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İyi Adam
Her şeyi vardı. Ama kapı çaldığında, Ted intihar etmek üzereydi. Kapıdakinin vazgeçip gitmesini beklerken masanın üstündeki not ilişti gözüne, kendi el yazısıyla yazılmış:
“Kapıyı aç. Tek çıkışın bu.”
Ted ne notu yazdığını hatırlıyor ne de kapıdaki adamı tanıyor. Adamın bir teklifi var: Madem ölmek istiyorsun, intihar edip aileni utandırma; biz öldürülmeni sağlayabiliriz. Şartımız basit: Senin gibi intihara karar vermiş birini öldürecek, böylece zincire katılacaksın… Son bir iyilik.
Teklifi kabul ettiği anda kendini şeytani bir oyunun içinde buluyor Ted. Çıkmaya çalıştıkça onu daha da derinlere sürükleyen biri var; bu kanlı labirenti tepeden gören, Ted’i kendinden bile iyi tanıyan ve asla güvenmemesi gereken biri…
34 dilde yayımlanan ve yakında beyaz perdeye aktarılacak 'İyi Adam', mükemmel kurgusu ve bitmeyen dolambaçları ile zihin bulandıran,
‘Anladım,’ dediğiniz anda sizi ters köşeye yatırıveren bir psikolojik gerilim romanı.
“Kapıyı aç. Tek çıkışın bu.”
Ted ne notu yazdığını hatırlıyor ne de kapıdaki adamı tanıyor. Adamın bir teklifi var: Madem ölmek istiyorsun, intihar edip aileni utandırma; biz öldürülmeni sağlayabiliriz. Şartımız basit: Senin gibi intihara karar vermiş birini öldürecek, böylece zincire katılacaksın… Son bir iyilik.
Teklifi kabul ettiği anda kendini şeytani bir oyunun içinde buluyor Ted. Çıkmaya çalıştıkça onu daha da derinlere sürükleyen biri var; bu kanlı labirenti tepeden gören, Ted’i kendinden bile iyi tanıyan ve asla güvenmemesi gereken biri…
34 dilde yayımlanan ve yakında beyaz perdeye aktarılacak 'İyi Adam', mükemmel kurgusu ve bitmeyen dolambaçları ile zihin bulandıran,
‘Anladım,’ dediğiniz anda sizi ters köşeye yatırıveren bir psikolojik gerilim romanı.
384 pages, Paperback
First published March 13, 2016
244 people are currently reading
11288 people want to read
About the author
Federico Axat
18 books524 followersFederico Axat was born in La Plata, Buenos Aires, in 1975.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,144 reviews
February 7, 2017
3.5 Stars
My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...
When I read the description of this book I thought the plot sounded really interesting. In the blurb it says that nothing is what it seems.... and they weren't kidding! My head was spinning right from the first sentence.
"Ted McKay was about to put a bullet through his brain when the doorbell rang, insistently."
He waits because he knows he can't shoot himself while someone is at the door. Then he hears someone yelling for him to open the door. They tell him they know he's in there. He waits for them to leave. However, the person keeps ringing the bell, banging and yelling for Ted to open the door.
Thankfully his wife and children are out-of-town.
As he's waiting for the person to go away he notices a note on his desk. "Open the door. It's your only way out" the note says. He has no idea where this note came from but the thing that freaks him out is that it's his handwriting on the note. How could that be? He has no memory of writing it. Ted gives in and opens the door. The man introduces himself. His name is Justin Lynch and he tells Ted he'll explain everything if he will let him come in. Ted slams the door but then the man says something that makes him open it right back up...
"I know what you're about to do"
How could this man possibly know what Ted was about to do?
Justin says he knows that Ted wants to kill himself. Before Ted can say a word, Justin tells him he has a proposition for him. He's inviting him to join a very special organization. A sort of suicide club. However, in order to be a part of this group Ted will need to kill two men. Then in return someone will kill him. The reasoning behind this is that it's easier for a family to deal with someone being the victim of a tragedy than if the person committed suicide.
But why two murders? And how did they find out that Ted even wanted to kill himself?
Ted decides that he'll do it. However, things do not go as planned. The intended victims aren't exactly like Justin described. Then weird things start happening. Ted begins having bizarre dreams. He feels like he's being watched and that he wasn't given all the information he would have needed to make a proper decision. Was that on purpose? Is Ted being manipulated somehow? From there, things get even worse and he starts to feel like he's losing his mind.
Dr. Laura Hill is Ted's therapist and she feels like she can help him. Through his meetings with Dr. Hill we are given some insight into Ted's past, his family life and some, very dark secrets.
I will stop there as I will be heading into spoiler territory if I say much more
After such a fantastic beginning I did feel the book start to drag a bit. It was interesting, but it felt like there was a lot of details and extra stuff that could have been left out. Also seemed like there were some holes in the plot which made things a bit confusing.
I enjoyed the book but it was completely different from what I was expecting, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. There were a lot of good twists and turns that kept me turning pages. Just when I thought I had the real story it would take off in another direction. I would just start to understand a character and their motives....but then I'd be thrown way off again.
I was pretty satisfied with how it all came together and how the author wrapped things up....but the epilogue did baffle me a bit. I may have to check around because I'm curious about what happened. I almost feel like I'm missing something big.
****Note**** There wasn't a lot of gruesome violence in this book but I will warn readers that there is a scene with an animal that is upsetting. I was able to skip over it but I thought it was worth a mention.
Thank you NetGalley, Mulholland Books, and Frederico Axat for providing an advanced readers copy of this book for me to read in exchange for my honest review.
My reviews can also be seen at: https://deesradreadsandreviews.wordpr...
When I read the description of this book I thought the plot sounded really interesting. In the blurb it says that nothing is what it seems.... and they weren't kidding! My head was spinning right from the first sentence.
"Ted McKay was about to put a bullet through his brain when the doorbell rang, insistently."
He waits because he knows he can't shoot himself while someone is at the door. Then he hears someone yelling for him to open the door. They tell him they know he's in there. He waits for them to leave. However, the person keeps ringing the bell, banging and yelling for Ted to open the door.
Thankfully his wife and children are out-of-town.
As he's waiting for the person to go away he notices a note on his desk. "Open the door. It's your only way out" the note says. He has no idea where this note came from but the thing that freaks him out is that it's his handwriting on the note. How could that be? He has no memory of writing it. Ted gives in and opens the door. The man introduces himself. His name is Justin Lynch and he tells Ted he'll explain everything if he will let him come in. Ted slams the door but then the man says something that makes him open it right back up...
"I know what you're about to do"
How could this man possibly know what Ted was about to do?
Justin says he knows that Ted wants to kill himself. Before Ted can say a word, Justin tells him he has a proposition for him. He's inviting him to join a very special organization. A sort of suicide club. However, in order to be a part of this group Ted will need to kill two men. Then in return someone will kill him. The reasoning behind this is that it's easier for a family to deal with someone being the victim of a tragedy than if the person committed suicide.
But why two murders? And how did they find out that Ted even wanted to kill himself?
Ted decides that he'll do it. However, things do not go as planned. The intended victims aren't exactly like Justin described. Then weird things start happening. Ted begins having bizarre dreams. He feels like he's being watched and that he wasn't given all the information he would have needed to make a proper decision. Was that on purpose? Is Ted being manipulated somehow? From there, things get even worse and he starts to feel like he's losing his mind.
Dr. Laura Hill is Ted's therapist and she feels like she can help him. Through his meetings with Dr. Hill we are given some insight into Ted's past, his family life and some, very dark secrets.
I will stop there as I will be heading into spoiler territory if I say much more
After such a fantastic beginning I did feel the book start to drag a bit. It was interesting, but it felt like there was a lot of details and extra stuff that could have been left out. Also seemed like there were some holes in the plot which made things a bit confusing.
I enjoyed the book but it was completely different from what I was expecting, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. There were a lot of good twists and turns that kept me turning pages. Just when I thought I had the real story it would take off in another direction. I would just start to understand a character and their motives....but then I'd be thrown way off again.
I was pretty satisfied with how it all came together and how the author wrapped things up....but the epilogue did baffle me a bit. I may have to check around because I'm curious about what happened. I almost feel like I'm missing something big.
****Note**** There wasn't a lot of gruesome violence in this book but I will warn readers that there is a scene with an animal that is upsetting. I was able to skip over it but I thought it was worth a mention.
Thank you NetGalley, Mulholland Books, and Frederico Axat for providing an advanced readers copy of this book for me to read in exchange for my honest review.
August 18, 2018
This most unusual psychological thriller is one that grew on me slowly. The first section is very confusing. Ted McKay the main character relates recurring episodes about being interrupted in killing himself and then killing two people except that the details keep changing so that it's not clear if he is hallucinating or dreaming. About a third of the way into the book, Ted's situation becomes clearer but there is still a mystery as to how he got to that point or what has actually happened so it became very compelling to read on and find the answers. To understand that we have to go back in time to Ted's early years and experiences and a much earlier murder.
