Kelly Driscoll tracks down monsters for a living, but the job isn’t what it used to be.
Vampire hunters are the new big thing, but Kelly doesn’t swing that way. When a reclusive client hires her to locate a rival angel, Kelly’s search takes her to a downtown highrise that has become home to hundreds of fallen angels and dimension-hopping monsters.
As the fallen angels take over the condo board, argue over who’s handling pizza delivery, and begin planning for a little shindig otherwise known as the apocalypse, Kelly must team up with an unlikely group of allies to find her target and keep the fallen angels at bay. In the process, she befriends a reluctant Angel of Destruction, gets tips from a persistent ferret, uncovers the mysteries behind Pothole City’s hottest snack food empire, and tries to prevent the end of the world.
The Last Condo Board of the Apocalypse is a light-hearted urban fantasy novel, combining angels, monsters and other supernatural elements with realistic characters and a comedic tone.
Me: Well, I’m finished.
Phin: Was it good?
Me: I don’t know…
Phin: Well what was it about?
ME: I don’t know, I’m still trying to figure that out…
So here’s the thing, I liked “The Last Condo Board of the Apocalypse,” but I can’t tell you why… I’m not trying to be clever or anything. I honestly can’t figure things out. So you get to deal with my ramblings as I try to sort my thoughts out. Aren’t you lucky?
I was about 25% into this book before I had a grasp on who the characters were. It wasn’t until I got to about 50% that I felt like I had any idea what was actually going on. Not that I was necessarily right, or was seeing more than just the tip of the iceberg, but I felt like I had an idea and that’s what was important, right? Now this could all be reader error. It could be because I picked the book up and when I didn’t get into it right away I set it down for awhile. It could be because I finished the book during the whole dealing with Gram’s death thing where I had about 15 minutes to read at a time before someone needed something… I suspect though, that it was none of those things.
“Last Condo…” is trying to be an odd little gem, but it’s trying too hard. It kind of reminded me of a Jasper Fforde Novel, which is not a criticism since I lurv Mr. Fforde. Both authors seem to take an absurd reality and try to tackle it with a straight face, but while the Thursday Next series makes it feel natural, “Last Condo” seems to be forcing things. The end result being that it left me confused as all get out.
Then there was the fact that the book felt like it was all middle. You’re tossed right into the story, which I do like, but you don’t get to the real heart of Kelly’s motivations until well into the second half of the book courtesy of a flash back. Then there was no real end. I mean obviously the book ended, but I was left wondering where the last few pages were that either explained things, or left a cliff hanger. I have questions damn it, questions that deserve answers.
I did really love all the Cluck Snack products, and all the single purpose angels. Kelly and Af were odd but loveable characters. Roger was a constant question mark, but in that good way that had you going “what is his deal, anyways?” The engineers in the building were a hoot.
Even with all my criticisms in mind, after that 50% mark I couldn’t put the damn thing down. I feel like with another rewrite this could have been a really epic book, and look forward to the author’s future efforts.
I give this book 2 stars, reluctantly. Like I said, I enjoyed the book, but I can’t recommend the book in good conscious without adding a warning. “Remember, it’s weird, and doesn’t feel quiet finished, but it’s kooky and fun. It just tries too hard to do too much.”
Actually, that’s probably what this review should have been. “It’s good, but it tries too hard to do too much.”
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Good review Ginny. It’s so very hard when reviewers can’t find the right words. You did very well talking yourself through it.