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The Last Election
A gripping, intricately plotted political thriller set on the campaign trail of the USA's next—and because of crucial flaws in the electoral system—its last election; from former presidential candidate Andrew Yang and author Stephen Marche
THE LAST ELECTION is a unique political thriller about an outlandish yet frighteningly possible—even probable—scenario in America's near future, during the crucial 2024 presidential election. Though it is fiction, it is a wake-up call to a country tearing itself apart.
The story focuses on two Mikey Ricci, a political operative who has lost faith in traditional structures following the bitter races of 2016 and 2020; and Martha Kass, the anonymous tip supervisor of the New York Times. In 2023, Ricci becomes the campaign manager of a third-party candidate who runs on a popular centrist platform and whose frank and honest manner stands in stark contrast to the candidates of the two major parties. Ricci faces off against the massive machinery of both political parties, as well as their invested media and dark money supporters—the source of true power in America. Even so, the candidate's message begins to gain ground.
In the meantime, Kass stumbles upon a plot by the current Joint Chiefs of Staff to seize power in the anticipated chaos of the coming election. She hopes it is too improbable to be taken seriously. But as the idea that Ricci’s candidate might win enough electors to upset the delicate balance of America's two-party system takes hold, the threat becomes frighteningly real.
Events unfold at the frenetic pace of the campaign trail, and Kass and Ricci become unlikely allies as they bear witness to what might be the end of America as a democratic republic. If no candidate can accrue the coveted majority of 270 electors, who wins? The electoral system collapses in uncertainty as Congress's role in certification becomes unfathomably complex. When no one is certain who the winner is, the stage is set for a corrupt seizure of power. Will the American experiment end?
THE LAST ELECTION is a unique political thriller about an outlandish yet frighteningly possible—even probable—scenario in America's near future, during the crucial 2024 presidential election. Though it is fiction, it is a wake-up call to a country tearing itself apart.
The story focuses on two Mikey Ricci, a political operative who has lost faith in traditional structures following the bitter races of 2016 and 2020; and Martha Kass, the anonymous tip supervisor of the New York Times. In 2023, Ricci becomes the campaign manager of a third-party candidate who runs on a popular centrist platform and whose frank and honest manner stands in stark contrast to the candidates of the two major parties. Ricci faces off against the massive machinery of both political parties, as well as their invested media and dark money supporters—the source of true power in America. Even so, the candidate's message begins to gain ground.
In the meantime, Kass stumbles upon a plot by the current Joint Chiefs of Staff to seize power in the anticipated chaos of the coming election. She hopes it is too improbable to be taken seriously. But as the idea that Ricci’s candidate might win enough electors to upset the delicate balance of America's two-party system takes hold, the threat becomes frighteningly real.
Events unfold at the frenetic pace of the campaign trail, and Kass and Ricci become unlikely allies as they bear witness to what might be the end of America as a democratic republic. If no candidate can accrue the coveted majority of 270 electors, who wins? The electoral system collapses in uncertainty as Congress's role in certification becomes unfathomably complex. When no one is certain who the winner is, the stage is set for a corrupt seizure of power. Will the American experiment end?
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First published September 12, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 121 reviews
September 7, 2023
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Andrew Yang, Stephen Marche, and Recorded Books for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Debut thrillers can be highly exciting, especially when they focus on politics. There is something about the unpredictability of the subject matter that can keep a reader on their toes. Andrew Yang and Stephen Marche present a chilling political thriller that could easily have ramifications on the upcoming 2024 presidential election, exposing harsh truths and reading the tea leaves with ease. Yang and Marche offer up a strong ‘what if’ option and espouse that it is not too far from the current situation in the country. As the reader follows along the intense presidential election campaign, they are forced to see just how realistic the authors have painted the options and what could await us, should the public tire of the traditional system. A great thriller that kept me thinking and proved painfully possible in an era of public involvement.
The upcoming presidential election will have many key players, none as important as Mikey Ricci and Martha Kass. Ricci has seen the circus that the 2016 and 2020 campaigns turned out to be, wishing that he could change the system to ensure America gets a leader in which it can be proud. Kass has an intriguing job with the New York Times, overseeing their tip line and with access to so many secrets, she is never sure what she ought to do.