I did enjoy the book more once it became clear what was happening to Ted and did not expect the major twist that came late in the book. I think my initial confusion would have been better if I hadn't read the blurb (and title!) as it gives the wrong idea of what the book is about (ie 'killing the next one'). The translation from Spanish must be exceptional the text flowed perfectly in English. I have to say the point of the epilogue (especially the possum in the flowerpots) totally escaped me so if anyone can enlighten me, I'd greatly appreciate it!
I did enjoy the book more once it became clear what was happening to Ted and did not expect the major twist that came late in the book. I think my initial confusion would have been better if I hadn't read the blurb (and title!) as it gives the wrong idea of what the book is about (ie 'killing the next one'). The translation from Spanish must be exceptional the text flowed perfectly in English. I have to say the point of the epilogue (especially the possum in the flowerpots) totally escaped me so if anyone can enlighten me, I'd greatly appreciate it!
March 16, 2019
Um Começo de Bradar
Acerquem-se os amantes dos thrillers, para juntos desfrutarmos desta magnífica overture:
X está prestes a suicidar-se no instante em que Y bate à porta!...
- Será um vendedor? -- interroga-se X
- Vou aguardar que se canse e desista!
Porém, desistir não está nos planos de Y, que aumenta a cadência, e bate agora desenfreadamente à porta!...
Perturbado, mas fiel à sua decisão, X mantém-se imóvel enquanto o seu olhar inquieto varre os objectos no seu raio de visão, até estancar num bilhete escrito na própria caligrafia, com os seguintes dizeres:
"Abre a porta. É a tua última saída!"
Que intrigante!...
X encontra um bilhete escrito anteriormente, dirigido a si mesmo, como que a prever a situação presente?!
Ou será que o autor do enigmático bilhete, fora outrem que não X?!
Cedo, começamos a divagar!...
Bem!... Adiante:
Entretanto, Y persiste em bater desenfreadamente à porta, até que finalmente, influenciado pela leitura do próprio bilhete, X abre a porta a um Y desconhecido, que alega saber as razões que o levaram a apontar uma arma à têmpora!...
Ora digam lá, se este começo não é promissor?!
E é um promissor cumpridor!
São 5 estrelas cintilantes!!! 🥰
Livros que nos agarram na capa e libertam na contra-capa, são raros e procuram-se 😊😍
Não deixem escapar este 😉👍
Acerquem-se os amantes dos thrillers, para juntos desfrutarmos desta magnífica overture:
X está prestes a suicidar-se no instante em que Y bate à porta!...
- Será um vendedor? -- interroga-se X
- Vou aguardar que se canse e desista!
Porém, desistir não está nos planos de Y, que aumenta a cadência, e bate agora desenfreadamente à porta!...
Perturbado, mas fiel à sua decisão, X mantém-se imóvel enquanto o seu olhar inquieto varre os objectos no seu raio de visão, até estancar num bilhete escrito na própria caligrafia, com os seguintes dizeres:
"Abre a porta. É a tua última saída!"
Que intrigante!...
X encontra um bilhete escrito anteriormente, dirigido a si mesmo, como que a prever a situação presente?!
Ou será que o autor do enigmático bilhete, fora outrem que não X?!
Cedo, começamos a divagar!...
Bem!... Adiante:
Entretanto, Y persiste em bater desenfreadamente à porta, até que finalmente, influenciado pela leitura do próprio bilhete, X abre a porta a um Y desconhecido, que alega saber as razões que o levaram a apontar uma arma à têmpora!...
Ora digam lá, se este começo não é promissor?!
E é um promissor cumpridor!
São 5 estrelas cintilantes!!! 🥰
Livros que nos agarram na capa e libertam na contra-capa, são raros e procuram-se 😊😍
Não deixem escapar este 😉👍
May 20, 2020
TL; DR: If you dislike gratuitous, graphic animal torture scenes, this book is not for you. If you really dislike sticking with a book despite multiple plot problems and two-dimensional characters just to see if there is some kind of payoff, only to be hit by a gratuitous, graphic animal torture scene in the final pages, well, you should run like hell.
I'm sorry, I just didn't love this book. I did read the whole thing, even though I was frustrated with the two-dimensional characters, the plot that turned out to be so different from what I expected reading the blurb, the endless dream sequences (I loathe dream sequences), etc, etc, because I wanted to see how the author got out of the hole. After I saw how he got out, I wish I had just given up 50 pages in. This book had a lot of promise with little payoff and the whole thing seemed...sloppy. I can't really say more without giving important stuff away so I'll leave it at that.
SPOILERS
I was frustrated that the loose ends never got tied up in a way that made sense to the story, or had significance relative to how much buildup there was. And the little bombshell about Arthur also seeing the possum just wasn't shocking enough to be treated like it was. I am not really sure what the author was trying to convey with that reveal. That Arthur is also crazy? Mike and others were able to see animals, too. Or that the possum is real? I don't find possums scary so that has no impact either. Maybe if it had been a Canada goose... It was just a "so what?" moment for me, rather than the jaw-dropper I think the author thought he had. We got to spend a lot of time with Justin in the flashbacks, but I still don't know why any of that was necessary. Their friendship wasn't really remarkable or noteworthy and I never felt the author did a good job of explaining why Ted beat Justin. Also, I didn't care. Neither one of them ever felt like more than a cardboard cutout. I felt like we spent a lot of time with Dr. Hill peeling the onion of Ted's psyche, and what it revealed, layer by layer, was a hotbed of "meh."
Also, the unexpected kitten torture scene in the last 5% of the book was shocking and unnecessary. In this scene, a man named Randall Forster is giving an introductory speech about Dr. Laura Hill's book about a serial killer, and he describes an incident in the killer's youth when he killed a kitten in front of his playmate. This killer had already been well established as pig with no redeeming qualities so the kitten torture description was 100% gratuitous. I also had trouble buying it that Randall would have gone into such graphic detail speaking to a group of people who were basically there for a book signing. Not simply mentioning that the killer's young neighbor knew he was capable of murder because he saw him torture animals. That is sufficient for anyone to know. No, Randall gives the audience a blow-by-blow, detail-by-detail description of how the kitten was tortured--almost like a training manual. Yes, I found it offensive but the problem was, no one would actually do that in real life. And if they did, people would get up and walk out. NOBODY WANTS A KITTEN TORTURE TUTORIAL AT THEIR BOOK SIGNING, RANDALL. It was ridiculous in the context of the scene. I could go on, but I am done.
I just didn't like it at all, sorry.
I'm sorry, I just didn't love this book. I did read the whole thing, even though I was frustrated with the two-dimensional characters, the plot that turned out to be so different from what I expected reading the blurb, the endless dream sequences (I loathe dream sequences), etc, etc, because I wanted to see how the author got out of the hole. After I saw how he got out, I wish I had just given up 50 pages in. This book had a lot of promise with little payoff and the whole thing seemed...sloppy. I can't really say more without giving important stuff away so I'll leave it at that.
SPOILERS
I was frustrated that the loose ends never got tied up in a way that made sense to the story, or had significance relative to how much buildup there was. And the little bombshell about Arthur also seeing the possum just wasn't shocking enough to be treated like it was. I am not really sure what the author was trying to convey with that reveal. That Arthur is also crazy? Mike and others were able to see animals, too. Or that the possum is real? I don't find possums scary so that has no impact either. Maybe if it had been a Canada goose... It was just a "so what?" moment for me, rather than the jaw-dropper I think the author thought he had. We got to spend a lot of time with Justin in the flashbacks, but I still don't know why any of that was necessary. Their friendship wasn't really remarkable or noteworthy and I never felt the author did a good job of explaining why Ted beat Justin. Also, I didn't care. Neither one of them ever felt like more than a cardboard cutout. I felt like we spent a lot of time with Dr. Hill peeling the onion of Ted's psyche, and what it revealed, layer by layer, was a hotbed of "meh."
Also, the unexpected kitten torture scene in the last 5% of the book was shocking and unnecessary. In this scene, a man named Randall Forster is giving an introductory speech about Dr. Laura Hill's book about a serial killer, and he describes an incident in the killer's youth when he killed a kitten in front of his playmate. This killer had already been well established as pig with no redeeming qualities so the kitten torture description was 100% gratuitous. I also had trouble buying it that Randall would have gone into such graphic detail speaking to a group of people who were basically there for a book signing. Not simply mentioning that the killer's young neighbor knew he was capable of murder because he saw him torture animals. That is sufficient for anyone to know. No, Randall gives the audience a blow-by-blow, detail-by-detail description of how the kitten was tortured--almost like a training manual. Yes, I found it offensive but the problem was, no one would actually do that in real life. And if they did, people would get up and walk out. NOBODY WANTS A KITTEN TORTURE TUTORIAL AT THEIR BOOK SIGNING, RANDALL. It was ridiculous in the context of the scene. I could go on, but I am done.
I just didn't like it at all, sorry.
