Name: I Know What You Did Last Summer
ISBN: 9780316425353

Lois Duncan

Four teens fight to outsmart a killer with the intent for revenge in this classic novel that inspired the movie by Lois Duncan -- now with an updated cover! After a party, four teens are in a hit-and-run accident that results in a young boy's death. Unable to deal with the consequences, they leave the body behind and make an anonymous phone call to the police, tipping them off. The group makes a secret pact to bury the memory of that night, and never speak of it again, but when one of the girls receives a note that reads "I know what you did last summer," their dark lie is unearthed. With twists and turns at every corner, they'll have to fight to stay steps ahead of a killer determined to make them pay.

I Know What You Did Last Summer

This book really shocked me, I am not sure what I was expecting but it wasn't that. I actually haven't seen the movie version of this book but for it to be such a cult classic I was sure the book must be... something... But this book just did not give what I was thinking it would. The story line was incredibly predictable, I figured out who the stalker was less than 20% of the way through the book, after struggling through a few chapters of the characters alluding to the event that happened last summer ominously as "the thing" and "it" in an overly forced way to drum up suspense - suspense that really just fell completely flat. The event, the hit and run, was pretty well described and the reactions to what happened came across genuine enough (and completely morally detestable) but flashing back to a year later that same level of genuine reaction just didn't come across, I was expecting more terror, more paranoia, more thriller and suspense but truly aside from Barry being shot the other three were barely even harassed at all.

The culmination of action at the end of the book where the other three do finally get involved with the drama was incredibly lack luster and in the end, very uneventful. I think I was expecting this to be a proper slasher story, eg women screaming as the attacker advances on them with a machete but instead it was just a few angry words and the 'victims' being able to get away from the attacker relatively easily. It was really all over before it had even begun.

The characters themselves were wholly unlikable, Barry and Helen were two of the most selfish, hypocritical, superficial people I've ever seen in a book - all of them fell perfectly into stereotypical high school drama clique type roles. I really didn't feel connected or supportive of any of the characters and didn't care too much what happened to them, considering they were all legitimately guilty of the crime they were being harassed for.

Overall, a very disappointing read, very immaturely written and lacking any interest or depth.

Genevieve 

2.5 ⭐s

This book really shocked me, I am not sure what I was expecting but it wasn't that. I actually haven't seen the movie version of this book but for it to be such a cult classic I was sure the book must be... something... But this book just did not give what I was thinking it would. The story line was incredibly predictable, I figured out who the stalker was less than 20% of the way through the book, after struggling through a few chapters of the characters alluding to the event that happened last summer ominously as "the thing" and "it" in an overly forced way to drum up suspense - suspense that really just fell completely flat. The event, the hit and run, was pretty well described and the reactions to what happened came across genuine enough (and completely morally detestable) but flashing back to a year later that same level of genuine reaction just didn't come across, I was expecting more terror, more paranoia, more thriller and suspense but truly aside from Barry being shot the other three were barely even harassed at all.

The culmination of action at the end of the book where the other three do finally get involved with the drama was incredibly lack luster and in the end, very uneventful. I think I was expecting this to be a proper slasher story, eg women screaming as the attacker advances on them with a machete but instead it was just a few angry words and the 'victims' being able to get away from the attacker relatively easily. It was really all over before it had even begun.

The characters themselves were wholly unlikable, Barry and Helen were two of the most selfish, hypocritical, superficial people I've ever seen in a book - all of them fell perfectly into stereotypical high school drama clique type roles. I really didn't feel connected or supportive of any of the characters and didn't care too much what happened to them, considering they were all legitimately guilty of the crime they were being harassed for.

Overall, a very disappointing read, very immaturely written and lacking any interest or depth.

Gianna 

I rated this 3 stars because it was super slow in some parts. I did like how it was narrated. The end seemed a little too rushed and not that detailed though.

Becca Futrell

There are A LOT of issues with this book that made me cringe, especially after finding out that Lois Duncan actually went in and updated some of the story, but didn’t update scenes that really could have used the updating.

Also. It’s boring. & all of the characters were horrible. I said what I said. 🤷‍♀️

I Know What You Did Last Summer

Reviews

Highlights