BOOK REVIEW - The Last Days of John Lennon - James Patterson - Physical Book - 4*

 BOOK REVIEW

The Last Days of John Lennon - James Patterson

Today, I will share my book review of The Last Days of John Lennon by James Patterson. My manager at work loaned me this book and highly recommended it. James Patterson is well known for his fast-paced thrillers and suspense novels. Being fascinated with true crime, I was keen to see how this high-profile case was depicted in this book. 

I also LOVE The Beatles. Their music was arguably the gateway for many artists (yes, even the heavy metal bands, have you heard the "metal" vocalisation in Twist and Shout?) that I have grown up with, opening the door for musicians to experiment and push the boundaries. That said, before I read this book, I actually didn't know much about them beyond their music. Another reason for me to give it a read! 

BLURB

A GLOBAL SUPERSTAR

In the Summer of 1980, ten years after the break-up of the Beatles, John Lennon signed with a new label, ready to record new music for the first time in years. Everyone was awestruck when Lennon dashed off '(Just Like) Starting Over'. Lennon was back in peak form, with his best songwriting since 'Imagine'. 

A DANGEROUSLY OBSESSED FAN

In the years after Lennon left the Beatles, becoming a solo artist and making a life with Yoko Ono in New York City, Mark David Chapman had become fixated on murdering his former hero. He was convinced that Lennon had squandered his talent and betrayed his fans. In December 1980, Chapman boarded a flight from Hawaii to New York with a handgun stowed in his luggage. He was never going home again. 

A MURDER THAT STUNNED THE WORLD

Enriched by exclusive interviews with Lennon's friends and associates, including Paul McCartney, The Last Days of John Lennon is a true crime drama about two men who changed history. One whose indelible songs enliven our world to this day, and the other who ended the music with five pulls of a trigger. 

MY REVIEW

This was a unique take on a biography, with a sprinkle of a thriller story and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's the epitome of a tale of two halves, with one part of the book, the biography section, depicting the life of John Lennon, the rise and break-up of The Beatles, and John's life after The Beatles. The second part is the thriller book, in the mind of Mark Chapman as he makes his final preparations for his devastating act. 

As someone who loves The Beatles but knows very little about their meteoric rise to stardom, I enjoyed the biography section of the book. There were facts, quotes, and tidbits of information that told the full story from how they came together, to how they came apart. It detailed John's childhood, friends, relationships, and career and was thorough and entertaining. I would have been happy for the book to have continued in that vein. 

The switch in storytelling was jarring, with a massive change in pace. From spending such a significant proportion of the book in biography mode to reading a third-person account of Chapman's actions in the days leading up to John's death was quite a switch. I enjoy Patterson's quick and easy writing style so it was easy to fall into the new pace and direction of the book.  

In the final pages of the book, the emotion conveyed was raw and visceral, I felt every second of it. It was moving, poignant, and packed a punch. I didn't expect the impact to be so powerful, but this is where the biography played a key role. I had just spent hours of my time learning everything about this man. His dreams, ambitions, goals, and plans for the future. A connection to Lennon had been created through the biography which made the final chapters more real. It was incredibly effective. 

My only critique was the balance between the fact-building and the storytelling. The book was effectively a biography with a few chapters of fictional storytelling loosely based on true events. While the biography certainly served a purpose, there could have been more of an impact had it been more equally balanced between the two. I'd have been just as happy if this was two separate books. A biographical account of The Beatles and John Lennon, and a masterful thriller based on the real-life characters of Lennon and Chapman. 

It was approached in a very unique way and the delivery was great. If you are a fan of true crime, thrillers, The Beatles, or music in general, this would be worth a read. 

Have you read this? Do you have any recommendations for books that cover real-life events with a twist?

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