sense if I reread the book, but I don’t want to. I was never attached to any of the characters.
The book was easily readable and I was able to finish it quickly which definitely gives this book one of three stars in my review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Death, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, and Violence
Minor: Animal death
parsnipsnap's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- 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
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal death
Minor: Fire/Fire injury
chezler24's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
"The secrets on this island have teeth, and they don't like being dragged into the light." p.225
Stuart Turton has successfully blended the genres of mystery, sci-fi, and dystopian fiction to create something quite intriguing! He drops you on this mysterious island which seems to be the last safe haven for humanity in a world consumed by a deadly fog; however, secrets lurk behind this backdrop of idyllic village life. After a brutal murder is committed, the villagers must race against the clock to solve the crime, or humanity as they know it will cease to exist. You're going to need to hang on as the pieces of this ingenious, high-concept puzzle are slowly uncovered, BUT you will be amazed at how Turton has threaded everything together. A read for those who want something to shake up the concept of a murder mystery! I'm honestly going to miss this island setting and world he's created; I can definitely see this as a book I'd love to revisit later.
Read an ARC
Stuart Turton has successfully blended the genres of mystery, sci-fi, and dystopian fiction to create something quite intriguing! He drops you on this mysterious island which seems to be the last safe haven for humanity in a world consumed by a deadly fog; however, secrets lurk behind this backdrop of idyllic village life. After a brutal murder is committed, the villagers must race against the clock to solve the crime, or humanity as they know it will cease to exist. You're going to need to hang on as the pieces of this ingenious, high-concept puzzle are slowly uncovered, BUT you will be amazed at how Turton has threaded everything together. A read for those who want something to shake up the concept of a murder mystery! I'm honestly going to miss this island setting and world he's created; I can definitely see this as a book I'd love to revisit later.
Read an ARC
Content Warnings
Minor: Animal death, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Confinement, Blood, Death, and Vomit
thebookkeepers's review
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.5
This was slow to start for me & I felt like it took a while to get to the murder and memory wipe of the community. I felt that a mixture of things were predictable but also surprising at the end. I enjoyed the narrator being the AI character, Abi, which added a level of distrust to the whole POV as to what was really happening. Things wrapped up at the end a little too cleanly and perfect for me though; I think that’s what resulted in my overall lower rating. This was an interesting read, but it wasn’t as riveting for me as his first book. I liked the post apocalyptic setting & the detective work of the main character, Emory, once the memory wipe took place. I wasn’t overly attached to any characters and was mostly engaged with the setting and uncovering the mystery of what had happened. The final whodunnit did surprise me, but also left me disappointed haha! Which is as much as I can say without spoilers.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder and Death
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Suicide
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