The Laughing Listener
February 2020
Format: Ebook
Story Rating: 3 Confused Stars



Okay… Okay. I don’t even know where to start with this. And I genuinely don’t understand my feelings about it, but am attempting to write a review anyway. The cover of this book randomly popped up on my Pinterest feed one day and I was so intrigued, I looked it up. When it comes to pretty covers, I’m powerless, and there’s no denying that this one is kinda awesome. The goodreads page is chock-full of five star reviews (which I seriously don’t understand now????) and the ebook was only $1, so I went for it.

When I started reading this I immediately thought “Man, this is pretty fucked up.”

Then I read a few more pages and thought again “Seriously, this is fucked up.”

And I did that repeatedly until I finished reading the entire damn thing. Now I’m helpless against it’s pull because I’m absolutely 100% going to read the next one and I NEED to find out how this ends. But would I call this book “good” and recommend it to loved ones?? Hell to the no. It’s a dystopian romance and if those two things sound like they don’t go together, it’s because they don’t.

I’m trying to pinpoint what it was about this that pulled me in because despite all my smack talk, I read this thing lightening fast in one sitting and couldn’t put it down. And I think it was the premise. In this universe, everyone starts having nightmares about the four horsemen of the apocalypse on the same day with the date April 23 ominously shown in the background of every dream. The pressure of the oncoming armageddon eventually unravels society and everyone loses their fucking minds.

Now is the time for **trigger warnings** because when I say everyone loses their fucking minds, I mean it. They LOSE THEIR FUCKING MINDS. Gangs run the streets and the local stores, there’s a rave/orgy in one of the local libraries, rape is an accepted risk of stepping out in public, guns are shot off willy nilly, and our protagonist gets the crap kicked out of her for trying to take a pill in a fast food restaurant. It was like watching a train wreck or the Kardashians and I couldn’t look away.



But despite all of… THAT… I was super intrigued by the dreams and the four horsemen. I kept reading to find out what would happen on April 23 and then was pleasantly surprised at the twist that happens at the end. The kind of cliffy ending has ensnared me, so hats off to the author for writing this bear trap of a novel and guaranteeing my money for the sequels.



One thing is for certain, I DEFINITELY didn’t keep reading for the weird and awkward romance between these two very dysfunctional people. This book literally takes place over the span of three days and they act like they’ll be together for eternity. I get that therapists probably aren’t very common during the apocalypse, so maybe avoid throwing yourself into a toxic codependent relationship until the end of the world thing passes?? Just a thought.

FINAL WORD

I cannot in good faith recommend this book to anyone. Proceed with EXTREME caution because if you’re like me, you won’t be able to stop once you start. Then again, I kind of need someone to read this and commiserate with. PLEASE SAVE ME.