I love a good dystopian story, but it always seems that the lead character either has a team of supporting characters who have just the rights skill set or the character themselves was born with survival knowledge.
Last one at the party is different, because the lead character isnt like that. She’s just a normal person who is used to turning the tap on for water, the heating on when she gets cold and getting food from a supermarket. She doesn’t have a big group of friends who happen to be into archery, allotments or other such skills that they may have shared at least some wisdom on. She’s so real and relatable its almost a little scary. The story also hints at what i ve known for years – librarys can save us all!
In a world, post covid, where a new pandemic hits – 6DM there is no escape. Everyone is catching it and dying within six days. There is even a pill you can take to kill yourself before it gets too bad. But there is at least one survivor. One woman who is completely lost, and basically flip flops between plans and ideas either due to what she finds, or what she can or cant access. Zigzagging all over the country, with her sidekick Lucky – who really is a CoStar in this story she looks for safe refuge and other survivors. Whilst the promo for the book is more about survival in the aftermath of a pandemic I think it showcases how animals really can impact our lives. Especially dogs, the unconditional love and support, the motivation and companionship changes how you live your life, which really comes through this story. It also supports why my friend is scared of Pigeons.
Whilst the story is very much in the present, we do get some flashbacks to the past helping build the characters, both alive and dead. These help you judge the characters who didn’t make it past the six days and make you wonder how they would have survived in the newer world. Also who doesnt just love a character who not only still feels bad for things even through there isnt another human around to tell her no, but makes the most of it whilst occasionally experiencing some karma.
I loved this book, it was a little different, at times a little too real and there are some parts I wish I hadn’t been eating while reading. I think a lot of people might be thinking about the current Covid world when they read this but for me this is different, yes there are references to ‘during the Covid pandemic’ but its not really part of the story – although the way things are going it feels that this could be more of a warning than fiction, and is almost worth remembering if that days comes that theres some potentially handy hints and tips not just for normal survival items but longer term.
Last one at the party is out on 4th February 2021, go buy it!
One More Chapter 