September 9, 2018
Mi tercer libro de Axat y uno más que me deja sorprendido. El misterio no cesa en ningún momento y cada uno de sus capítulos es una puerta abierta a lo inesperado. La última salida, con su ritmo vertiginoso y sus escenas apabullantes, logró captar mi atención hasta tal punto que se volvió un compañero inseparable en mi vida cotidiana.
Pocas veces he leído una novela negra con tantos giros. La historia no deja de cambiar de manera completa el paradigma de lo que se va revelando a medias. Entre la confusión, la desconfianza y los secretos me era imposible predecir qué podría suceder en las siguientes páginas. Axat juega con el delirio como pocos autores saben hacerlo. Y también con el lector.
En fin. Aunque demasiado comercial para mi gusto, es una muy buena novela de misterio, que recomiendo absolutamente para pasar el rato. Adictiva, rápida, laberíntica, ideal para cualquier fanático del género.
Pocas veces he leído una novela negra con tantos giros. La historia no deja de cambiar de manera completa el paradigma de lo que se va revelando a medias. Entre la confusión, la desconfianza y los secretos me era imposible predecir qué podría suceder en las siguientes páginas. Axat juega con el delirio como pocos autores saben hacerlo. Y también con el lector.
En fin. Aunque demasiado comercial para mi gusto, es una muy buena novela de misterio, que recomiendo absolutamente para pasar el rato. Adictiva, rápida, laberíntica, ideal para cualquier fanático del género.
September 13, 2017
¿Sabéis esa sensación de estar en una montaña rusa, esperando el segundo en el que caeréis a toda velocidad por la rampa? Pues bien, este libro se puede adaptar a esta metáfora; es vertiginoso desde el minuto cero. Y, si bien me ha parecido magistral el modo en que el autor juega con el lector, hay ciertos detalles al final del libro que me han frenado de darle las cinco estrellas.
September 15, 2017
Hace tiempo que no leía algo que realmente me sorprendiera y, sin el ánimo de alardear, eso es cada vez más difícil. El autor juega con el lector en forma permanente y ninguna de las teorías que uno pueda ir elucubrando tiene sentido al llegar al siguiente capítulo. Me llamó la atención que el autor lograra tamaña intriga sólo con la trama y no, como en otros libros que he leído, con una prosa confusa. De hecho me encantó el estilo de Federico Axat, directo, centrado en lo que quiere contar en cada capítulo que, por cierto, son cortísimos. Pero no por ello falto de las descripciones y pistas necesarias para mantener al lector ahí, pegado a sus páginas, mordiéndose las uñas.
No le pongo las cinco estrellas porque cada vez soy más exigente con esa valoración y, a pesar que esta novela estuvo a punto, algunas cosillas, a mi gusto, no quedaron suficientemente atadas.
Absolutamente recomendable, tanto para los que les gusta el género como para los que no. Es imposible quedar indiferente frente a esta lectura.
No le pongo las cinco estrellas porque cada vez soy más exigente con esa valoración y, a pesar que esta novela estuvo a punto, algunas cosillas, a mi gusto, no quedaron suficientemente atadas.
Absolutamente recomendable, tanto para los que les gusta el género como para los que no. Es imposible quedar indiferente frente a esta lectura.
April 27, 2025
Un thriller psicológico en toda regla, de los que me gustan. Trama enrevesada y ritmo frenético.
Ted McKay es un empresario de éxito, casado y con dos hijas maravillosas. Ted no es capaz de procesar como ha entrado en esa espiral, de la que no sabe cómo salir. Su mente es un batiburrillo de recuerdos, algunos nuevos e inexplicables y otros antiguos que le cuesta recuperar.
No se puede contar mucho más, sin hacer spoiler.
Me ha encantado. Una trama muy bien planteada y con un desenlace sorprendente y coherente. El personaje de Ted, fascinante.
Ted McKay es un empresario de éxito, casado y con dos hijas maravillosas. Ted no es capaz de procesar como ha entrado en esa espiral, de la que no sabe cómo salir. Su mente es un batiburrillo de recuerdos, algunos nuevos e inexplicables y otros antiguos que le cuesta recuperar.
No se puede contar mucho más, sin hacer spoiler.
Me ha encantado. Una trama muy bien planteada y con un desenlace sorprendente y coherente. El personaje de Ted, fascinante.
October 20, 2016
Ted McKay has a terminal brain tumor. While his wife and children are visiting her family out of state, he decides it is time to end his life. Putting a gun to his head, he prepares to pull the trigger.
But the doorbell ringing interrupts him. A stranger offers his a deal ... if he will shoot a criminal who walked away from justice before he dies, and also kill another man like himself ... terminally ill and waiting to die, the next man on the list will take Ted's life. It would be so much easier for his family if he dies of a random killing rather than committing suicide.
But is this really what happened? Did he actually murder two men? Why does he keep reliving certain moments of his life over and over again?
This was like riding a roller coaster ride in the dark. It's such a well-written book ... the reader doesn't quite know what to believe. It's a look at a terrified man .. what he will and won't do. Is the brain tumor causing hallucinations? Does he even have a brain tumor?
No spoilers here .. but I warn you ... beware of the possum.
Many thanks to the author / Text Publishing / Netgalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
But the doorbell ringing interrupts him. A stranger offers his a deal ... if he will shoot a criminal who walked away from justice before he dies, and also kill another man like himself ... terminally ill and waiting to die, the next man on the list will take Ted's life. It would be so much easier for his family if he dies of a random killing rather than committing suicide.
But is this really what happened? Did he actually murder two men? Why does he keep reliving certain moments of his life over and over again?
This was like riding a roller coaster ride in the dark. It's such a well-written book ... the reader doesn't quite know what to believe. It's a look at a terrified man .. what he will and won't do. Is the brain tumor causing hallucinations? Does he even have a brain tumor?
No spoilers here .. but I warn you ... beware of the possum.
Many thanks to the author / Text Publishing / Netgalley who provided a digital copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
August 12, 2024
(4.5) el mejor thriller psicológico que leí en lo que va del año, una locura total.
November 22, 2016
Kill The Next One is the third novel by Argentinian author, Federico Axat. Successful businessman, husband and father, Ted McKay has a brain tumour. He is sitting in his study with a gun. He’s about to put it to his head when someone persistently knocks on his door. Justin Lynch has a proposition: instead of leaving his family to deal with the stigma of his suicide, he can die by another’s hand.
He must first kill two people who need to die: a murderer (who got off on a technicality) and another prospective suicide; then someone will do the same for him. Perhaps it’s a sign of Ted’s desperation: he finds himself agreeing; he does as he is asked.
Really? This tale seems to be full of holes. Ah, but wait. Read on. It soon becomes apparent that Ted’s narrative is rather unreliable. Is his perspective affected by his brain tumour? Is Lynch for real? Does the second victim actually want to die?
Axat has cleverly crafted a fast-paced psychological thriller that does not go where expected. Nothing and no-one is what they first seem. Each time the reader believes he has solved a puzzle, the story turns. There are so many twists the reader’s head will spin: lawsuits for whiplash injury should be anticipated.
Axat’s novel features a myriad of topics, none of which can be revealed without being a plot-spoiler. Flawlessly translated from Spanish by David Frye, this is a brilliant page-turner.
He must first kill two people who need to die: a murderer (who got off on a technicality) and another prospective suicide; then someone will do the same for him. Perhaps it’s a sign of Ted’s desperation: he finds himself agreeing; he does as he is asked.
Really? This tale seems to be full of holes. Ah, but wait. Read on. It soon becomes apparent that Ted’s narrative is rather unreliable. Is his perspective affected by his brain tumour? Is Lynch for real? Does the second victim actually want to die?
Axat has cleverly crafted a fast-paced psychological thriller that does not go where expected. Nothing and no-one is what they first seem. Each time the reader believes he has solved a puzzle, the story turns. There are so many twists the reader’s head will spin: lawsuits for whiplash injury should be anticipated.
Axat’s novel features a myriad of topics, none of which can be revealed without being a plot-spoiler. Flawlessly translated from Spanish by David Frye, this is a brilliant page-turner.
June 24, 2016
Ted esta a punto de pegarse un tiro cuando unos golpes en la puerta lo interrumpen. Una nota escrita por el mismo que no recuerda haber escrito. Una propuesta, una realidad dudosa, un thriller en toda la extensión de la palabra, que te mantendrá en vilo hasta la última página.
A través de capítulos cortos y con finales inesperados, giros de tuerca y una escritura ágil, Axat logra su cometido y nos regala una novela indispensable en el género que hoy por hoy domina.
A través de capítulos cortos y con finales inesperados, giros de tuerca y una escritura ágil, Axat logra su cometido y nos regala una novela indispensable en el género que hoy por hoy domina.
April 2, 2016
Brutal. Un novelón. Hace tiempo que no leía nada igual. Mi reseña completa en http://entremislibrosyo.blogspot.com....
