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A review by pagesplotsandpints
Don't Tell Me How to Die by Marshall Karp
4.25
Read Completed 2/15/25 | 4.25 stars | Book #16 of 2025
This was a really fun read! Truthfully, I actually did not think I would like it, and in another state of mind, I would have DNFed it for not getting to the "thriller part" sooner, but I was in the proper mood to enjoy the characters as the book was unfolding and wait for the payoff. I only picked this up because of some glowing BookTok reviews, and it's always so hit-or-miss. I'm really happy that I enjoyed this one, and the audiobook narration by January LaVoy also helped for sure.
While it ends like a thriller, I'd struggle to recommend it as such on a broad scale. That would probably be the best place to put it, but all of the twists, reveals, and thrilling moments are all at the end. The story is one long tale to the unraveled, but you have to want it to get it. It's also a very, very character-driven thriller which requires you to be heavily invested in these characters because the plot is much slower, working up to a deliberate and shocking reveal. It's hard when I see people hype it up to be absolutely nuts because then I have *expectations* of it being the best and usually I'm let down, so while this still wasn't a 5 star book for me, I absolutely enjoyed the whole ride! There were also parts in the end that really required me to suspend a little disbelief that I couldn't quite let go of. There was one big jump that I just didn't *quite* accept. If I did, it maybe would have been 4.5 stars, but I just didn't quite accept the BIG twist of it all.
I really appreciate the author's ability to write interesting characters. If I hadn't liked them, I would have easily been bored and anxious waiting for "things to get good", but I actually wanted to know what happened to them, and there were very small bits woven in plot-wise to keep my attention. I really liked the relationships here, especially seeing relationships change, evolve, and grow over time as the characters grow. I thought it was an excellent insight to show how some relationships change and grow, and some just always stay the same no matter how old you get or how much you change. Truly, without me having a personal investment in the characters, this would have been a boring book, by my usual preferences, so that made a big difference for me!
When everything finally started to come out in the end, there were punches left and right that I just didn't see coming. I kept wondering what exactly would be the surprise because I just couldn't figure it out. I really appreciated how everything happened in the end! This will definitely be a book that sticks with me. I can't say it'll be a favorite -- and maybe it will as time passes and I keep thinking about it -- but I'm definitely glad I read it. It was a nice change of pace from some of the popcorn thrillers (which I have zero issues with. Those are fun and twisty in their own ways!) and I'm having fun this year reading things that are just a little bit different.
This was a really fun read! Truthfully, I actually did not think I would like it, and in another state of mind, I would have DNFed it for not getting to the "thriller part" sooner, but I was in the proper mood to enjoy the characters as the book was unfolding and wait for the payoff. I only picked this up because of some glowing BookTok reviews, and it's always so hit-or-miss. I'm really happy that I enjoyed this one, and the audiobook narration by January LaVoy also helped for sure.
While it ends like a thriller, I'd struggle to recommend it as such on a broad scale. That would probably be the best place to put it, but all of the twists, reveals, and thrilling moments are all at the end. The story is one long tale to the unraveled, but you have to want it to get it. It's also a very, very character-driven thriller which requires you to be heavily invested in these characters because the plot is much slower, working up to a deliberate and shocking reveal. It's hard when I see people hype it up to be absolutely nuts because then I have *expectations* of it being the best and usually I'm let down, so while this still wasn't a 5 star book for me, I absolutely enjoyed the whole ride! There were also parts in the end that really required me to suspend a little disbelief that I couldn't quite let go of. There was one big jump that I just didn't *quite* accept. If I did, it maybe would have been 4.5 stars, but I just didn't quite accept the BIG twist of it all.
I really appreciate the author's ability to write interesting characters. If I hadn't liked them, I would have easily been bored and anxious waiting for "things to get good", but I actually wanted to know what happened to them, and there were very small bits woven in plot-wise to keep my attention. I really liked the relationships here, especially seeing relationships change, evolve, and grow over time as the characters grow. I thought it was an excellent insight to show how some relationships change and grow, and some just always stay the same no matter how old you get or how much you change. Truly, without me having a personal investment in the characters, this would have been a boring book, by my usual preferences, so that made a big difference for me!
When everything finally started to come out in the end, there were punches left and right that I just didn't see coming. I kept wondering what exactly would be the surprise because I just couldn't figure it out. I really appreciated how everything happened in the end! This will definitely be a book that sticks with me. I can't say it'll be a favorite -- and maybe it will as time passes and I keep thinking about it -- but I'm definitely glad I read it. It was a nice change of pace from some of the popcorn thrillers (which I have zero issues with. Those are fun and twisty in their own ways!) and I'm having fun this year reading things that are just a little bit different.