Ricci may have found his solution, as he agrees to take on the campaign manager job for a third-party candidate, running as the Maverick Party. The candidate is frank and open about his past, as well as what he wants to see for America in the future. The great difference is that it is so much from what is currently being espoused by the two main parties, which appears to be garnering a great deal of interest and support at all levels. A refusal to backdown and a sense that America needs a push in another direction, the campaign’s theme remains ‘unfuck America’. Ricci finds himself butting heads with many in the political realm and not worrying about the fallout, sure that he may have found the man who will change things forever. Dark money pours in and the momentum leading to Election Day is like nothing anyone has seen before.
At the same time, Kass comes upon a credible tip that the Joint Chiefs of Staff have been mulling over a power grab in the upcoming presidential election. While not yet ready to call it a coup, they are worried about what will happen and can only hope that there will be a chance to keep America on the right path. With the Maverick Party gaining ground all across the country, the likelihood of political chaos once the ballots are counted and the Electoral College results emerge remains high. It would appear seizing power is looking more likely each to ensure a peaceful move into the next four years.
As things unfold and the campaign reaches its zenith, Ricci and Kass become allies in an unlikely way. Watching America turn on itself and buck the trends is only the beginning in a political atmosphere rife for chaos. With it unlikely that anyone will capture the needed 270 Electoral College votes, it all comes down to the hushed plan Kass has heard about. Will someone actually try to wrest power away from the elector? Can Congress handle the weighty job of breaking the logjam? How will people accept the unconventional way of determining a new leader, using a system that has only been gathering dust in textbooks? Yang and Marche posit this and many other things in this well-paced novel that sends chills up the spine of any with an interest in political thrillers.
There is no doubt that Andrew Yang and Stephen Marche have a powerful piece on their hands. Yang, a former presidential candidate, has some inside knowledge about how the system works and can only wonder if his ideas could come to fruition. A strong narrative basis not only guides the book, but provides a strong direction for what occurs throughout. There is a frankness to the book that is only possible when the foundation of the story is strong enough to keep it upright. Characters emerge throughout that are not only relatable, but also highly intriguing and keep the reader’s attention. The authors seek not to create candidates who are spotless or an electorate who care only about fiscal values or policy shifts, but the real issues that come to the dinner table. These people are peppered throughout the book and resonate repeatedly. The plot twists emerge without stopping, being both surprises and utterly expected results in equal measure. The authors have found the perfect balance to the fictional writing project and foreshadowing what could be coming down the pipeline, leaving the reader to wonder where the line might be. This is both a highly entertaining read and something that could really be a wake-up call to many, which is why I enjoyed it so much. I will have to wait and see what comes of the election south of me, as the world watches to see the sort of circus that is sure to come.
Kudos, Messrs. Yang and Marche, for this scintillating piece of political possibilities.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Debut thrillers can be highly exciting, especially when they focus on politics. There is something about the unpredictability of the subject matter that can keep a reader on their toes. Andrew Yang and Stephen Marche present a chilling political thriller that could easily have ramifications on the upcoming 2024 presidential election, exposing harsh truths and reading the tea leaves with ease. Yang and Marche offer up a strong ‘what if’ option and espouse that it is not too far from the current situation in the country. As the reader follows along the intense presidential election campaign, they are forced to see just how realistic the authors have painted the options and what could await us, should the public tire of the traditional system. A great thriller that kept me thinking and proved painfully possible in an era of public involvement.
The upcoming presidential election will have many key players, none as important as Mikey Ricci and Martha Kass. Ricci has seen the circus that the 2016 and 2020 campaigns turned out to be, wishing that he could change the system to ensure America gets a leader in which it can be proud. Kass has an intriguing job with the New York Times, overseeing their tip line and with access to so many secrets, she is never sure what she ought to do.
Ricci may have found his solution, as he agrees to take on the campaign manager job for a third-party candidate, running as the Maverick Party. The candidate is frank and open about his past, as well as what he wants to see for America in the future. The great difference is that it is so much from what is currently being espoused by the two main parties, which appears to be garnering a great deal of interest and support at all levels. A refusal to backdown and a sense that America needs a push in another direction, the campaign’s theme remains ‘unfuck America’. Ricci finds himself butting heads with many in the political realm and not worrying about the fallout, sure that he may have found the man who will change things forever. Dark money pours in and the momentum leading to Election Day is like nothing anyone has seen before.