March 25, 2017
It's been a while since I been so encaptured by a fiction novel as I was with this one . To be honest there were moments when I was like WTF did I just read? ... but the more I read on the more twists I was finding and the more it made me feel unsure as to what the ending would be . I had no idea what the e ding would be until the last 10 pages and for a seasoned reader that is very unexpected. The story is unique and complex , it moves in different levels and it keeps you in edge every page .... highly recommend it to anyone with a love for thrillers and crime novels .
February 6, 2017
Ted McKay had it all, a beautiful wife, two lovely daughters and a high paid job. He has just been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour.
A stranger makes him a proposition. Kill two deserving people before you die. The first target will be a criminal, the second will also have terminal cancer. After Ted has killed his next two targets Ted will become the next persons target.
I loved this book. With its well written and thought out plot and a different style to most. This is another storyline I got hooked into very quickly.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Text Publishing and the author Federico Axat for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
A stranger makes him a proposition. Kill two deserving people before you die. The first target will be a criminal, the second will also have terminal cancer. After Ted has killed his next two targets Ted will become the next persons target.
I loved this book. With its well written and thought out plot and a different style to most. This is another storyline I got hooked into very quickly.
I would like to thank NetGalley, Text Publishing and the author Federico Axat for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 14, 2025
Ted aparenta ser un padre de familia feliz, con una vida metódica y ordenada. El hecho de que esté intentando cabecear una bala en la primera página del libro, nos recuerda que es sabio dudar de las apariencias. Ted lo tiene decidido, pero algo interrumpe su sombría determinación en el último instante: Unos golpes en la puerta, un tipo raro, una nota sorprendente.
Tenemos por delante una novela ingeniosa, pero no del todo honesta (si me permiten el término) en el sentido de que la sorpresa se crea a costa de ir revelando parcial y paulatinamente la información. O sea, no hay cartas sobre la mesa, esto es un juego donde el autor muestra lo que quiere (para eso es el autor) y, tal vez, eso facilite nuestra perplejidad final. En absoluto quiero minimizar las buenas formas del escritor, pero vi que compararon esta historia con Inception o The Fight Club. Si, bueno, ya te vimos.
Mi impresión final es que leí un buen thriller psicológico, con mucho de esto último. Axat construyó un laberinto donde mientras más leés, más irremediablemente perdido estás.
3,5 ⭐
"Abre la puerta. Es tu última salida"
Tenemos por delante una novela ingeniosa, pero no del todo honesta (si me permiten el término) en el sentido de que la sorpresa se crea a costa de ir revelando parcial y paulatinamente la información. O sea, no hay cartas sobre la mesa, esto es un juego donde el autor muestra lo que quiere (para eso es el autor) y, tal vez, eso facilite nuestra perplejidad final. En absoluto quiero minimizar las buenas formas del escritor, pero vi que compararon esta historia con Inception o The Fight Club. Si, bueno, ya te vimos.
Mi impresión final es que leí un buen thriller psicológico, con mucho de esto último. Axat construyó un laberinto donde mientras más leés, más irremediablemente perdido estás.
3,5 ⭐
"Abre la puerta. Es tu última salida"
September 19, 2019
Βαθμολογία: ★★★★
Η «Τελευταία έξοδος» είναι ένα πολύ δυνατό ψυχολογικό θρίλερ, από αυτά που αλλού ξεκινούν και αλλού καταλήγουν, με μπόλικες ανατροπές στην πορεία που σε καθηλώνουν. Οι χαρακτήρες είχαν φυσικά τα ελαττώματά τους, αλλά το συγχωρώ, γιατί ήταν απαραίτητο για το μυστήριο να μη γνωρίζουμε εξ αρχής ποιος είναι αθώος και ποιος ένοχος. Η πλοκή μου φάνηκε πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα και η εξέλιξή της με κάλυψε. Αυτό που βρήκα περιττό είναι ένας Αργεντινός συγγραφέας να γράφει τόσο «αμερικάνικα» και ειδικά να τοποθετεί την πλοκή του στην Αμερική, κάτι που προφανώς έγινε για εμπορικούς λόγους και είχε αποτέλεσμα. Θα προτιμούσα να διαδραματιζόταν στην Αργεντινή.
Η «Τελευταία έξοδος» είναι ένα πολύ δυνατό ψυχολογικό θρίλερ, από αυτά που αλλού ξεκινούν και αλλού καταλήγουν, με μπόλικες ανατροπές στην πορεία που σε καθηλώνουν. Οι χαρακτήρες είχαν φυσικά τα ελαττώματά τους, αλλά το συγχωρώ, γιατί ήταν απαραίτητο για το μυστήριο να μη γνωρίζουμε εξ αρχής ποιος είναι αθώος και ποιος ένοχος. Η πλοκή μου φάνηκε πολύ ενδιαφέρουσα και η εξέλιξή της με κάλυψε. Αυτό που βρήκα περιττό είναι ένας Αργεντινός συγγραφέας να γράφει τόσο «αμερικάνικα» και ειδικά να τοποθετεί την πλοκή του στην Αμερική, κάτι που προφανώς έγινε για εμπορικούς λόγους και είχε αποτέλεσμα. Θα προτιμούσα να διαδραματιζόταν στην Αργεντινή.
Read
July 20, 2017As soon as I turned the last page of this novel I had to question (once again) the publisher's decision to a) change the title and b) come up with a dustjacket blurb that hardly matches what goes in in this book, because when all is said and done, the original Spanish title is much more reflective of the nature of what happens here and the blurb points people in a sort of misleading direction. I'm not surprised that so many readers were frustrated with this book, since they were expecting one thing and got something completely different. I bought this one based on the fact that it's a crime novel from Argentina more than for any other reason since I enjoy translated crime, especially from authors I've never read before.
Let's get back to that blurb, referring to the main character of the story, Ted McKay, who as the novel opens, is on the edge of shooting himself in the head to end it all. He's at home, locked into his own study; his wife Holly is away on vacation with their two daughters, and he's even been thoughtful enough to leave a note telling Holly where he's left the key to the study and not to let the kids in after she opens the door. As he works up the courage to shoot himself, a "barrage of shouts and banging" at the door draw his attention, and he knows that "he'd have no choice but to see what it was all about." He opens it to find a man he doesn't know standing there, but strangely, the man, who gives his name as Justin Lynch, who somehow knows Ted's name. Ted slams the door closed once again, but Lynch is persistent and through the door reveals to Ted that he knows what he's about to do with the gun, and if Ted would open the door, he promises not to try to stop him. After a bit of time, Lynch comes right to the point and (quoting the blurb)
"...makes him a proposition: why not kill two deserving men before dying? The first target is a criminal, and the second is a man with terminal cancer, who, like Ted, wants to die."
The tradeoff for Ted is that
"after executing these kills, Ted will become someone else's next target, like a kind of suicidal daisy chain."
It's an idea that Ted doesn't necessarily dismiss and he even goes as far to work out a plan but, of course, things don't exactly work out as Ted (or we) expected, diverging in a very, very big way. That bit of plot will come back much later, but in a hugely different way that allowed for an "aha" moment by the time I got there. I can't really go into too much detail here because saying pretty much anything would constitute a major spoiler and ruin the reading experience, but the point is that while we actively start with the blurb's premise in mind, it turns out that that's not really the story at all.
Kill the Next One messed with my head for quite a while, because it is one of those stories where things seem to make sense and yet they don't if you are reading carefully; things tend to move and change quickly here making it even more of a head scratcher as time goes on. Even as things start to become a little clearer, it's like being in a gradually-lifting fog where you can sort of make out shapes but you know that your vision is still a bit distorted; it isn't until the very end that everything comes into focus. The enigmatic on the whole appeals to me; the book is like one giant puzzle where pieces are gradually filled in but there is still a lot of space on the table before the full picture emerges.
It's neither a great nor perfect book by any means with character issues that crop up, lengthy, sometimes over-the-top scenes that could have been pared down quite a bit to give the story more punch, and it seems to me that there were still some things that could have been a bit more fleshed out (especially concerning the real story underpinning everything here), but even with its issues, it has a sort of eerieness about it that for me made it a worthwhile, page-flipping, and entertaining read that I had trouble putting down.
My advice to potential readers: don't look at reviews that give away the show because as you move away from the expected into deeper, darker territory, you really don't want to know beforehand what's coming at you -- it will totally ruin things. While I've seen it referred to as a thriller, it really moves into that territory only toward the end; before that though, it's much more in the psychological category, but even that may be saying too much about it.
Let's get back to that blurb, referring to the main character of the story, Ted McKay, who as the novel opens, is on the edge of shooting himself in the head to end it all. He's at home, locked into his own study; his wife Holly is away on vacation with their two daughters, and he's even been thoughtful enough to leave a note telling Holly where he's left the key to the study and not to let the kids in after she opens the door. As he works up the courage to shoot himself, a "barrage of shouts and banging" at the door draw his attention, and he knows that "he'd have no choice but to see what it was all about." He opens it to find a man he doesn't know standing there, but strangely, the man, who gives his name as Justin Lynch, who somehow knows Ted's name. Ted slams the door closed once again, but Lynch is persistent and through the door reveals to Ted that he knows what he's about to do with the gun, and if Ted would open the door, he promises not to try to stop him. After a bit of time, Lynch comes right to the point and (quoting the blurb)
"...makes him a proposition: why not kill two deserving men before dying? The first target is a criminal, and the second is a man with terminal cancer, who, like Ted, wants to die."
