Review of Just Die

[Anaïs Quesson]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Just Die" by E Alan Fleischauer.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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“Now, it’s okay to be annoyed, but instead of showing your irritation, just point discreetly at the person and say the words, ‘Just die.’”

Imagine waking up with the ability to kill any living being with nothing more than a couple of words.

During a dinner with his friends and fiancée, as he’s celebrating the recent sale of his business, Jake Silver suddenly has a stroke. When he wakes up in the hospital, he recovers extraordinarily quickly. Thanks to a new experimental treatment, Jake immediately talks and behaves normally. He's ready to leave the hospital within forty-eight hours.
The day before his discharge, another patient is brought to share his room. The poor man also suffered from a stroke but is less fortunate than Jake. He keeps muttering in gibberish, moaning and coughing. In the middle of the night, this annoying roommate is still keeping Jake up. There is no way for him to change rooms. Remembering what his mother taught him when he was only a teenager, he points at the man and whispers two words under his breath: ‘Just die.’ Before Jake can even react, the monitors go flat as his roommate dies on the spot.
His new abilities are soon confirmed by the sudden death of a cyclist right by his house. Jake now has the power to kill any animal and human being he lays his eyes on. What will become of him when the police start investigating what seems like an unfortunate bike accident? How will Jake and his relatives use his newfound powers? What would happen if the government heard of the story? Read Just Die, by E. Alan Fleischauer, to find out.

I have mixed feelings about this book.

Let's start with the plot.
Jake’s power over the living is what made me read this book in the first place. I wondered whether he would use his abilities for good or end up going berserk. After all, how do you deal with such power? The initial idea has so much potential. It could have been an amazing book but it was poorly executed.
I disliked how Jake's actions seemed to have no consequences. He kills people, including high-graded officers, in the blink of an eye. However, he’s never held accountable. Why? Because he's an American patriot who serves his country and gets rid of ‘bad guys’. Every incident is resolved in a disappointingly happy way. I was hoping for a more nuanced storyline.
The book is very short, and some parts could have been more detailed. For example, the medical aspects could have been thoroughly explained. How did Jake’s treatment cause such powers? How are his abilities tested by TJ’s team?

The characters’ backstories are explored through multiple flashbacks, such as Jake’s childhood memories or Omar’s past as an NFL player. I enjoyed the depth it brings to the characters. It makes them slightly more realistic and often explains the way they act in the present time.
Yet, there are so many things I can’t fathom. Why would Jake’s mother wish that people die rather than flipping them off? It seems so extreme to me. And why on Earth would Jake walk around and tell total strangers about his power? The whole book is based on such decisions that make no sense to me.

When it comes to writing style, Fleischauer’s writing is unadorned and straightforward. It is consistent and fits this genre perfectly. Be aware that this book includes a few profanities and racial slurs, as well as various sensitive topics.
The author based his story on precise locations in the United States. I enjoyed looking up the places on the Internet to picture them better.
However, there are many things I disliked about the way this book is written. The dialogue is dull and lifeless. Several of the interactions between characters made me roll my eyes because of how unrealistic they sounded. The story could also benefit from a better organization. The chapters are divided into multiple parts and various points of view. Some chapters include almost ten of these. It sped up the pace of the story too much. Jumping from one character to another prevented me from building feelings for any of them.
Surely, this book is well-written and feels like watching a movie. I just did not care much about what was happening.

I end up giving Just Die a conflicted rating of 3 out of 5 stars (40%).
I can’t deny the fact that this book is very well written, with a diverse cast of characters and an interesting starting point. However, I was not emotionally invested and I found many incoherences in the storytelling. Every negative I mentioned above causes me to significantly lower my rating.
I still think this is a good book, it was just not the right fit for me. If you usually like fast-paced thrillers and enjoy a sparkle of supernatural abilities, I recommend you to read Just Die and see for yourselves.

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Just Die
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[Gerry Steen]

Based on this comprehensive and detailed review, I will not be reading this book. The main character has powers that are too dark. I cannot see myself feeling good while I read this story. Thank you for sharing your observations and giving your honest opinions.

[Priya Murugesan]

A very very honest and spot on review. My feelings about this book are also nearly same as yours. I too felt the same mixed feeling.

