The Last Immortal by Natalie Gibson | Book Review
A Masterful Blend of History, Horror, and Humanity: The Last Immortal Earns 5 Out of 5 Stars
It is precisely at this juncture—where history, horror, and humanity blend to perfection—
The Last Immortal" is a sweeping historical epic Gothic horror tale of powerful exploration into what it means to be human by Natalie Gibson. Join Ramillia on a very deep dive in a Victorian asylum and sinister aristocracy, caged in an endless cycle of violence and immortality, as retold in the story of a woman.
A Charismatic, Unreliable Heroine: Ramillia isn’t much of a heroine compared to those one might have ever seen. She stands as one of those gray heroines shadowed by memory gaps in her mind and haunted by a past stricken with violence, wrestling with monstrous abilities, dealing with immortality. Gibson deftly weaves in first person from Ramillia right into the last moments, so the reader never knows whether to doubt her memories or her intentions—actually, a very interesting story of unreliability.
A chilling setting steeped in history: The Victorian asylum, Blackwood Manor, done to death in all its opulence, itself becomes a character. Perfectly underscoring the black undercurrents of a narrative, atmosphere steeped in details of history has fans of Gothic horror drawn to it.
The plot keeps one on tenterhooks with all the turns that no one foresaw. The pacing, in fact, is really spot-on for this story, knowing when to balance all that action with beats of introspection. Mystery swirls a great deal around Ramillia’s past and the secrets the Blackwood family holds within itself.
Through “The Last Immortal”, an action plot deepens into an exploration of humanity’s dark side and slides into violence and musings on the nature of good and evil and identity. The thought-provoking and emotionally poignant struggle with immortality and extremities one could possibly go to in search of a connection is explored through Ramillia.
This will greatly appeal to readers of dark fiction, most especially those dealing with dark historical fiction, Gothic horror, or stories with a really high degree of intricacy and morally gray characters. If you enjoy Anne Rice or Sarah J. Maas, “The Last Immortal” will haunt you long after that final page is turned.
A Final Word: “The Last Immortal” is, without a doubt, one of the great novels; its mesmerizing tugs and pulls on the plot, memorable characters, and thematically enriching storyline—all these no less give a well-deserved 5 out of 5 stars to charm, horrify, and finally move you to this unforgettable tale.
