I’m really not sure how to review Last Lesson. I found it incredibly hard to get in to and I struggled to keep going, so much so that I stopped a little under half way. I’m not going to give up on this book though, I plan to leave it for a little while and come back to it with fresh eyes. The storyline has so much potential and after reading other reviews I think it’s only fair that I give it another chance.

Maybe I'm missing the point or hidden message, but I just couldn't figure out what was going on in this book.
I found it hard to follow and felt that it was really difficult to figure out the motivations behind anyone's actions.

This book just wasn't for me. I found it a struggle to get through, and while it may appeal to some, I just didn't like it.

Thank you NetGalley for the proof of this novel. I enjoyed the story but as a teacher, found it to be rather chilling in places. The ending was a surprised that I wasn't expecting which made me enjoy this more than I expected.

Ollie's had a rough year. His schoolmates are determined to make it worse. But he has a plan to teach them a lesson. They won't mess with him again.


This is a heartbreaking story. I started to suspect what was happening about two thirds in, a while before Ollie figured it out for himself.

The bullying he went through is heartbreaking, as are his home circumstances. It's strange being this deeply in his mind; I finished reading a while ago but I still feel blurry, trapped in his world. It's a sign of a good book.

I really enjoyed this one and I'm looking forward to some of the discussions that will arise from it.

Great read but so so sad. I really felt for the main character and it just proved how easily mental health issues can go unnoticed. I would recommend this book.

I clever and important story, one that is definitely going to resonate with the intended audience, but as I am not in that age bracket its difficult for me to review. I will say that its was told beautifully and one I will encourage my daughter to read when she is older. I

This novel felt exceptionally brave. A male lead who is bullied, emasculated, and mentally unwell is something I don't think I have ever seen in YA, and I think that's a travesty. Mental health among young men is a subject frequently over looked and ignored and this book is smart enough to show us what terrible consequences that could lead to. The book was well written, I really enjoyed the non-linear style. It is unflinchingly honest about life as a young man in the modern world and I think it would be an asset to my library in many respects.
However, I was thoroughly irritated by the early inconsistencies of Ollie's schooling... Everything felt very English until he mentioned middle school and Kindergarten, leaving me a touch confused about the books location.
The "it was all in his head" twist at the end wasn't hugely exciting, and I wasn't actually very surprised despite what some other reviews might say but I felt it was very satisfying, and all the other aspects of the story were very original leaving it a well rounded and emotionally charged novel, that will stick with the reader for a long time.

How the hell am I meant to review “Last Lesson”? It’s utterly brilliant and if I write a single detail about it, I’ll ruin the experience for the next reader.

James Goodhand is a genius. I’m a prolific reader but very few books have tattooed marks onto my brain. “Last Lesson” joins the ranks of “The Handmaid’s Tale” (Atwood), “The Power” (Alderman), “The Diary of Anne Frank” (Frank) and “The Lord of the Flies” (Goldman) - books which echo and itch, refusing to leave my skull. Goodhand’s words are indelible, urgent, original.

I liked the main plot of this story, but found it hard to get my head around sometimes. The twist, I will be honest suprised me at the end, and so it changed my overall view of the book. I think I’d read it again just to see if I can connect with the story a little more, but overall I would recommend to those who like the genre.

This book didn’t have me hooked as I had hoped it was. It felt a bit over the top and unrealistic. The story line was there and the idea of it was great but the writing didn’t seem to catch my attention.

This book was a lot more challenging to read than I thought it would be! In a good way of course. Told from a singular perspective, we see a young man challenged by the world who we initially don't have much regard for considering what he is planning to do, but are gradually told the reasons why is he like he is, and we gain a lot more sympathy for him than I personally thought I would. With a heavy theme of mental health that is explored with care, I'd definitely recommend this to anyone interested in the psychology between why good people do bad things.

I assumed this book was one thing I was wrong. The twist near the end of the story made this book for me.

Recently, I have read several American versions of a similar story. A bullied student seeks revenge on his bullies. This is the English spin on that trope.

I thought the book was predictable and not doing anything for about two thirds of the book. I was wrong stick with it until the end.