[Mari Thompson]

Wow, excellent review. You explain the storyline and negatives about the book very well. This sounds like a book I would enjoy if it weren’t for the incoherences in the storytelling. Thanks for sharing.

[Anaïs Quesson]

Based on this comprehensive and detailed review, I will not be reading this book. The main character has powers that are too dark. I cannot see myself feeling good while I read this story. Thank you for sharing your observations and giving your honest opinions.

Thank you for your comment, Gerry. Indeed, the characters don't take these powers seriously and almost play around with them. I'm glad to save you some unease then if you're not comfortable with this aspect of the story!

[Anaïs Quesson]

A very very honest and spot on review. My feelings about this book are also nearly same as yours. I too felt the same mixed feeling.

Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment, Priya!

[Anaïs Quesson]

Wow, excellent review. You explain the storyline and negatives about the book very well. This sounds like a book I would enjoy if it weren’t for the incoherences in the storytelling. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you a lot, Mari.

[Terry Kimble]

At the start, the book sounded intriguing. But as you revealed more detail, I can see how you might get mixed feelings about the story if it never fully engaged you. Everyone loves to entertain waking up with some new 'superpower', so perhaps the book has potential. I doubt I will read it as it stands, though, for the reasons you mention--jumping around too much and dull dialogue. Thank you for this excellent review, Anais!

[Jennifer Coxon]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Just Die" by E Alan Fleischauer.]
I have mixed feelings about this book.

Let's start with the plot.
Jake’s power over the living is what made me read this book in the first place. I wondered whether he would use his abilities for good or end up going berserk. After all, how do you deal with such power? The initial idea has so much potential. It could have been an amazing book but it was poorly executed.
I disliked how Jake's actions seemed to have no consequences. He kills people, including high-graded officers, in the blink of an eye. However, he’s never held accountable. Why? Because he's an American patriot who serves his country and gets rid of ‘bad guys’. Every incident is resolved in a disappointingly happy way. I was hoping for a more nuanced storyline.
The book is very short, and some parts could have been more detailed. For example, the medical aspects could have been thoroughly explained. How did Jake’s treatment cause such powers? How are his abilities tested by TJ’s team?

The characters’ backstories are explored through multiple flashbacks, such as Jake’s childhood memories or Omar’s past as an NFL player. I enjoyed the depth it brings to the characters. It makes them slightly more realistic and often explains the way they act in the present time.
Yet, there are so many things I can’t fathom. Why would Jake’s mother wish that people die rather than flipping them off? It seems so extreme to me. And why on Earth would Jake walk around and tell total strangers about his power? The whole book is based on such decisions that make no sense to me.

Great review. I appreciate you questioning the decisions of why this book would even be. I think when I read it, I wasn't in such a critical frame of mind, and the simplicity of the writing carried me through the story pleasantly. I do agree with your points on reflection.

[Anaïs Quesson]

At the start, the book sounded intriguing. But as you revealed more detail, I can see how you might get mixed feelings about the story if it never fully engaged you. Everyone loves to entertain waking up with some new 'superpower', so perhaps the book has potential. I doubt I will read it as it stands, though, for the reasons you mention--jumping around too much and dull dialogue. Thank you for this excellent review, Anais!

Thank you for your reply, Terry. Indeed, the idea of waking up with a superpower is entertaining. I don't know what I would do with a power like this, though

[Anaïs Quesson]

Great review. I appreciate you questioning the decisions of why this book would even be. I think when I read it, I wasn't in such a critical frame of mind, and the simplicity of the writing carried me through the story pleasantly. I do agree with your points on reflection.

Thank you for your comment, Jennifer. I'm glad you have enjoyed reading this book!

[Dianë Godwill]

When it comes to writing style, Fleischauer’s writing is unadorned and straightforward. It is consistent and fits this genre perfectly.

[Laney K]

This is a book I have seen many mixed reviews on. The premise is so interesting, but it seems the execution is off. Thanks for the informative review!

[Anaïs Quesson]

This is a book I have seen many mixed reviews on. The premise is so interesting, but it seems the execution is off. Thanks for the informative review!

Thanks for your kind comment, Laney. I appreciate it

[Renee S]

The story idea sounds intriguing, but I'm a bit concerned about its execution, as you pointed out. I might give it a read to see for myself. Thanks for sharing your candid review.