At the same time, Kass comes upon a credible tip that the Joint Chiefs of Staff have been mulling over a power grab in the upcoming presidential election. While not yet ready to call it a coup, they are worried about what will happen and can only hope that there will be a chance to keep America on the right path. With the Maverick Party gaining ground all across the country, the likelihood of political chaos once the ballots are counted and the Electoral College results emerge remains high. It would appear seizing power is looking more likely each to ensure a peaceful move into the next four years.
As things unfold and the campaign reaches its zenith, Ricci and Kass become allies in an unlikely way. Watching America turn on itself and buck the trends is only the beginning in a political atmosphere rife for chaos. With it unlikely that anyone will capture the needed 270 Electoral College votes, it all comes down to the hushed plan Kass has heard about. Will someone actually try to wrest power away from the elector? Can Congress handle the weighty job of breaking the logjam? How will people accept the unconventional way of determining a new leader, using a system that has only been gathering dust in textbooks? Yang and Marche posit this and many other things in this well-paced novel that sends chills up the spine of any with an interest in political thrillers.
There is no doubt that Andrew Yang and Stephen Marche have a powerful piece on their hands. Yang, a former presidential candidate, has some inside knowledge about how the system works and can only wonder if his ideas could come to fruition. A strong narrative basis not only guides the book, but provides a strong direction for what occurs throughout. There is a frankness to the book that is only possible when the foundation of the story is strong enough to keep it upright. Characters emerge throughout that are not only relatable, but also highly intriguing and keep the reader’s attention. The authors seek not to create candidates who are spotless or an electorate who care only about fiscal values or policy shifts, but the real issues that come to the dinner table. These people are peppered throughout the book and resonate repeatedly. The plot twists emerge without stopping, being both surprises and utterly expected results in equal measure. The authors have found the perfect balance to the fictional writing project and foreshadowing what could be coming down the pipeline, leaving the reader to wonder where the line might be. This is both a highly entertaining read and something that could really be a wake-up call to many, which is why I enjoyed it so much. I will have to wait and see what comes of the election south of me, as the world watches to see the sort of circus that is sure to come.
Kudos, Messrs. Yang and Marche, for this scintillating piece of political possibilities.
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
September 11, 2023
This wasn’t a political thriller as much as a warning and swan song for our increasing loss of democracy.
I am the perfect audience for this book as I am super interested in politics, used to live in DC, volunteered in a campaign headquarters office, volunteered in security at a National Convention, and knocked on doors in Iowa. As such, I see that this book presents a serious potential problem. Even without the challenge of a third party, the problems and terrors presented in the book are possible.
The question isn’t “is this what the founding fathers intended,” but rather, “how well did the founding fathers set up a system of government that could change with changing times and resist corruption,” or even “how have we weakened democracy by allowing increasing corruption in government?”
Also, despite the large number of characters, and multiple viewpoints in the book, I got attached to Martha and was interested in some of the other perspectives as well.
My only complaint is that I think the book was a bit unfair to the Democratic Party and the realities of the numbers of progressives and centrist American voters necessitating the lackluster governing that’s happening. The system is a large part of the problem, but realistically so are the voters and nonvoters.
Thank you, Netgalley and RB Media, Recorded Books, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I am the perfect audience for this book as I am super interested in politics, used to live in DC, volunteered in a campaign headquarters office, volunteered in security at a National Convention, and knocked on doors in Iowa. As such, I see that this book presents a serious potential problem. Even without the challenge of a third party, the problems and terrors presented in the book are possible.
The question isn’t “is this what the founding fathers intended,” but rather, “how well did the founding fathers set up a system of government that could change with changing times and resist corruption,” or even “how have we weakened democracy by allowing increasing corruption in government?”
Also, despite the large number of characters, and multiple viewpoints in the book, I got attached to Martha and was interested in some of the other perspectives as well.
My only complaint is that I think the book was a bit unfair to the Democratic Party and the realities of the numbers of progressives and centrist American voters necessitating the lackluster governing that’s happening. The system is a large part of the problem, but realistically so are the voters and nonvoters.