The tradeoff for Ted is that
"after executing these kills, Ted will become someone else's next target, like a kind of suicidal daisy chain."
It's an idea that Ted doesn't necessarily dismiss and he even goes as far to work out a plan but, of course, things don't exactly work out as Ted (or we) expected, diverging in a very, very big way. That bit of plot will come back much later, but in a hugely different way that allowed for an "aha" moment by the time I got there. I can't really go into too much detail here because saying pretty much anything would constitute a major spoiler and ruin the reading experience, but the point is that while we actively start with the blurb's premise in mind, it turns out that that's not really the story at all.
Kill the Next One messed with my head for quite a while, because it is one of those stories where things seem to make sense and yet they don't if you are reading carefully; things tend to move and change quickly here making it even more of a head scratcher as time goes on. Even as things start to become a little clearer, it's like being in a gradually-lifting fog where you can sort of make out shapes but you know that your vision is still a bit distorted; it isn't until the very end that everything comes into focus. The enigmatic on the whole appeals to me; the book is like one giant puzzle where pieces are gradually filled in but there is still a lot of space on the table before the full picture emerges.
It's neither a great nor perfect book by any means with character issues that crop up, lengthy, sometimes over-the-top scenes that could have been pared down quite a bit to give the story more punch, and it seems to me that there were still some things that could have been a bit more fleshed out (especially concerning the real story underpinning everything here), but even with its issues, it has a sort of eerieness about it that for me made it a worthwhile, page-flipping, and entertaining read that I had trouble putting down.
My advice to potential readers: don't look at reviews that give away the show because as you move away from the expected into deeper, darker territory, you really don't want to know beforehand what's coming at you -- it will totally ruin things. While I've seen it referred to as a thriller, it really moves into that territory only toward the end; before that though, it's much more in the psychological category, but even that may be saying too much about it.
September 30, 2020
Axat has a wonderful way of drawing you in and enticing you with bits of the plot...
Then he completely rips the rug out from under you and dismantles everything you thought you knew.
I loved this approach!
Kept me eager for more and I adore when a book actually surprises me.
Then he completely rips the rug out from under you and dismantles everything you thought you knew.
I loved this approach!
Kept me eager for more and I adore when a book actually surprises me.
December 13, 2016
When Ted McKay finds out that he has a brain tumor he decides to take matters into his own hands and end things his own way. With meticulous planning Ted comes to the day that he finds himself alone in his study with his wife and children far away so he is determined to end his own life but just as soon as he begins there is a knock at the door.
Answering the door Ted is faced with an offer to join a suicide circle, he must kill one man that is a criminal and another that is in the same situation as Ted. The offer makes sense as it would be easier on his family to think him the victim of a crime but can Ted actually take others lives?
Kill the Next One is one of those books that while it sounded really interesting the story took a turn that just wasn't a direction that I'm a huge fan of reading. Hopefully without giving away too much of a spoiler I'll just say that this would be a thriller that while you think you are reading and following along with the story the events keep being reset on you. I can see some people loving the way this one is written and the idea behind the story but unfortunately I'm just not one that did.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
Answering the door Ted is faced with an offer to join a suicide circle, he must kill one man that is a criminal and another that is in the same situation as Ted. The offer makes sense as it would be easier on his family to think him the victim of a crime but can Ted actually take others lives?
Kill the Next One is one of those books that while it sounded really interesting the story took a turn that just wasn't a direction that I'm a huge fan of reading. Hopefully without giving away too much of a spoiler I'll just say that this would be a thriller that while you think you are reading and following along with the story the events keep being reset on you. I can see some people loving the way this one is written and the idea behind the story but unfortunately I'm just not one that did.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.wordpress....
November 15, 2016
**3.5 stars**
Yes well. Kill the Next One was certainly unexpected. But I liked it. Clever. Ok there are some things in here, especially the last bit, that may discombobulate and upset some (and I don't really feel that bit needed to be in there) but overall I found it to be highly addictive.
A game of two halves really. Or 2 and a bit halves. Or something. Starting off with an offer, then heading into fairly surreal territory where you may clutch your head a bit then settling into a rather fascinating psychological study/thriller/something like that which will have you twisted every which way. Really enjoyed it. I like the more out there stuff and this one was out there.
Written very well to keep you immersed into the story being told, I felt for poor Ted I really did. I mean honestly all the poor guy wanted was to kill himself. Then his whole world tilted sideways. Kill the Next One is the tale of why, when, how and where. And many other things.
Difficult to say too much. Its one of those books that you can't really describe that well because it has its own vibe and thing going on. Hence my enjoyment I think.
Recommended
Yes well. Kill the Next One was certainly unexpected. But I liked it. Clever. Ok there are some things in here, especially the last bit, that may discombobulate and upset some (and I don't really feel that bit needed to be in there) but overall I found it to be highly addictive.
A game of two halves really. Or 2 and a bit halves. Or something. Starting off with an offer, then heading into fairly surreal territory where you may clutch your head a bit then settling into a rather fascinating psychological study/thriller/something like that which will have you twisted every which way. Really enjoyed it. I like the more out there stuff and this one was out there.
Written very well to keep you immersed into the story being told, I felt for poor Ted I really did. I mean honestly all the poor guy wanted was to kill himself. Then his whole world tilted sideways. Kill the Next One is the tale of why, when, how and where. And many other things.
Difficult to say too much. Its one of those books that you can't really describe that well because it has its own vibe and thing going on. Hence my enjoyment I think.
Recommended
May 31, 2020
Ένα ψυχολογικό θρίλερ με πλοκή που χαρακτηρίζεται από αγωνία, ανατροπές και έντονα σκαμπανεβάσματα, το «Τελευταία έξοδος» του Federico Axat υπόσχεται τρελά αναγνωστικά καρδιοχτύπια.
Κεντρικός ήρωας του βιβλίου είναι ο Τεντ Μακέι. Μια μέρα, κι ενώ βρίσκεται στο γραφείο του έτοιμος να αυτοκτονήσει, ακούει ένα ξαφνικό χτύπημα στην πόρτα. Αρχικά αποφασίζει να το αγνοήσει, όμως τότε παρατηρεί ένα σημείωμα ανάμεσα στα χαρτιά του, γραμμένο με τον δικό του γραφικό χαρακτήρα, που γράφει μια περίεργη φράση: «ΑΝΟΙΞΕ ΤΗΝ ΠΟΡΤΑ, ΕΙΝΑΙ Η ΤΕΛΕΥΤΑΙΑ ΣΟΥ ΔΙΕΞΟΔΟΣ.»
Αυτό το σημείωμα θα σηματοδοτήσει έναν κυκεώνα γεγονότων στη ζωή του Τεντ, ανατρέποντας όλα όσα γνώριζε και θεωρούσε δεδομένα μέχρι εκείνη τη στιγμή. Το πρότυπο της τέλειας οικογένειάς του καταρρέει, ενώ έρχονται στο φως σκοτεινές πτυχές μιας πραγματικότητας που θυμίζει εφιάλτη. Ο Τεντ βρίσκεται παγιδευμένος, τόσο σωματικά όσο και πνευματικά, και θα πρέπει να αγωνιστεί με όλες του τις δυνάμεις, προκειμένου να βγει από το ομιχλώδες τούνελ όπου κινείται. Θα πρέπει να παλέψει για να κατανοήσει το ποιος είναι, τις πράξεις του, το πού τον οδήγησαν αυτές, αλλά και για να φτάσει στην τελική κάθαρση και, ίσως, τη σωτηρία του…
Διαβάζοντας κανείς την… ιντριγκαδόρικη περίληψη του βιβλίου, περιμένει να διαβάσει ένα αρκετά συναρπαστικό θρίλερ. Όμως ο Axat έχει δημιουργήσει κάτι πολύ περισσότερο: ένα άρτιο και καλογραμένο μυθιστόρημα που θυμίζει λαβύρινθο, αφού και ο ήρωας, αλλά και οι αναγνώστες περιπλανιούνται στα μονοπάτια της ζωής και στους διαδρόμους του μυαλού του Τεντ, ελπίζοντας να βρουν την έξοδο και να αντικρίσουν επιτέλους τη λύση του αινίγματος. Μόνο που, κάθε φορά, ενώ πιστεύουν πως έχουν βρουν την αλήθεια, γίνεται κάτι και η θεωρία τους ανατρέπεται εντελώς· και ξεκινούν πάλι από την αρχή!
