Where to even begin with the genre and style of this book. The closest description I’ve come
across would be “auto-fiction,” which is already obscure enough as it is, but combine that with
romance, a poetic style, and a realistic depiction of life for some. There you have the debut
novel of Fatima Daas. I don’t find it surprising that it was an instant best-seller from a debut
author.
This style of writing was really new to me, and I have heard some say that it’s just too
contemporary and out there to get into, but I loved how original it felt. The author was able to
hint at many aspects of Fatima’s (the character, not the author) life using the style alone. It’s
rhythmic and beautiful, showing both her love of rap music and her religion. At times, it’s more
chaotic, reflecting how she feels like a walking contradiction or how others might perceive her.
It wasn’t only the style that would be new to most readers. Fatima Daas is able to almost
effortlessly describe the reality of the slums surrounding Paris and what daily, mundane life is
like for so many people anywhere in the world, not just in France.
Although this book will have quite an accurate English translation, I opted to read it in the
original language, French. I would say that the language used is simple enough to understand
easily for young adults who are relatively confident reading in French.
If you’re even moderately interested in languages, culture, romance, poetry or all of the above,
The Last One (La Petite Dernière) is a must-read.
Olivia
Buy the paperback here: The Last One a book by Fatima Daas and Lara Vergnaud. (bookshop.org)