The final part of the trilogy picks up where book two left off. We get to see what happens to our trio…although, at times, we might wish we didn’t.
I’ve read some reviews that criticise Lyga for just giving us more of the same here. I would have to disagree with those comments. Yes, there are some unpleasant details – and elements of the activity go beyond sadistic – but there didn’t seem to be quite the level of detail given simply to shock us. Here, if we’re being given graphic detail, it makes sense. This book focuses far more on the psychological elements again and I found this very difficult to put down.
Some readers criticise Lyga for boring us with Jasper’s fears that he’ll become his father’s son. With the revelations we get in this book I’d be more concerned if Jasper weren’t questioning his upbringing, mental state and ability to make socially acceptable decisions!
There are some great moments in this novel. Howie and Connie get to play pivotal roles, and though they are less involved than in previous books, they’ve got Jasper’s back and provide a semblance of much-needed normality for him.
I do think that, in reality, a lot of what transpires during the hunt would never happen. However, Lyga creates truly creepy characters and this was a chilling read.
I might discourage younger readers from picking this series up, for reasons that become obvious as we work our way through this. Overall, though the subject matter is deeply unpleasant it is a fascinating story, well-handled and resolved in such a way that we can sleep at night (albeit with the light on).