Thank you, Netgalley and RB Media, Recorded Books, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 17, 2023
The story focuses on Mikey Ricci, a political operative who has lost faith in traditional structures following the bitter races of 2016 and 2020; and Martha Kass, the anonymous tip supervisor of the New York Times.
This is one of the very, very few instances when I up my rating of a book for “objective” purposes, even though I personally didn’t really enjoy the book because of my personal literary preferences.
The Last Election is a very political heavy book, it takes itself very seriously (as it should!), so if you are looking for a not so heavy, fast-paced thrilling mystery, this is not the book for you.
The writing is well done, and engaging for a such political heavy book so that’s also one of the reason I’m giving this read 3 stars! Definitely recommend if you are feeling like reading something to think about, even if you are not American.
This is one of the very, very few instances when I up my rating of a book for “objective” purposes, even though I personally didn’t really enjoy the book because of my personal literary preferences.
The Last Election is a very political heavy book, it takes itself very seriously (as it should!), so if you are looking for a not so heavy, fast-paced thrilling mystery, this is not the book for you.
The writing is well done, and engaging for a such political heavy book so that’s also one of the reason I’m giving this read 3 stars! Definitely recommend if you are feeling like reading something to think about, even if you are not American.
August 29, 2023
4-
Political thriller or political prediction?
I would expect a political thriller written by a former candidate for the US presidency to give fascinating insights into political processes, especially the ones we do not see in the news, and Andrew Yang’s The Last Election certainly delivers! He might have taken a bit of literary license with some of the details (or maybe not), but nonetheless I suspect there is a lot to learn as well as enjoy in the book.
I also learned a bit of civics that I had somehow missed in civics class and elsewhere, the concept of the “contingent election”, which is the procedure to be used if no candidate wins a majority of the electors. This could certainly occur if a third-party or independent candidate wins some electoral votes and actually happened in the 1800 and 1824 elections.
A few pages into the book Martha Kass has a thought that provoked me to note, “Hmm. Ha ha or sad?” I had that reaction a number of times as I read on, such as when I learned the unofficial slogan of the Cooper presidential campaign, “Unf*** America”.
A less enjoyable aspect are the frequent and unnecessary references to sex. Martha is one of the main characters in the book; her and her husband’s struggles to have a child are appropriate and help us understand her, but this reader really does not need to know about the many peccadilloes of the other characters. Especially unwelcome was the revelation that Ren enjoys watching horror movies with the volume turned all the way up while having sex.
It is no surprise that an unsuccessful presidential candidate might not have an optimistic vision of the next election, and certainly the authors do not give us a rosy picture. However, there is a surprise twist on the very last page that could be a happy closing note or a sad one. I am still trying to decide.
I received an advance review copy of The Last Election from the publisher and NetGalley.
Political thriller or political prediction?
I would expect a political thriller written by a former candidate for the US presidency to give fascinating insights into political processes, especially the ones we do not see in the news, and Andrew Yang’s The Last Election certainly delivers! He might have taken a bit of literary license with some of the details (or maybe not), but nonetheless I suspect there is a lot to learn as well as enjoy in the book.
I also learned a bit of civics that I had somehow missed in civics class and elsewhere, the concept of the “contingent election”, which is the procedure to be used if no candidate wins a majority of the electors. This could certainly occur if a third-party or independent candidate wins some electoral votes and actually happened in the 1800 and 1824 elections.
A few pages into the book Martha Kass has a thought that provoked me to note, “Hmm. Ha ha or sad?” I had that reaction a number of times as I read on, such as when I learned the unofficial slogan of the Cooper presidential campaign, “Unf*** America”.
A less enjoyable aspect are the frequent and unnecessary references to sex. Martha is one of the main characters in the book; her and her husband’s struggles to have a child are appropriate and help us understand her, but this reader really does not need to know about the many peccadilloes of the other characters. Especially unwelcome was the revelation that Ren enjoys watching horror movies with the volume turned all the way up while having sex.
It is no surprise that an unsuccessful presidential candidate might not have an optimistic vision of the next election, and certainly the authors do not give us a rosy picture. However, there is a surprise twist on the very last page that could be a happy closing note or a sad one. I am still trying to decide.
I received an advance review copy of The Last Election from the publisher and NetGalley.
