Linda Green - The Last Thing She Told Me

Synopsis

“Look after my babies for me”. These are the words that Nicola’s 90-year-old grandmother whispered to her before taking her last breath. What others would deem to be a final moment of madness, Nicola isn’t convinced as she searches for the truth behind those words. But the deeper she digs into her grandmother’s history, the darker the secrets that surface

Likes

I had no idea what was in store for me when I first got this book. At most, I thought that it would just be another psychological thriller, but this was not the case. Despite not expecting Green to take the book in the direction it went in, I am glad she did as she did a great job of touching upon difficult topics. To put it lightly, the novel discusses sexual abuse and the pain and turmoil that haunts victims long after the abuse is over, making it quite hard to read at times. Nothing was sugar coated or downplayed which is exactly what was needed to make the story so impactful. The book not only sheds light on the horrors that victims may experience, but the message stays with you long after you’ve finished reading

Despite the book being fiction, the letters made everything seem all the more real. Green forced me to be comfortable with being uncomfortable when reading those letters, emphasising the severity of sexual assault, especially against minors. I felt a great level of disgust and anger when reading those letters, among many other emotions, making it all the more potent. Green did a terrific job of squeezing so many feelings out of me throughout this book

Despite the book having such a strong message, Green still manages to incorporate some humour through 8-year-old Maisie. Although this is pleasant for the reader as it gives us a break from the heavy feelings we’ve been used to, it also reminds us that despite what the victims have been through, life still has to go on and they’re often forced to put on a brave face and act as though everything is fine. Although they may laugh and act like everyone else, the victims don’t get a break as the weight of their ordeal remains constant. The light-hearted tone only further added to the gravity of a such a serious issue which I felt was very well executed

Dislikes

I felt as though Nic dwelt on her grandmother’s house a bit too much to the point that it seemed forced. As soon as she pitched the idea of moving into her grandmother’s house, she was met with opposition from her husband and daughter yet continued to push for it. Not only that, but she didn’t even want the house nor like it very much bet kept harping on about it because it was her grandmother’s wish which would then be passed down to Ruby who expressed a clear disdain for it. It just didn’t make much sense, and the situation was unnecessarily dragged out when the most logical solution was to sell the house and invest their money into their current home or a new one. I understand that it was for the purpose of keeping Nic connected to her grandmother and accessible to the house, but it was a bit overdone

General Thoughts

This book helps to put into perspective how someone may find themselves feeling trapped in such a terrible situation and feel as though they have no one to turn to, especially if they’re young and impressionable. Not everyone has the protection nor comfort of a loving and supportive family

The twist in the letters really had me going for a moment! I thought that a grown man was writing such intimate letters to a young girl and I was repulsed. I would cringe at times from how uncomfortable it made me. But I’m glad that it’s not what I thought and was saddened to find out that William had died just before finding out about the loss of his twin daughters the day prior. Nobody should have to go through the pain of losing their child. I felt terrible for Nic’s grandmother; she lost the man she loved and her children in such a short timeframe. I couldn’t imagine what that must have felt like

Rating

I was not expecting all that this book put me through but I’m glad it did. This was such a powerful book which sheds light on issues of sexual abuse and how it affects victims. I went through a whirlwind of emotions which only made it all the more impactful. It was definitely quite difficult to read at times but this was needed to bring out such strong emotions

Based on this, I would give this book a 4/5

Would I recommend?

This book is not for the light-hearted and will definitely make you feel uncomfortable at times. Despite being fiction, the story is one which needed to be shared as it’s the reality of many. Although not like the psychological thriller genres I’m used to, this book is so much more and leaves a mark on you long after reading the last page. Yes, I would recommend this book

Favourite Quotes

‘Whatever the future holds for both of us, I will always be grateful for your smile. And I will carry it with me forever'

‘Because when you’ve been a little girl for so long, the idea that you might have become a woman is overwhelming’