The Last Conversation (Forward Short Story Collection) by Paul Tremblay - Starting September 27th 2019

[GridGirl]

What’s more frightening: Not knowing who you are? Or finding out? A Bram Stoker Award–winning author explores the answer in a chilling story about identity and human consciousness.

Imagine you’ve woken up in an unfamiliar room with no memory of who you are, how you got there, or where you were before. All you have is the disconnected voice of an attentive caretaker. Dr. Kuhn is there to help you—physically, emotionally, and psychologically. She’ll help you remember everything. She’ll make sure you reclaim your lost identity. Now answer one question: Are you sure you want to?

Paul Tremblay’s The Last Conversation is part of Forward, a collection of six stories of the near and far future from out-of-this-world authors. Each piece can be read or listened to in a single thought-provoking sitting.

[Krystal]

(view spoiler)[So far this is interesting. Is she the only human left? Was she rebuilt? What type of accident was she in? I look forward to seeing these answers and hope they give them. (hide spoiler)]

[Krystal]

(view spoiler)[ Hmm, is she a clone? Did Anne take DNA to make a new person because she knew the original would die? (hide spoiler)]

[Krystal]

Ending (view spoiler)[ I'm a tad bit confused. I was right about possible cloning, but did Anne clone her without her permission, all those times? She said none of them said yes, but for there to have been "thems", wouldn't she have had to clone them anyway? (hide spoiler)]

[GridGirl]

Urgh, of course I started with the wrong one and only realized it 25% into it. I'll read "You have arrived at your destination" next... Sorry :(

25%:
(view spoiler)[So far, I'm intrigued! I wonder why we don't get to know the name of the main character. I'd like to know what happened to him or her and what his/her connection to the doctor. Maybe a (previous) romantic relationship? (hide spoiler)]

[Krystal]

I didn’t know they had to be read in a particular order?

[GridGirl]

No, they don't. Heather and I just agreed to read them in a specific order :)

56%:
(view spoiler)[So, I was right that our main character and Anne were a couple. I have a feeling that our main character is actually not alive anymore and Anne tries to bring him (or her) back through AI. Probably even an artificial body which he trained in his exercises. (hide spoiler)]

[GridGirl]

80%:

(view spoiler)[Okay, so it seems like I was right that this was about some sort of cloning procedure. The body Anne brought into the facility Was probably a new one she'd try to bring to live. Considering her age, she Haß probably tried all her life to bring back her partner from back then in a Version that is immune to the Virus... (hide spoiler)]

[GridGirl]

Finished:

(view spoiler)[I think this was very good. I especially loved, how the ending was the beginning agian. The characters fehlt very real to ne, especually Anne. I could feel her desperation and I could understand her in a way. (hide spoiler)]

[GridGirl]

Krystal wrote: "Ending [spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[As I see it, she has cloned him (or her?) multiple times and hoped for a different outcome regarding the virus and the opinion about cloning. I think Anne was just desperate to have him/her with her and she was not able to let go when he/she finally died. This is why cloning is such a controversial topic. In the end, our main character was not able to do anything against the cloning. And it is not clear, what a clone actually is. Is it a real human? Can we make it one? This novella explores all of these topics within just a few pages which amazes me! (hide spoiler)]

[HeatherH]

I totes read them in a messed up order... Did save Blake Crouch for last as we decided, so starting it next!

60%
(view spoiler)[ I'm really digging this one. I like the mystery feel to it and how slowly we get answers, its fun and yet frustrating being in the dark with the main character as he relearns who he is. He just finally saw Anne in person - curious about the ending. I think you could be right about him being some sort of AI that she's brought back... (hide spoiler)]

[HeatherH]

ending..
(view spoiler)[ of the 5 of these stories I've finished now, this is my favorite. I love the 2nd person narration style, adds a lot to the mysterious quality of the story. I love Anne's desperation and I love how each clone has answered the same way.. really makes you think about cloning and how much of out true self we maintain in that process.. (hide spoiler)]

[Krystal]

Heather wrote: "ending..
[spoilers removed]"

(view spoiler)[ The idea of cloning is definitely an ethical conundrum! (hide spoiler)]

[✨Skye✨]

Oops! posted BR comments for the wrong book if anyone caught that xD

[✨Skye✨]

1/4 (view spoiler)[ A very interesting start! The idea of waking up with no idea who you are is such a scary one. Is he suffering from amnesia? (hide spoiler)]

[✨Skye✨]

2/4 (view spoiler)[ I wonder why he needs to be retaught everything like this. I'm unsure whether to trust Anne, it all seems quite sinister. (hide spoiler)]

[✨Skye✨]

3/4 (view spoiler)[ She must have been a partner of some kind. I just don't understand why noone else seems to be present. (hide spoiler)]

[✨Skye✨]

4/4 (view spoiler)[ I don't see much point in this one. The ending didn't have the kind of bang I wanted, and I don't think his approval of her cloning him was a strong enough incentive for the kind of thing she's doing. (hide spoiler)]