October 7, 2023
I received the audiobook version of this title via NetGalley
I guess I expected more when I saw that this was written in part by Andrew Yang.
The narrator did a pretty good job, so no complaints there
I feel that there was so much build up and that it never really paid off because the ending felt rushed.
Did I hate it? No, but will I read it again? Also no.
I guess I expected more when I saw that this was written in part by Andrew Yang.
The narrator did a pretty good job, so no complaints there
I feel that there was so much build up and that it never really paid off because the ending felt rushed.
Did I hate it? No, but will I read it again? Also no.
October 15, 2023
Can I give this less than 1 star?
First of all, Andrew Yang has a point -- a SERIOUS one -- that is totally lost in the fictional story that surrounds his doomsday scenario. While I concede that this set or circumstances could happen, the storycraft was awful. The characters are all despicable.
I thought there was a ghostwriter here -- it reads more like the dystopian angst of an AP US Government high schooler.
Read Jesse Wegman's op ed in the New York Times, skip this.
First of all, Andrew Yang has a point -- a SERIOUS one -- that is totally lost in the fictional story that surrounds his doomsday scenario. While I concede that this set or circumstances could happen, the storycraft was awful. The characters are all despicable.
I thought there was a ghostwriter here -- it reads more like the dystopian angst of an AP US Government high schooler.
Read Jesse Wegman's op ed in the New York Times, skip this.
October 9, 2024
This dire attempt failed to actually be "thrilling". It's written in exactly the style I hate - clearly a screenplay in the author's head with butt-clenchingly awkward dialogue, and zero characterisation. Impeach this othis for crimes against literature
November 6, 2023
The following is courtesy of ChatOn AI.
A contingent election, as described in the US Constitution, is a procedure to elect the President or Vice President of the United States when no candidate receives the majority of the electoral votes. According to the 12th Amendment of the Constitution, if no candidate receives the required 270 electoral votes, the election is then decided by the House of Representatives for the President and the Senate for the Vice President.
A historical example of a contingent election occurred in 1824 when none of the candidates received a majority of the electoral votes. The election was ultimately decided by the House of Representatives, which elected John Quincy Adams as President. This was the first and only time a contingent election was needed to select a President.
As for the future, it is possible for a contingent election to happen again if no candidate achieves the required number of electoral votes. This could occur if there is a close race with multiple candidates and no clear winner emerges. In such a scenario, the House of Representatives would vote to determine the President, and the Senate would vote to determine the Vice President.
It is worth noting that a contingent election is a rare occurrence, and the vast majority of presidential elections are decided by the electoral college. The process ensures that there is a method in place to select the President and Vice President in case of a tie or lack of majority support.
And now, for some of my thoughts.
This book was published in September 2023 and part of what makes it so interesting is that it contains all the names and aspects of the current world of Washington DC politics. Andrew Yang, of course ran for president and there is a good deal of seeming reality in this book based on his inside experience. He has been behind the curtain. And many of us wonder what goes on there.
I suppose you could think of this book as science fiction. But it has enough claim to reality to make some of us think that it might actually happen. Some of us remember that the supreme court has already elected a president. And we have all had the experience of seeing Mr. Trump elected to the highest office in the US somehow in spite of his foul mouth.
A contingent election, as described in the US Constitution, is a procedure to elect the President or Vice President of the United States when no candidate receives the majority of the electoral votes. According to the 12th Amendment of the Constitution, if no candidate receives the required 270 electoral votes, the election is then decided by the House of Representatives for the President and the Senate for the Vice President.
A historical example of a contingent election occurred in 1824 when none of the candidates received a majority of the electoral votes. The election was ultimately decided by the House of Representatives, which elected John Quincy Adams as President. This was the first and only time a contingent election was needed to select a President.
As for the future, it is possible for a contingent election to happen again if no candidate achieves the required number of electoral votes. This could occur if there is a close race with multiple candidates and no clear winner emerges. In such a scenario, the House of Representatives would vote to determine the President, and the Senate would vote to determine the Vice President.
It is worth noting that a contingent election is a rare occurrence, and the vast majority of presidential elections are decided by the electoral college. The process ensures that there is a method in place to select the President and Vice President in case of a tie or lack of majority support.
