First, I want to talk about the overall vibe. With the disappearance happening early in the First Look, it is sets a tone of mystery and creepiness. The idea that everyone (animals included) just disappears and the protagonist is left all alone resonates with anyone who has felt that loneliness before. But this book contextualizes it by doing flashbacks to the protagonists sessions with a therapist for (what I'm assuming) is depression. That connection between the past and the current situation instantly made this feel allegorical rather than mysterious.
And that's perhaps my biggest issue with the First Look. It feels like the book is already setting itself for a "It was all a delusion" or "the empty world is a metaphor for internal loneliness!" type of reveal. However, the author manages to continually inject a little mystery throughout the first chapters, including the enigmatic messages on the school sign, the reappearing notebook, and references to something happening in the past.
I'm torn between wanting to find out what happens and just setting this aside for others to read. While the premise seems promising, I feel like the big reveal might let me down and I'm not sure I want to invest any more energy into the story.
And that's perhaps my biggest issue with the First Look. It feels like the book is already setting itself for a "It was all a delusion" or "the empty world is a metaphor for internal loneliness!" type of reveal. However, the author manages to continually inject a little mystery throughout the first chapters, including the enigmatic messages on the school sign, the reappearing notebook, and references to something happening in the past.
I'm torn between wanting to find out what happens and just setting this aside for others to read. While the premise seems promising, I feel like the big reveal might let me down and I'm not sure I want to invest any more energy into the story.