Book review: ‘One Last Stop’ is a fawn delight for hopeless romantics.

 

Casey McQuiston’s newest novel will keep fans captivated. With her usual whimsical charm, she has written a story of love and family through the eyes of two girls who are more alike than they know.

 

August Landry, a loner by nature, is given no choice but to make friends in New York City. When she moves into her new apartment and meets four roommates who turn out to be like family, she has great difficulty breaking the rule that solitary work better for her.  Later on when fate brings August into contact with an eccentric girl named Violet – it’s not long before their worlds begin to change each other both positively and negatively. (August)

Output: I’m a pretty quiet person so naturally being able output my thoughts without fear of judgement or ridicule isn’t always easy… But after moving here from Florida where people think they have some sort of right to know your business just because you’re breathing oxygen too – well I feel more at ease around these folk ’round hea’.  It must be this funny accent that does something magical? Anyway- yea it’s been kind of lonely until now.(Violet).

 

 

Meeting Jane is the best thing to happen to August. This girl changed her life for the better, showing her that there are things that she can be excited about. The two of them meet on a train every day at 6:14 am and it’s their time together before they head off in different directions with their lives. But while August loves seeing this new person who has made an impact on her, she soon realizes these run-ins aren’t just coincidence – they’re magic!

 

 

Fifty years ago, Jane was a punk-rock angel who got caught up in time displacement. That is, until August decided to intervene and help break her out of it before she remains stuck there forever. The only problem is that these two have never met – not even once! To do so will require working together with all their new friends between school shifts at the neighborhood pancake house to figure out how they can escape this loop.

 

 

But it’s not only that. It is also an exploration of identity and how much fear and hope are in opposition to each other in our lives. The book is magical, in the best ways: when your hopes soar with heart racing excitement- suspending belief while also believing for something impossible.You follow this boy named Patrick who just wants his everyday life back after a “strange event” changes everything he knows about himself. You get to help him uncover what really happened on that mysterious night, which will lead you on a journey through time where nothing makes sense anymore but the present becomes more clear than ever before – because we all need happy endings sometimes! Output: But it’s so much more than that; it’s an exploration of identity and just how much fear and hope are at odds with one another within our lives. It’s magical in all of the best ways! when your hopes soar as soon as you start reading out loud or watching the way they manage to get us to suspend our disbelief while still wanting to believe.It should come clear by now that I love books like this . And if yore anything like me then you’ll enjoy them too.

 

 

 

One Last Stop is about a blossoming relationship between two twenty-somethings. They both have their own struggles, which they find escape and confidante in one another. When we first meet August she’s very much like Veronica Mars – deep with an unsolved mystery that is her single parent but also looking for space to figure out who she is separate from that.  She pushes everyone away because of fear of pain, but there are those moments when the barriers come down and you see how sensitive this character really can be as well as fierce friend to those friends who are let in on her heartache. 

 

 

This is Jane. She’s beautiful, punk-rocking and incredibly softhearted. Imagine being stuck on a train for fifty years – even the most sane person would lose their mind to insanity by then! But not here; that’s not the case with Jane. Though she has an exterior which makes it clear she doesn’t suffer fools, Jane is compassionate towards others and always finds something good in every situation (even if it appears bad).  Despite her toughness at times, there can also be moments when you find that she has childlike wonder about things around them too-though these are rarer than you might think because of her fierce protectiveness of those close to her. 

 

 

One of the book’s drawbacks is that readers are not given enough insight into Jane’s perspective. The Red, White & Royal Blue was very much equally Alex and Henry’s story whereas One Last Stop focuses on August exclusively. Toward the end of the novel, there are moments which humanize Jane and elevate her from being an almost “Dream Girl” like figure; however I wish we could have gotten more information about how she felt earlier in life (instead).  That said, this isn’t to say that she doesn’t experience change or does not develop feelings for him because she does experience plenty of change throughout their relationship – it’s just unfortunate that these events happen so late in the book. 

 

 

Jane’s love for August is undeniable, despite the fact that other aspects of her personality are a little hazy. The chemistry between the two central characters is almost palpable.It’s impossible not to root for them since there’s an instant spark between them.They have such an easy rapport when they’re together, one that’s full of humour, compassion, and sexual desire. They are the epitome of a wonderful pair. (Of course, there’s the time travel issue!)The relationship between Jane and August has its obstacles, but that’s what makes it a romantic comedy! What would all the excitement in this story be without some tension? Jane is trapped on the train while August can’t ride for more than one day, which creates an interesting challenge. With both of them wanting to be together (both by themselves as well as readers) there are plenty of opportunities for moments when they appreciate each other. And with fear looming over their impending separation due to his plan succeeding in getting her freed from captivity – every moment they share together is filled with joy and appreciation. 

 

 

I could talk about August and Jane for a little while longer, but I also wanted to make sure that I mention the colorful cast of friends and supporting characters. Niko is a psychic who is just starting out; Myla used to be an engineer turned artist; Wes does tattoos. Though they’re not the focus of this novel, all three of these friends seem so life-like from the very start! They’re unbelievably intelligent as well as endlessly hilarious and fiercely protective those close to them.

 

 

The story of these queer characters is beautifully written, and one of their main strengths is the way in which they never need to explain or justify their existence. They are who they are, and references to their sexual preferences or gender identities can only be made after we’ve known them for a while. Sexuality or identity isn’t what makes the character interesting; it’s simply an aspect that adds to his personality. These all-too real people live openly with genuine love for themselves without shame about who they are like should feel comfortable doing so!.

 

 

One Last Stop, on the other hand, doesn’t hold back when it comes to celebrating queer culture and the characters’ pride in themselves and their community. The first few lines of this story are an ad for a new roommate written by Niko, Myla & Wes that stipulates they must be queer or trans-friendly. Expertly woven into the time-travel aspect of this novel is its honoring of LGBTQIA+ history as well as real change fighters who have fought to effect real change; reveling in modern day freedoms with joys amid so much hope about our future – all without forgetting anyone who has been afraid or lost along the way. It’s such a perfect balance! 

 

 

This story takes New York, which is a character in its own right, and makes it another crucial character. One Last Stop’s novel includes some of the things people complain about most when referring to NYC (like trains) as well as some of the most mundane aspects of living there- all mixed with mouth watering depictions of fluffy pancakes and loaded breakfast sandwiches that will give Birds’ sandwich competition Output: This story takes NY City- one colorful personality in itself – and makes it another important part. The characters include what people generally complain about when they talk about NYC (trains), but also everyday stuff like sleeping or waking up early for work. It mixes these ordinary moments with mouthwatering food descriptions like fluffy pancakes and eggs on toast that can compare to Birds’ sandwich!.

 

 

Casey McQuiston’s latest work, One Last Stop, is an inventive exploration of fear, love and identity. Although it follows the same time-traveling queer love story that was found in her debut novel Red White & Royal Blue (a moving portrait of four American teenagers discovering their identities) this book lives up to its title by providing one last stop for readers with Casey’s endearing wit and authentic dialogue.