And now, for some of my thoughts.
This book was published in September 2023 and part of what makes it so interesting is that it contains all the names and aspects of the current world of Washington DC politics. Andrew Yang, of course ran for president and there is a good deal of seeming reality in this book based on his inside experience. He has been behind the curtain. And many of us wonder what goes on there.
I suppose you could think of this book as science fiction. But it has enough claim to reality to make some of us think that it might actually happen. Some of us remember that the supreme court has already elected a president. And we have all had the experience of seeing Mr. Trump elected to the highest office in the US somehow in spite of his foul mouth.
September 14, 2023
Thank you to Edelweiss, Andrew Yang, Stephen Marche and the publisher for the opportunity to review an ARC of this novel.
The story is about the 3rd Party candidacy of the newly founded Maverick Party, and about what could happen if, in a presidential contest, nobody reaches the 270 vote threshold that would win them the election. It is thought provoking and frightening. The idea that scandal is needed in order for a candidate to be popular is disturbing. With Andrew Yang having run for the candidacy in the last presidential election cycle he has inside knowledge of what actually goes on. It is unclear what parts of the novel are true and what parts are simply possibilities or speculation.
I found "The Last Election" to be heavy handed messaging disguised as a novel. It is slow moving at times but thought provoking. There is way more sexual content than necessary....unless everyone in Washington really is a pervert that has no respect for women...including the women. Who knows - maybe Yang and Marche are calling it as it is. If so everyone in Washington should be ousted.
The representation of press being unwilling to put stories in print that the American public has a right to know about or should be aware of is frightening. I don't know who of my peers I would recommend this book to, but there are ideas presented that we should all be able to try to wrap our minds around. The idea of a Contingent Election was never brought up in Government class.
The story is about the 3rd Party candidacy of the newly founded Maverick Party, and about what could happen if, in a presidential contest, nobody reaches the 270 vote threshold that would win them the election. It is thought provoking and frightening. The idea that scandal is needed in order for a candidate to be popular is disturbing. With Andrew Yang having run for the candidacy in the last presidential election cycle he has inside knowledge of what actually goes on. It is unclear what parts of the novel are true and what parts are simply possibilities or speculation.
I found "The Last Election" to be heavy handed messaging disguised as a novel. It is slow moving at times but thought provoking. There is way more sexual content than necessary....unless everyone in Washington really is a pervert that has no respect for women...including the women. Who knows - maybe Yang and Marche are calling it as it is. If so everyone in Washington should be ousted.
The representation of press being unwilling to put stories in print that the American public has a right to know about or should be aware of is frightening. I don't know who of my peers I would recommend this book to, but there are ideas presented that we should all be able to try to wrap our minds around. The idea of a Contingent Election was never brought up in Government class.
September 19, 2023
Political thriller, or near-future election prediction? “The Last Election” could be either, or both, featuring a 3rd party presidential candidate making a mark on election season and the potential consequences of an amped up political environment similar to the current state of the US. With a title like “The Last Election” I thought we were in for something a little more flashy, but this book is filled with the existential dread and slow-motion disaster that characterizes a lot of the current political environment.
Andrew Yang’s insights, and platform, as a former presidential candidate clearly played into the writing of this book. I also enjoyed the pop culture and political references, which really made this feel like it could be the 2024 election under slightly different circumstances.
Political thrillers are nearly always an automatic “YES!!” for me. I have a special place in my heart for the movie Air Force One (and Harrison Ford’s “Get off my plane!”) - and bonus points here for it being mentioned in this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and RB media for allowing me early access to this audiobook.
Andrew Yang’s insights, and platform, as a former presidential candidate clearly played into the writing of this book. I also enjoyed the pop culture and political references, which really made this feel like it could be the 2024 election under slightly different circumstances.
Political thrillers are nearly always an automatic “YES!!” for me. I have a special place in my heart for the movie Air Force One (and Harrison Ford’s “Get off my plane!”) - and bonus points here for it being mentioned in this book!
Thank you to NetGalley and RB media for allowing me early access to this audiobook.
September 25, 2023
TL;DR: The 12 Amendment means, for the foreseeable future, Republicans win the presidency if a third party runs for president.
