I Never Thought a Thriller Could Make Me Cry (Not Quite Dead Yet by Holly Jackson book review)

GENRE: Adult Thriller

LENGTH: 380 pages

PLOT

Jet survives a brutal attack but develops an aneurysm that will kill her in a week. She is determined to solve her own murder before she inevitably dies.

CHARACTERS

The novel primarily follows Jet and Billy. Jet has spent her life drifting, always believing that things will ‘start’ eventually, but never actually motivated. Her attack and the subsequent seven day deadline cause her to regret her wasted time and become determined to finally achieve something – that being solving her own murder.

Jet’s personality can be abrasive. She copes with her situation using dark humor. I don’t think she’ll be everyone’s cup of tea, but throughout the novel I came to care for her like she was a real life friend. I was praying that there would be some miracle at the book’s conclusion and she’d be able to live. I think she’s really humanized by her relationship with Billy.

Billy is Jet’s neighbor and childhood best friend, though they had grown apart. They reconnect after Jet’s attack and he helps her solve her murder. Billy is very obviously in love with Jet, yet he never pressures her to reciprocate those feelings. It’s enough for him to be her friend. He was the sweetest and the definition of a green flag.

Jet’s family includes her mother and father, her brother Luke, sister-in-law (and former friend) Sophia, a nephew, and Reggie, the family dog. She also had a sister named Emily who died prior the events of the novel. Emily’s loss has shaped the way Jet’s mom has treated her and Luke. I’d describe her as domineering, but at the same time I can’t blame her for how she behaves. She’s already lost one child, and the prospect of losing a second is unfathomable. Luke has anger issues, but he does love his sister.

WRITING

The novel is told from Jet’s third person POV. I was drawn to this novel for its unique concept and it was executed well. It most definitely met my expectations. In a typical thriller, the victim is a character who you never really get to know. In contrast, the reader is beside the victim for the entire novel. You become invested in Jet and her mission. I actually cried for Jet while reading this book, and I don’t cry easily when reading books. This is definitely the most emotional thriller I’ve ever read.

I think the novel’s ending is bound to be divisive. My best friend warned me she didn’t like it, but in contrast I thought it perfectly captured the novel’s message.

In my opinion, the novel’s themes/messages are to be authentically yourself and love yourself for who you are, and that if you enjoyed your life then it wasn’t wasted. I feel like a typical thriller’s main goal is to give you shocks and keep you on the edge of your seat, but there’s no underlying lesson. Whereas here, there is. I don’t think either one is superior to the other, but the themes in this book are conveyed effectively. Jet is a little bit younger than me, but our generations are just a few years apart, so I could still really relate to her. I didn’t cry only because I cared for Jet, but also because I really needed to absorb the book’s messaging. Even if you’re not around Jet’s age, I believe there are a lot of readers who will be able to understand her.

Trigger warnings for: physical violence, drowning, guns, loss of a child, poisoning, alcoholism, and fire.

FINAL THOUGHTS

My experiences with Jackson’s books prior to this was reading her popular YA mystery trilogy, A Good Girls Guide to Murder. I really enjoyed the first two books, but I loathed how the trilogy ended. I swore I’d never read another of Jackson’s book. Then I read the synopsis for this one and the concept of a victim solving her own murder felt like such a fresh idea. My best friend also highly rated the book, and I trust her opinion. I am SO happy I decided to give Jackson another chance. This ended up being my favorite book of the year so far. I obviously recommend giving it a read, but make sure you keep a box of tissues next to you when you do!

FINAL Rating: 5⭐️