Ο πυρήνας του βιβλίου οπωσδήποτε είναι το μυστήριο, με πολλά αναπάντητα ερωτήματα να ψάχνουν απάντηση: τι σημαίνει το σημείωμα που φέρεται να έγραψε ο Τεντ; Τι συνέβη τελικά; Ποια απ’ όλες τις εκδοχές είναι η σωστή; Ο Τεντ είναι θύτης ή θύμα; Ποια θα είναι η κατάληξη αυτού του παράξενου γρίφου; Ο συγγραφέας χρησιμοποιεί με αριστοτεχνικό τρόπο την τεχνική της αβεβαιότητας και ουσιαστικά παίζει μαζί μας, παρασύροντάς μας σε μια ‘τρελή’ πορεία γεμάτη αποκαλύψεις και ανατροπές, δεδομένα που αλλάζουν με ταχύτητα αστραπής, αναπάντητα ερωτήματα, ψυχολογικές εξάρσεις και ένα κράμα συναισθημάτων που ταράζει τον αναγνώστη και του προσφέρει ταυτόχρονα το επιθυμητό ερέθισμα ταύτισης, μέχρι να νιώσει πως ο Τεντ είναι δικός του άνθρωπος, μέχρι να ενδιαφερθεί μανιωδώς για την ιστορία του, μέχρι να μάθει την αλήθεια που κρύβεται πίσω από παραπετάσματα θεωριών.
Ο Τεντ είναι ένας χαρακτήρας περίπλοκος, ο οποίος σε όλη τη διάρκεια του βιβλίου εξελίσσεται και αποκαλύπτεται συνεχώς. Συνεπώς, αποδεικνύεται εξαιρετικά δύσκολο να σχηματίσει ο αναγνώστης άποψη γι’ αυτόν· θα πρέπει να φτάσει έως και την τελευταία σελίδα προκειμένου να αποφανθεί για τον χαρακτήρα και τις πράξεις του. Προσωπικά, μου άφησε ένα αίσθημα συμπάθειας και συμπόνιας. Το τέλος της ιστορίας του είναι γλυκόπικρο και ρεαλιστικό συνάμα, αφήνει μια γεύση νοσταλγίας, οπωσδήποτε όμως θα προτιμούσα κάτι διαφορετικό, κάτι καλύτερο για εκείνον. Είναι πάντως, αναμφίβολα, ένας από εκείνους τους λογοτεχνικούς ήρωες που μένουν εντυπωμένοι βαθιά μέσα σου, που κάποιες στιγμές πιάνεις τον εαυτό σου να τους αναπολεί και που πάντα σκας ένα χαμόγελο, όταν ανοίγεις ξανά το βιβλίο και πέφτεις επάνω τους.
Η «Τελευταία έξοδος» είναι ένα συγκλονιστικό θρίλερ, ένα μυθιστόρημα που ξεχειλίζει από συναισθήματα, ανατροπές και έντονο σασπένς. Κατορθώνει επιτυχώς να δημιουργεί καινούριες οπτικές και δεδομένα, διατηρώντας έναν τόνο μυστήριο και συγχρόνως δραματικό, χωρίς να ξεφεύγει από τις ισορροπίες του και να ρέπει προς την υπερβολή, ενώ ταυτόχρονα παρασέρνει τον αναγνώστη και κατακτά τους λάτρεις –και μη– του είδους.
Κεντρικός ήρωας του βιβλίου είναι ο Τεντ Μακέι. Μια μέρα, κι ενώ βρίσκεται στο γραφείο του έτοιμος να αυτοκτονήσει, ακούει ένα ξαφνικό χτύπημα στην πόρτα. Αρχικά αποφασίζει να το αγνοήσει, όμως τότε παρατηρεί ένα σημείωμα ανάμεσα στα χαρτιά του, γραμμένο με τον δικό του γραφικό χαρακτήρα, που γράφει μια περίεργη φράση: «ΑΝΟΙΞΕ ΤΗΝ ΠΟΡΤΑ, ΕΙΝΑΙ Η ΤΕΛΕΥΤΑΙΑ ΣΟΥ ΔΙΕΞΟΔΟΣ.»
Αυτό το σημείωμα θα σηματοδοτήσει έναν κυκεώνα γεγονότων στη ζωή του Τεντ, ανατρέποντας όλα όσα γνώριζε και θεωρούσε δεδομένα μέχρι εκείνη τη στιγμή. Το πρότυπο της τέλειας οικογένειάς του καταρρέει, ενώ έρχονται στο φως σκοτεινές πτυχές μιας πραγματικότητας που θυμίζει εφιάλτη. Ο Τεντ βρίσκεται παγιδευμένος, τόσο σωματικά όσο και πνευματικά, και θα πρέπει να αγωνιστεί με όλες του τις δυνάμεις, προκειμένου να βγει από το ομιχλώδες τούνελ όπου κινείται. Θα πρέπει να παλέψει για να κατανοήσει το ποιος είναι, τις πράξεις του, το πού τον οδήγησαν αυτές, αλλά και για να φτάσει στην τελική κάθαρση και, ίσως, τη σωτηρία του…
Διαβάζοντας κανείς την… ιντριγκαδόρικη περίληψη του βιβλίου, περιμένει να διαβάσει ένα αρκετά συναρπαστικό θρίλερ. Όμως ο Axat έχει δημιουργήσει κάτι πολύ περισσότερο: ένα άρτιο και καλογραμένο μυθιστόρημα που θυμίζει λαβύρινθο, αφού και ο ήρωας, αλλά και οι αναγνώστες περιπλανιούνται στα μονοπάτια της ζωής και στους διαδρόμους του μυαλού του Τεντ, ελπίζοντας να βρουν την έξοδο και να αντικρίσουν επιτέλους τη λύση του αινίγματος. Μόνο που, κάθε φορά, ενώ πιστεύουν πως έχουν βρουν την αλήθεια, γίνεται κάτι και η θεωρία τους ανατρέπεται εντελώς· και ξεκινούν πάλι από την αρχή!
Ο πυρήνας του βιβλίου οπωσδήποτε είναι το μυστήριο, με πολλά αναπάντητα ερωτήματα να ψάχνουν απάντηση: τι σημαίνει το σημείωμα που φέρεται να έγραψε ο Τεντ; Τι συνέβη τελικά; Ποια απ’ όλες τις εκδοχές είναι η σωστή; Ο Τεντ είναι θύτης ή θύμα; Ποια θα είναι η κατάληξη αυτού του παράξενου γρίφου; Ο συγγραφέας χρησιμοποιεί με αριστοτεχνικό τρόπο την τεχνική της αβεβαιότητας και ουσιαστικά παίζει μαζί μας, παρασύροντάς μας σε μια ‘τρελή’ πορεία γεμάτη αποκαλύψεις και ανατροπές, δεδομένα που αλλάζουν με ταχύτητα αστραπής, αναπάντητα ερωτήματα, ψυχολογικές εξάρσεις και ένα κράμα συναισθημάτων που ταράζει τον αναγνώστη και του προσφέρει ταυτόχρονα το επιθυμητό ερέθισμα ταύτισης, μέχρι να νιώσει πως ο Τεντ είναι δικός του άνθρωπος, μέχρι να ενδιαφερθεί μανιωδώς για την ιστορία του, μέχρι να μάθει την αλήθεια που κρύβεται πίσω από παραπετάσματα θεωριών.
Ο Τεντ είναι ένας χαρακτήρας περίπλοκος, ο οποίος σε όλη τη διάρκεια του βιβλίου εξελίσσεται και αποκαλύπτεται συνεχώς. Συνεπώς, αποδεικνύεται εξαιρετικά δύσκολο να σχηματίσει ο αναγνώστης άποψη γι’ αυτόν· θα πρέπει να φτάσει έως και την τελευταία σελίδα προκειμένου να αποφανθεί για τον χαρακτήρα και τις πράξεις του. Προσωπικά, μου άφησε ένα αίσθημα συμπάθειας και συμπόνιας. Το τέλος της ιστορίας του είναι γλυκόπικρο και ρεαλιστικό συνάμα, αφήνει μια γεύση νοσταλγίας, οπωσδήποτε όμως θα προτιμούσα κάτι διαφορετικό, κάτι καλύτερο για εκείνον. Είναι πάντως, αναμφίβολα, ένας από εκείνους τους λογοτεχνικούς ήρωες που μένουν εντυπωμένοι βαθιά μέσα σου, που κάποιες στιγμές πιάνεις τον εαυτό σου να τους αναπολεί και που πάντα σκας ένα χαμόγελο, όταν ανοίγεις ξανά το βιβλίο και πέφτεις επάνω τους.
Η «Τελευταία έξοδος» είναι ένα συγκλονιστικό θρίλερ, ένα μυθιστόρημα που ξεχειλίζει από συναισθήματα, ανατροπές και έντονο σασπένς. Κατορθώνει επιτυχώς να δημιουργεί καινούριες οπτικές και δεδομένα, διατηρώντας έναν τόνο μυστήριο και συγχρόνως δραματικό, χωρίς να ξεφεύγει από τις ισορροπίες του και να ρέπει προς την υπερβολή, ενώ ταυτόχρονα παρασέρνει τον αναγνώστη και κατακτά τους λάτρεις –και μη– του είδους.