This book is basically why Andrew Yang won’t run as third party candidate for president. Say the electoral votes are split about evenly three ways, if no candidate gets more than 270 votes, congress (the House) holds a closed-door “contingent election” where each state gets one vote among the top three candidates (by electoral vote). As it stands, this means the Republican Electoral College advantage becomes way stronger and they’ll decide who will be president and that will the Republican.
Incidentally, the 12 Amendment also means the Senate will get to choose the vice president, which means you could have a Republican president and a Democratic vice president.
Whatever happens, it will feel like Americans didn’t really vote—though it will all be constitutional—and people will be pissed. Then who knows what happens?
This book is basically why Andrew Yang won’t run as third party candidate for president. Say the electoral votes are split about evenly three ways, if no candidate gets more than 270 votes, congress (the House) holds a closed-door “contingent election” where each state gets one vote among the top three candidates (by electoral vote). As it stands, this means the Republican Electoral College advantage becomes way stronger and they’ll decide who will be president and that will the Republican.
Incidentally, the 12 Amendment also means the Senate will get to choose the vice president, which means you could have a Republican president and a Democratic vice president.
Whatever happens, it will feel like Americans didn’t really vote—though it will all be constitutional—and people will be pissed. Then who knows what happens?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 25, 2023
I had to spend some time refreshing myself on the 12th amendment to get a better understanding of the contingent election rules. Overall, though provoking and a little scary that I think some of this could really happen. Maybe reform to the 12th amendment might be necessary.
January 1, 2024
This one is different...I'm not the biggest fan of political books as I'm pretty damn jaded by this country and our elected officials and this was pretty horrifying to think about.....2024 election is already nightmare fuel. That being said, this book was a bit boring for a thriller. The characters didn't really seem very fleshed out and the whole adulterous affair and pregnancy...what was that?
March 14, 2024
A bit confusing and scary but it could happen. (Suicide by Tylenol PM is very difficult to achieve—more research would have told them that)
September 19, 2024
2.5— for a thriller, it wasn’t really thrilling to me. I thought it was kind of boring at times. But reading this book two months before the 2024 election really makes one think about how things will turn out…
October 7, 2023
I heard about this book on a podcast and thought it would be a fun read heading into election season. While gripping, it was too dark, amoral and sick to really enjoy. It had the behind the scenes mechanisms that are part of an election team…however, it is for an amoral candidate with a team to match. Don’t recommend. It had potential but missed the mark in my opinion.
July 27, 2024
I don’t follow American politics too closely; it’s depressing (especially now), and it feels helpless knowing I’m up in Canada and can only watch in horror. Maybe because I’m disengaged from the nitty gritty of it, I found myself picking up the political thriller The Last Election by Andrew Yang and Stephen Marche which I found an entertaining page turner. I was also intrigued by the co-writers; Yang is a politician from the U.S.A. while Marche is a very literary writer who is well-known in the Canlit community – a very curious mix! Because one is such a strong writer, and the other has first hand knowledge about the machine of U.S. politics, they came together to write an excellent book. I write this just days after the shooting at a Trump rally which Marche then penned this thoughtful article about, which is scarily reminiscent of what this work of fiction describes, but also makes clear that Marche is not just a great writer, but a close observer of the politics down south too.
Plot Summary
It’s the 2024 presidential election, and a third party candidate has come forward to run; Sherman Cooper, a billionaire and head of the Maverick Party, a centrist party that’s looking to unite the left and the right. The story is told from the perspective of two different people; Mikey Ricci, the campaign manager of the Maverick Party, and Martha Kass, a New York Times journalist who receives a tip that there is a serious plot forming by current people in power to seize control of the country and impose martial law during the upcoming election chaos. The book counts down to the election with a new very real scenario surfacing; this third party may gain enough support to split the voters into a tie, thus triggering election processes that haven’t been used in centuries. And as Martha sniffs out the operatives that are trying to stage a coup, violence begins to escalate across the country, seen mostly at political rallies. At one point, supporters of different sides are no longer visible or easy to identify; everyone is wearing riot gear, and physical clashes become inevitable. When Martha raises the story with her editors, she’s told to bury it as the NY Times is changing their mandate. While all this political turmoil swirls around her, Martha also grapples with infertility issues, her and her husband slipping slowly into a depression wielding from their obsession with becoming pregnant. Will the Maverick Party save American democracy as it promises, or will the country spiral into a civil war? Spoiler alert: the book doesn’t end on a happy note, for anyone.
