Review of The Last Stop Before Paris

[Obinna Chima Agoms]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Last Stop Before Paris" by M. Atar.]

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3 out of 5 stars

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In The Last Stop Before Paris by M. Atar, Vivienne Byrd, a fifty-five-year-old woman, had worked at Tray-Paq Industries as a packer and shift supervisor for thirty years. Vivienne's childhood was marked by pain, neglect, abuse, and abandonment. She had to grow up fast to care for her brother, Joey. After three decades of working at the Tray-Paq factory, Vivienne seemed to have overstayed her welcome. She was perceived as retarded and possibly on the spectrum because of her consistent aloofness. Vivienne wondered how life seemed to have passed her by. However, she was motivated by her dream of traveling to Paris. For years she had planned the trip, and finally, it would become a reality the following summer. When an unexpected miracle happened, Vivienne would have to choose between her 'miracle' and Paris.

The author had firm control of his narrative, which showed in the expert storytelling. The entire plot of the book was suffused with so much melancholy, and the author was able to capture and communicate this. From the first few pages, readers would be assailed by an aura of gloom and emotions of misery that were quite overwhelming. The sad mood of this story made it a difficult read. The fact that it persisted for the greater part of the book was off-putting.

The characters in The Last Stop Before Paris were also affected by the story's general mood. They also carried that sad aura with them. This was more so with the character Vivienne. Her character gave off strong feelings of forlornness and loneliness, which would consequently arouse feelings of pity in readers. It didn't help that her character was also projected as cowardly, insecure, and unintelligent; honestly, it was hard to read. Readers might be reluctant to admit any connection to her character beyond simply feeling sorry for her, and Vivienne's character was not alone in this. A few other characters carried the same air, like Gary Eckert and Pablo Basara, who worked at the factory with Vivienne. It seemed as though Tray-Paq Industries was a community of trapped individuals with a range of dysfunctional emotions, from anger to feelings of resignation about life. Vivienne's character underwent a slight change that deviated from her initial identity. Sadly, the book ended before we could see how far that could have gone. Still, it brought a much-needed glimmer of hope and light to the story.

The Last Stop Before Paris was not without its lessons. Vivienne's story reflected the negative effects of dysfunctionality and abuse on the minds and lives of children. Also, Vivienne's character inspired sober reflections about life, its purpose, and the need to take charge of it. There wasn't much excitement in this story; it was mostly dreary. However, there were some scenes that, while they appeared pitiful, gave off a twisted form of humor.

Generally, the mood of The Last Stop Before Paris was sad, but it wasn't altogether a terrible read. There were some minor errors observed. This book would be best suited for readers interested in stories about dysfunctional families, as they might be able to connect to the story better. I'd rate this book three out of five stars because its mostly sad mood made it a little challenging to read.

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The Last Stop Before Paris
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[Amy Luman]

I am sorry for Vivienne and the things sh had to endure as a child. Her choices once she grew up were no one’s, but her own. It’s too bad that all of the characters had the same bad attitude.

[chloe lee 4]

It is so sad to hear the main character, Vivienne, has such sad childhood memories.

[AllTooWell]

My heart aches for everything Viviane had to go through. Not only was she abused and had to take care of her brother, but she was also discriminated against and perceived as retarded.

[Nokwanda Khumalo 1]

I feel sorry for Viviane, imagine having to take care of your brother while you also need to be taken care of. And the Abuse she went through

[David Ahenkorah]

Upon all the tough time Viviane had to go through, she never gave up in life. In this life, noo matter the obstacles you come across, you need to fight ahead to overcome it.

[Kemzy5]

I'm sad for Viviane and everything she had to go through. I'm curious to know what miracle she had to choose with her already-planned trip to Paris. Nice review.