Read
October 31, 2016DNF @ 40%
I think this got a little lost in translation because this was all over the place. I had a hard time getting my head around one path of the plot, only for Axat to go and change the direction of the story again! The twists in this weren’t thrilling or shocking, they were a nuisance! The story was hard enough to follow at the best of times, with the unreliable narrator and dream sequences, so to add a bundle of twists in over and over again just got to be tiring to read. I had to put this down eventually, just because it felt like tons of bits had been edited out of this story, but they still decided it publish it with all the missing parts. Very confusing!
The blurb needs to be changed. It leads you to believe this is going to be a kind of emotional thriller novel about a dying man and an unusual proposition from a stranger but it was nothing like that. Minor spoiler here: the events in the blurb happen within the first 15% of this book.
Thanks to Netgalley and Text Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
I think this got a little lost in translation because this was all over the place. I had a hard time getting my head around one path of the plot, only for Axat to go and change the direction of the story again! The twists in this weren’t thrilling or shocking, they were a nuisance! The story was hard enough to follow at the best of times, with the unreliable narrator and dream sequences, so to add a bundle of twists in over and over again just got to be tiring to read. I had to put this down eventually, just because it felt like tons of bits had been edited out of this story, but they still decided it publish it with all the missing parts. Very confusing!
The blurb needs to be changed. It leads you to believe this is going to be a kind of emotional thriller novel about a dying man and an unusual proposition from a stranger but it was nothing like that. Minor spoiler here: the events in the blurb happen within the first 15% of this book.
Thanks to Netgalley and Text Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.
April 16, 2018
A Gem
Books that grab you from the beginning are rare, needed and wanted!
They belong to the kidnappers-book-club!
This one is a member!
Don't miss such a gem !
Books that grab you from the beginning are rare, needed and wanted!
They belong to the kidnappers-book-club!
This one is a member!
Don't miss such a gem !
April 26, 2019
Dugo mi se nije desilo da moram uzeti papirić i pisati nelogičnosti, da se uvjerim da nisam ja ta koja je luda! Svega je tu bilo na početku, te tko ga isfura, kreće bolje. Razumijem i one koji odustanu! :P
Vuče priča, na trenutke sam čitala s nestrpljenjem i nervozom.. Brzo čitajući da vidim što će na kraju biti. Plašila sam se da će se sve to skupa zbrljati i eto mi ga na!
Kada kompleksnu priču završiš u zadnjih 20-ak stranica, bude ofrlje, zbrkano, hladno.. Još da je kraj bio vauuu, to bih i zanemarila. Ovako, solidno, ali barba mora pojesti još puno palente!
Vuče priča, na trenutke sam čitala s nestrpljenjem i nervozom.. Brzo čitajući da vidim što će na kraju biti. Plašila sam se da će se sve to skupa zbrljati i eto mi ga na!
Kada kompleksnu priču završiš u zadnjih 20-ak stranica, bude ofrlje, zbrkano, hladno.. Još da je kraj bio vauuu, to bih i zanemarila. Ovako, solidno, ali barba mora pojesti još puno palente!
June 30, 2017
To Shutter Island για φτωχούς
Γκρεμίζει την καταπληκτική του αρχική ιδέα ήδη από το 1/3 του βιβλίου γιατί καταλαβαίνει όταν δεν μπορεί να την υποστηρίξει. Από εκεί πέρα γίνεται ένας αχταρμάς διαφορετικών Points of Views, καταστρατηγεί βάναυσα τον περίφημο κανόνα "Show, don't tell" με ψυχαναλυτικές αναλύσεις του κώλ��υ, άχρηστα sublots (όπως αυτό του ερωτευμένου ψυχιάτρου), και ένα πισωγύρισμα στο χρόνο για να προσθέσει ένα ακόμη άχρηστο subplot-κλειδί του μυστηρίου στο λαχανιασμένο φινάλε.
Ο φτωχός ο Αργεντίνος τοποθετεί την ιστορία του στην Αμερική γιατί προφανώς και γουστάρει ο καημένος Hollywood. Μέχρι και εμπρηστικό φινάλε έχει (γράφει καλά στο σινεμά) και ένα δήθεν plot-twist για φινάλε που από ότι είδα εδώ κανείς δεν αγάπησε και κανείς δεν κατάλαβε.
Ανακοίνωσις : I am a sucker for plot twists. Το συγκεκριμένο όμως ήταν τόσο γελοίο, άσε που αφορούσε ένα ζωάκι (ένα οπόσουμ !) που τρύπωνε στην ψύχωση του ήρωα συγχέοντας πραγματικότητα και παραίσθηση. Ακούγεται ωραίο ; Όχι στο χαρτί ήταν απίστευτα γελοίο.
Γκρεμίζει την καταπληκτική του αρχική ιδέα ήδη από το 1/3 του βιβλίου γιατί καταλαβαίνει όταν δεν μπορεί να την υποστηρίξει. Από εκεί πέρα γίνεται ένας αχταρμάς διαφορετικών Points of Views, καταστρατηγεί βάναυσα τον περίφημο κανόνα "Show, don't tell" με ψυχαναλυτικές αναλύσεις του κώλ��υ, άχρηστα sublots (όπως αυτό του ερωτευμένου ψυχιάτρου), και ένα πισωγύρισμα στο χρόνο για να προσθέσει ένα ακόμη άχρηστο subplot-κλειδί του μυστηρίου στο λαχανιασμένο φινάλε.
Ο φτωχός ο Αργεντίνος τοποθετεί την ιστορία του στην Αμερική γιατί προφανώς και γουστάρει ο καημένος Hollywood. Μέχρι και εμπρηστικό φινάλε έχει (γράφει καλά στο σινεμά) και ένα δήθεν plot-twist για φινάλε που από ότι είδα εδώ κανείς δεν αγάπησε και κανείς δεν κατάλαβε.
Ανακοίνωσις : I am a sucker for plot twists. Το συγκεκριμένο όμως ήταν τόσο γελοίο, άσε που αφορούσε ένα ζωάκι (ένα οπόσουμ !) που τρύπωνε στην ψύχωση του ήρωα συγχέοντας πραγματικότητα και παραίσθηση. Ακούγεται ωραίο ; Όχι στο χαρτί ήταν απίστευτα γελοίο.
March 27, 2019
4.5
Wow.
This was such an astonishing book. Arguably the best psychological thriller I’ve read so far.
The story starts with our main character, Ted McKay, as he prepares to commit suicide but is interrupted by the door bell. On the other side is a man who offers a way out. The only thing Ted has to do is kill a criminal and a man who wants to die, it’s like an initiation for the organization, and then someone, who also gets a proposition like Ted, will come to end his suffering and spare his family of the shame and greater pain.
One would assume the book is about that suicide organization that Ted’s offered to join, and one would assume wrong. It starts like that but it’s so much, so much more. The story has layer upon layer, and as you think you’ve figured something out you’re proven wrong. There’s only one thing that I suspected that turned out to be correct, and even then it was a bit more entangled than I thought and had connections to things I didn’t even think of.
I can’t really comment on the writing as I read a translation, but also I was so engrossed with the story that I didn’t pay much attention. The first part was slow and I had problems getting into it, I’m glad I pushed through because wow, I loved the way it played out. I liked that the book was split into parts (four of them) and every part showed Ted’s state of mind.
I had minor problems with the chapters talking about the relationship between the doctors in the later parts of the book; I didn’t care how that was going to go and after finishing the book I see there was no real reason it had to be in, it was a stepping stool for some other things.
Wow.
This was such an astonishing book. Arguably the best psychological thriller I’ve read so far.
The story starts with our main character, Ted McKay, as he prepares to commit suicide but is interrupted by the door bell. On the other side is a man who offers a way out. The only thing Ted has to do is kill a criminal and a man who wants to die, it’s like an initiation for the organization, and then someone, who also gets a proposition like Ted, will come to end his suffering and spare his family of the shame and greater pain.
One would assume the book is about that suicide organization that Ted’s offered to join, and one would assume wrong. It starts like that but it’s so much, so much more. The story has layer upon layer, and as you think you’ve figured something out you’re proven wrong. There’s only one thing that I suspected that turned out to be correct, and even then it was a bit more entangled than I thought and had connections to things I didn’t even think of.
I can’t really comment on the writing as I read a translation, but also I was so engrossed with the story that I didn’t pay much attention. The first part was slow and I had problems getting into it, I’m glad I pushed through because wow, I loved the way it played out. I liked that the book was split into parts (four of them) and every part showed Ted’s state of mind.
I had minor problems with the chapters talking about the relationship between the doctors in the later parts of the book; I didn’t care how that was going to go and after finishing the book I see there was no real reason it had to be in, it was a stepping stool for some other things.
January 28, 2018
Bleccch! I vote we kill this one. It's a bad time-memory-insanity writing experiment that somehow escaped the slush pile and not only got published, but garnered much drooling blurb praise. I ended up speed-skimming through the second half, a desperate salvage operation in search of something -- anything -- that might justify all the hoo-hah. But that was just more time wasted on this brick. And now my only satisfaction is to write a brief and biting review. I'll show that bastard author!
