When strange things start happening to local music idol Anders Thorson, everyone blames his number-one-fan, Thea. But is she out to hurt him? Or protect him?
LAST THINGS by JACQUELINE WEST
Publication date: May 7, 2019
Published by: Greenwillow
Genre: YA fantasy
SYNOPSIS
High school senior Anders Thorson is unusually gifted. His band, Last Things, is legendary in their northern Minnesota hometown. With guitar skills that would amaze even if he weren’t only eighteen, Anders is the focus of head-turning admiration. And Thea Malcom, a newcomer to the insular town, is one of his admirers. Thea seems to turn up everywhere Anders goes: gigs at the local coffeehouse, guitar lessons, even in the woods near Anders’s home. When strange things start happening to Anders—including the disappearance of his beloved cat, then his sort-of girlfriend, and, somehow, his musical talent—blame immediately falls on Thea. But is she trying to hurt him? Or save him? Can he trust a girl who doesn’t seem to know the difference between dreams and reality? And how much are they both willing to compromise to get what they want?
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Praise for Last Things:
A suspenseful tale wrought from power chords, creeping darkness, and disquieting twists.
- Kirkus Reviews
West uses evocative language, including song lyrics, to enhance the ominous atmosphere in this updated Faustian thriller; her pitch-perfect depiction of music conjures pulse-pounding concerts and Anders' passion for metal. A dark and lovely saga, ideal for fans of Brenna Yovanoff and Holly Black.
-- Booklist
A suspenseful tale wrought from power chords, creeping darkness, and disquieting twists.
- Kirkus Reviews
West uses evocative language, including song lyrics, to enhance the ominous atmosphere in this updated Faustian thriller; her pitch-perfect depiction of music conjures pulse-pounding concerts and Anders' passion for metal. A dark and lovely saga, ideal for fans of Brenna Yovanoff and Holly Black.
-- Booklist
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jacqueline West is the author of the middle grade fantasy series The Books of Elsewhere (Dial/Penguin Random House, 2010 – 2014). The Books of Elsewhere, Volume One: The Shadows was a Publisher’s Weekly Flying Start, an Indie Next List Top Ten Pick, a Junior Library Guild selection, a New York Times bestseller, and was the winner of the 2010 CYBILS Award for Fantasy. Volume Two: Spellbound was also a Junior Library Guild selection and a Minnesota Book Award finalist. Volume Five: Still Life received the Silver Falchion Award for middle grade novels. The series has also garnered multiple starred reviews and been published in eleven other languages to date.
Jacqueline loves dogs of all shapes and sizes, is sadly allergic to cats (though she manages to write about them without developing a rash), and is at least a little bit afraid of all fish larger than a hot dog bun. If you are sharing a pizza, she will ask for the crust pieces. Don't get her talking about Kurt Vonnegut, Tori Amos, Northern Exposure, or Sylvia Plath, or you'll be sorry. Jacqueline lives amid the bluffs of Red Wing, Minnesota, with her husband, her son, and her dog, a Springer Spaniel mix named Brom Bones.
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Last Things by Jacqueline WestMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Jacqueline West explains in the author's note that this story is inspired by the legend of blues singer Robert Johnson, the man who's told to have sold his soul to the devil for his musical talent. She gives it her own metal band spin with a high schooler who has rocketed to fame in a small town in Minnesota. I'm not a metal fan, but those who are will find a lot of references in the book to enjoy. Thea Malcom adds an extra level of mystery and creepiness as the second protagonist with ambiguous intentions. After reading the first chapter I was immediately disturbed by her behavior and curious if she was a morally grey character, a villain, or a hero in disguise. The story was a shade slow moving in the beginning, but once it gains momentum, it's pretty compulsive reading.
Anders Thorson is one third of the band Last Things and unarguably the mega talent that has them hanging on the edge of stardom. Patrick, the drummer, and Jezz, the bassist are decent but can't compare the the awe inspiring performances Anders has quickly become known for. First impressions of him tell you that he's typically a quiet guy who's not entirely comfortable with people praising his talent. When he steps onstage he dons his alter ego. The boy that has lightning fast hands on the strings, and an aloof rock star edge that makes the girls in his school crazy. At first he seems humble. Unable to take compliments or reach for fame and fortune because he hasn't properly suffered as an artist. He seems to drown in Self-recrimination and shame. The truth is far darker. It's a secret that he convinces himself is only his wild imagination, but constantly wears on his conscience regardless.
You can’t be the lead in something without it putting other people in the background. And you can’t just keep taking what you didn’t earn. You need to pay for it somehow.
I don't want to say too much about Thea for fear of spoiling the mystery surrounding her. Be prepared to wonder if she's a sick in the head stalker who has become unhealthily fixated on Anders. She exhibits all of the traits of someone like that, but there's always a little niggle of doubt about her true objective. There are dark and sinister creatures lurking in this tiny town that give more dimension to the story. Thea and her Aunt Mae are the only ones who seem to be aware of them, both gifted with supernatural talents. Mae is widely distrusted and gossiped about for odd occurrences she was tied to in the past, and as a result Thea is given a wide berth at school. Everyone sees her intense interest in Last Things, but more specifically Anders. She's even jokingly called his stalker for showing up at every single one of their shows and staring him down with laser focus. But when a local girl disappears it's no longer a joking matter.
West constantly attempts to cast doubt on the motivations of Thea, pretty far into the book. She also withholds a lot of the character background until later on to maintain a level of suspense for the reader. You're given small pieces of history and character development, but nothing concrete until around the last third of the book. While I understood her reasoning for that, it caused Thea to feel somewhat two-dimensional for a good portion of the plot. That being said, once her truth was revealed I was impressed with how distinct this was from anything else I've read. There were a couple of things that were not at all what I was expecting before opening up the book. Most notably, the small romantic sub-plot. However, I wouldn't categorize this book as romantic, really. It has a strong horror/paranormal feel that permeates every page.
The dark things aren’t quite real, anyway. Not on this side of the cracks. But when you’re empty inside, dark things will find a place inside of you. Like water. Like air. Dig a hole. There will always be enough darkness to fill it up.
I appreciated West's lyrical writing style and her ability to create a dark, atmospheric setting that almost becomes a character in and of itself. If you're looking for a YA fantasy that's a little different than what's being offered right now, give this one a shot.
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