Bibliographic Information:
Title: Our Last Echoes
Author: Kate Alice Marshall
ISBN: 978-0593113646
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Publishing Date: 2021
Genre/Format of the Item: Book
Horror
Thriller
Awards:
none
Reading Level/Interest Level:
Grades 9-12 (NoveList)
Plot Summary: Sophia Novak has lived her life in the shadows of events that happened when she was three years old. The story of her mom’s death was told to her by her foster parents and her social worker, but Sophia feels as though she is missing the truth about her past. When Sophia is 18 years old, she travels to Bitter Rock, Alaska to explore the island where mysterious disappearances have been recorded. There she meets Liam Kapoor and Abby Ryder and the employees of LARC (Landon Avion Research Center). Abby has also traveled to Bitter Rock looking for answers about her sister’s death and Liam is the son of Dr. Kapoor, one of the chief scientists at LARC. Slowly, Sophia, Liam, and Abby begin to uncover the truth about what lies in the mist and what really happened so many years ago. Sophia begins to recover more information about her past and who the strange ghost-like people that live on the island and come out in the mist. It becomes the fight for their lives as they try to close the gateway to the seven worlds and the evil that has been released when supernatural forces created that opening.
Author Background: Kate Alice Marshall lives outside of Seattle with her husband and two children. She is the author of multiple young adult, middle grade, and short fiction books. Marshall’s books all fall under the horror/thriller genre (Marshall, n.d.).
Critical Evaluations: I really liked that the text of the story was broken up with transcriptions from videos and emails. I think that this added a lot to the story and allowed the author to give a little bit of extra information outside of the story that was taking place in the main text. I think that teenagers will appreciate this addition. I also think that teenagers who like horror books will appreciate this premise. The ending seems to indicate that there could be a sequel, which is nice if you like book series. I thought that the echoes of the main characters were a little confusing at times, but overall, it was a creative story line that kept my attention the entire book.
Creative Use for a Library Program: This would be a good book to highlight during the month of October. A teen program could include a creative writing series focusing on horror books. The teen librarian could have multiple copies of this book available during the month of October, along with other horror books that involve supernatural forces. The program would include meeting one evening and learning about creative writing techniques, specifically related to horror books. There could be snacks and creepy music playing in the background to make it more interesting.
Speedround/Book Trailer: When Sophie travels back to Bitter Rock, she receives one piece of advice- Do Not Go Out into the Mist!! Sophie is willing to risk it all to find the answer to her mother’s disappearance. Follow Sophie on her journey into the mist and into another world in The Last Echoes!
Potential Challenge Issues/Defense Preparations: This book might be challenged for the issues of violence and child abandonment and abuse that are found in the book. I would argue that this book is necessary for the library’s collection because it fills a need for horror/thriller fiction that teens seem to really enjoy. I think that the violent scenes are not graphic enough to remove this book from the collection.
Reason for Inclusion: I wanted to have a few books in the horror/thriller genres and this fit the bill for both! Kate Alice Marshall is well known for her creepy YA books and she is generally well-liked among teenagers. The format of the book is interesting, as it includes video transcription, emails, and interviews intermingled throughout the book. I think that teens will like this book.
References:
Marshall, K. A. (n.d.). About. KateMarshallBooks. http://katemarshallbooks.com/about/
Mooresville Public Library. (2021, May 25). Our Last Echoes, by Kate Alice Marshall (MPL Book Trailer 684) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4a_DkMe_pY
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