Tuesday, July 26, 2022

The Last Good Halloween by Giano Cromley

The Last Good Halloween is a New Adult realistic fiction story set in the 1980s. This book was set to me by the author. Kirby Russo returns from summer camp to find his stepfather missing and his mother having already moved on with one of their neighbors. Angry and conflicted with his missing father figure and all the new changes in his life, he makes some impulsive decisions that include deciding to steal the car of his friend's parents and running away to find his stepfather. 

The Last Good Halloween feels like a classic written in the 1980s and not one written about the 1980s in 2013. I was impressed with how realistic the setting felt. The publisher compared Kirby to Holden Caulfield in her email to me, and I can imagine an essay prompt now to compare and contrast the two characters. I also enjoyed the literary references to Hamlet. 

When I was reading The Last Good Halloween, I couldn't stop thinking about the song "Welcome to the Black Parade" by My Chemical Romance, as Kirby's situation seems to mirror the song in some ways. The same fears that follow the son in the song are similar to Kirby's, with the missing of his father figure, the fear of loss, his fixation on what others think of him/how he would be remembered, and his confliction over religion. I also appreciated the diversity of the characters, and I particularly was fond of Izzy's story. I'm excited to see the continuation of her story. A prequel from her perspective would also be nice. The strength of a novel is often heavily identified by how relatable and likable the protagonist is. I wouldn't say Kirby is easily likable with his attitude, but he is very relatable. 

I highly recommend this book and am excited to read the sequel, The Prince of Infinite Space, that will be released on August 2nd!

Title: The Last Good Halloween
Author: Giano Cromley
Publisher: Tortoise Books
Pages: 240
Series: Yes, Book 1 of 2
Rating: 5 Stars
Goodreads

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