Yes, there are murders and constant plot shifts that prevent you from knowing what is going on. But this isn't suspenseful writing -- it's disrespectful to readers. Every plot revelation is countered by "new information" in subsequent chapters. And the new info is then spun or disproven, until several hundred pages in, I not only had no clear idea of what was going on, I had no interest in the characters or the events (real or imagined). Bad author! You broke your solemn compact with your readers, and failed to entertain, enrich or enlighten.
One star granted for the promise of the first few chapters. Four withheld because this stunk on ice.
Yes, there are murders and constant plot shifts that prevent you from knowing what is going on. But this isn't suspenseful writing -- it's disrespectful to readers. Every plot revelation is countered by "new information" in subsequent chapters. And the new info is then spun or disproven, until several hundred pages in, I not only had no clear idea of what was going on, I had no interest in the characters or the events (real or imagined). Bad author! You broke your solemn compact with your readers, and failed to entertain, enrich or enlighten.
One star granted for the promise of the first few chapters. Four withheld because this stunk on ice.
February 7, 2018
Η αλήθεια είναι ότι άργησα πολύ να γράψω κριτική γι' αυτό το βιβλίο, οπότε το αρχικό συναίσθημα μετά το τέλος του σίγουρα έχει χαθεί ή μετριαστεί.
Σίγουρα πάντως μιλάμε για μεγάλη απογοήτευση!!!
Η πλοκή ξεκινάει στο πρώτο μέρος με τη λογική της 'Μέρας της Μαρμότας', σε παίρνει και σε σηκώνει και δεν σε αφήνει να πάρεις ανάσα! Κι εκεί λες, βρήκα την Ιθάκη μου και τρέχεις να συνεχίσεις παρακάτω, να πάρεις λίγη ακόμη από τη δόση σου.
Το δεύτερο μέρος συντηρεί το μύθο του πρώτου, γεμίζοντάς σε με ακόμα περισσότερα αναπάντητα ερωτήματα.
Στο τρίτο μέρος αρχίζουν λίγο τα πράγματα να μπαίνουν σε σειρά, η ιστορία επανατοποθετείται, δίνονται κάποια επιπλέον στοιχεία και συνεχίζεις να αναρωτιέσαι που το πάει ο συγγραφέας. Ωστόσο, αρχίζεις να διαπιστώνεις ότι κάπου ο συγγραφέας χάνει τον έλεγχο της ιστορίας του.
Το τέταρτο μέρος είναι η απόλυτη Βαβέλ! Καταρχάς είναι πολύ μεγαλύτερο σε έκταση από τα προηγούμενα. Επίσης, περιλαμβάνει μια ιστορική αναδρομή που στο μεγαλύτερο μέρος της περιέχει αχρείαστες λεπτομέρειες και σκοπό μάλλον έχει να παραπλανήσει τον αναγνώστη, ωστόσο πετυχαίνει να τον αποσυντονίσει. Παράλληλα, από ένα σημείο και μετά υπάρχει και η παρουσίαση του παρόντος και η σταδιακή λύση του μυστηρίου, η οποία είναι πειστική αλλά κάπου έχει αρχίσει να ατονίζει πλέον το ενδιαφέρον του αναγνώστη.
Δεν ξέρω αν το εκφράζω σωστά, αλλά είναι από τα βιβλία που το τελειώνεις και νιώθεις ότι κάτι σου λείπει, ότι κάτι δεν σου κολλάει. Εμένα πάντως μου έμειναν πολλά αναπάντητα ερωτήματα με κυριότερο το ρόλο που παίζει τελικά αυτό το 'οποσουμ'!!! (7/10)
Σίγουρα πάντως μιλάμε για μεγάλη απογοήτευση!!!
Η πλοκή ξεκινάει στο πρώτο μέρος με τη λογική της 'Μέρας της Μαρμότας', σε παίρνει και σε σηκώνει και δεν σε αφήνει να πάρεις ανάσα! Κι εκεί λες, βρήκα την Ιθάκη μου και τρέχεις να συνεχίσεις παρακάτω, να πάρεις λίγη ακόμη από τη δόση σου.
Το δεύτερο μέρος συντηρεί το μύθο του πρώτου, γεμίζοντάς σε με ακόμα περισσότερα αναπάντητα ερωτήματα.
Στο τρίτο μέρος αρχίζουν λίγο τα πράγματα να μπαίνουν σε σειρά, η ιστορία επανατοποθετείται, δίνονται κάποια επιπλέον στοιχεία και συνεχίζεις να αναρωτιέσαι που το πάει ο συγγραφέας. Ωστόσο, αρχίζεις να διαπιστώνεις ότι κάπου ο συγγραφέας χάνει τον έλεγχο της ιστορίας του.
Το τέταρτο μέρος είναι η απόλυτη Βαβέλ! Καταρχάς είναι πολύ μεγαλύτερο σε έκταση από τα προηγούμενα. Επίσης, περιλαμβάνει μια ιστορική αναδρομή που στο μεγαλύτερο μέρος της περιέχει αχρείαστες λεπτομέρειες και σκοπό μάλλον έχει να παραπλανήσει τον αναγνώστη, ωστόσο πετυχαίνει να τον αποσυντονίσει. Παράλληλα, από ένα σημείο και μετά υπάρχει και η παρουσίαση του παρόντος και η σταδιακή λύση του μυστηρίου, η οποία είναι πειστική αλλά κάπου έχει αρχίσει να ατονίζει πλέον το ενδιαφέρον του αναγνώστη.
Δεν ξέρω αν το εκφράζω σωστά, αλλά είναι από τα βιβλία που το τελειώνεις και νιώθεις ότι κάτι σου λείπει, ότι κάτι δεν σου κολλάει. Εμένα πάντως μου έμειναν πολλά αναπάντητα ερωτήματα με κυριότερο το ρόλο που παίζει τελικά αυτό το 'οποσουμ'!!! (7/10)
April 29, 2017
Το ξεκίνησα χθες το βράδυ και μόλις το τελείωσα.Αυτό δεν ήταν βιβλίο,roller coaster ήτανε!Αλλιώς ξεκινάει ,σε ανεβάζει,σε κατεβάζει,αλλού στρίβει ,αλλού πας ,ζαλίζεσαι αλλά συνεχίζεις.Θες να δεις που θα καταλήξει,κάνεις υποθέσεις και καθε φορά που νομίζεις οτι ξέρεις τι συμβαίνει ο συγγραφέας σου κλείνει πονηρά και ελαφρώς ειρωνικά το μάτι και σου λέει "αμ δε!".Τι είναι αλήθεια ,τι είναι ψέμα,τι είναι όνειρο και τι πραγματικότητα τελοσπάντων;
Διασκεδαστικό,αγωνιώδες,γρήγορο,ανατρεπτικό,ωραία γραφή αλλά τα έχει τα ελαττωματάκια του:χαρακτήρες χωρίς ιδιαίτερο βάθος,αφήνει κάποια πράγματα να αιωρούνται στο τέλος,η πλοκή έχει τις τρυπούλες της και αν το διάβαζα πιο ήρεμα ίσως να μου ξίνιζαν κι άλλα αλλά γιατί να το κάνω;Α,έχει και μια σκηνη με τον βασανισμό μιας γάτας (why?) την οποία πήδηξα και θα προτιμούσα να έλειπε.Κατα τ'άλλα δεν έχει ιδιαιτερα σκληρες κι ανατριχιαστικές σκηνές,περισσότερο στηριζεται στο μυστήριο και στην περιέργεια που σου προκαλεί η όλη κατάσταση.Θες οπωσδήποτε να μάθεις τι συμβαίνει!Το προτείνω για μια δόση αδρεναλίνης.Kαλοκαιράκι έρχεται,είναι οτι πρέπει για την ξαπλώστρα.
Διασκεδαστικό,αγωνιώδες,γρήγορο,ανατρεπτικό,ωραία γραφή αλλά τα έχει τα ελαττωματάκια του:χαρακτήρες χωρίς ιδιαίτερο βάθος,αφήνει κάποια πράγματα να αιωρούνται στο τέλος,η πλοκή έχει τις τρυπούλες της και αν το διάβαζα πιο ήρεμα ίσως να μου ξίνιζαν κι άλλα αλλά γιατί να το κάνω;Α,έχει και μια σκηνη με τον βασανισμό μιας γάτας (why?) την οποία πήδηξα και θα προτιμούσα να έλειπε.Κατα τ'άλλα δεν έχει ιδιαιτερα σκληρες κι ανατριχιαστικές σκηνές,περισσότερο στηριζεται στο μυστήριο και στην περιέργεια που σου προκαλεί η όλη κατάσταση.Θες οπωσδήποτε να μάθεις τι συμβαίνει!Το προτείνω για μια δόση αδρεναλίνης.Kαλοκαιράκι έρχεται,είναι οτι πρέπει για την ξαπλώστρα.
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