Review: The Last Thing He Told Me
The Last Thing He Told Me by Laura Dave
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Laura Dave's novel The Last Thing He Told Me has an intriguing premise, but I found it to be quite underwhelming. While the book begins with an intriguing mystery — a husband who disappears unexpectedly, leaving only a cryptic note for his wife—it ultimately falls short in execution, relying on clichés and lazy solutions. What could have been a suspenseful premise turned out to be a slow-paced, uninspiring tale that bored me and, frankly, made me roll my eyes.
I can't get past the fact that there was little to no character development. Hannah, the protagonist, felt passive and empty. As she searched for answers, her inner distress and emotional responses seemed shallow and unconvincing, making it impossible to empathize with her.
Bailey, Hannah's stepdaughter, was similarly frustrating. Her reactions were superficial, inconsistent, and poorly written. Her actions seemed unnatural and implausible. Furthermore, her relationship with Hannah, which could have added depth to the plot, was forced and lacked the emotional nuance that their situation demanded.
The plot, while initially engaging, quickly lost momentum due to excessive description and bad pacing. There were entire pages where it appeared like nothing but repetition was happening, which made it difficult for me to stay interested in the story.
Despite all of this, the most frustrating aspect of this tale was the disappointing resolution of the mystery. The author seems to have opted for the most convenient solutions, without putting much thought into their plausibility. The turns that should have been interesting were boring and forced, giving me the impression that the climax was put together without considering how it would appear to the reader.
It is safe to say, The Last Thing He Told Me did not meet my expectations. While the premise attracted my curiosity, the lack of character development, poor pacing, and improbable plot twists made for an unsatisfying read. It's odd for me to feel so disconnected from a book, but by the end, I was simply relieved to have finished it.
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