My Thoughts
This book is meant to entertain us. For many, it would cause more anxiety than its worth, but it does take a deep dive into the work involved with propping up a political candidate and swaying voters, which I found really fascinating. And even though it varies between two characters with very different voices, their motivations are somewhat similar in that they both believe in democracy, and ‘doing the right thing’. They want to be happy and they wish America was different; less violent and less angry. Martha’s personal issues seem a bit random in light of all these major issues swirling around in the story, but I appreciated the authors’ attempts at showing personal and emotional challenges that still take up room in people’s lives, even when political chaos is the norm. Life goes on, despite these scary circumstances.
There is a jaded sort of realism that both main characters also share, evident in their voices. There are only subtle differences between their worldviews, which one could take as lazy writing, or an effort to demonstrate connections, so I’ll give the writers the benefit of the doubt and say they did this on purpose. Martha’s cynicism develops as she manages the tip line at the NY times, the same old conspiracy theorists rearing their head over and over again. Mikey’s quick summaries of the democratic candidates at the beginning of the book made me chuckle, because I could picture each person perfectly in my mind:
“The Democratic roster includes a highly successful Black woman with shallow support; a boyish Midwesterner; a brilliant antitrust lawyer who looks like a schoolteacher who graded you hard for your own good; a vaguely hippie-ish woman like your liberated aunt who brings up auras and innovative sexual positions at Thanksgiving; and the billionaire governor of Colorado who looks like the guy responsible for deciding the location of the Walmart that wrecks your town.”
-p.24 of The Last Election by Andrew Yang and Stephen Marche, ARC edition
There’s many quips like this throughout the novel, but the most thought-provoking are those that describe the state of democracy today:
“But they don’t vote for what they want. They don’t think about what they want when they vote now. The American people vote against what they don’t want.”
-p. 131
The above quote made alot of sense to me, even though up here in Canada, we have more than two political parties to choose from. But when I see the two candidates the U.S. currently has to choose from, I would be voting for what I don’t want too!
To read the rest of my reviews, please visit my blog:
https://ivereadthis.com/
Plot Summary
It’s the 2024 presidential election, and a third party candidate has come forward to run; Sherman Cooper, a billionaire and head of the Maverick Party, a centrist party that’s looking to unite the left and the right. The story is told from the perspective of two different people; Mikey Ricci, the campaign manager of the Maverick Party, and Martha Kass, a New York Times journalist who receives a tip that there is a serious plot forming by current people in power to seize control of the country and impose martial law during the upcoming election chaos. The book counts down to the election with a new very real scenario surfacing; this third party may gain enough support to split the voters into a tie, thus triggering election processes that haven’t been used in centuries. And as Martha sniffs out the operatives that are trying to stage a coup, violence begins to escalate across the country, seen mostly at political rallies. At one point, supporters of different sides are no longer visible or easy to identify; everyone is wearing riot gear, and physical clashes become inevitable. When Martha raises the story with her editors, she’s told to bury it as the NY Times is changing their mandate. While all this political turmoil swirls around her, Martha also grapples with infertility issues, her and her husband slipping slowly into a depression wielding from their obsession with becoming pregnant. Will the Maverick Party save American democracy as it promises, or will the country spiral into a civil war? Spoiler alert: the book doesn’t end on a happy note, for anyone.
My Thoughts
This book is meant to entertain us. For many, it would cause more anxiety than its worth, but it does take a deep dive into the work involved with propping up a political candidate and swaying voters, which I found really fascinating. And even though it varies between two characters with very different voices, their motivations are somewhat similar in that they both believe in democracy, and ‘doing the right thing’. They want to be happy and they wish America was different; less violent and less angry. Martha’s personal issues seem a bit random in light of all these major issues swirling around in the story, but I appreciated the authors’ attempts at showing personal and emotional challenges that still take up room in people’s lives, even when political chaos is the norm. Life goes on, despite these scary circumstances.
There is a jaded sort of realism that both main characters also share, evident in their voices. There are only subtle differences between their worldviews, which one could take as lazy writing, or an effort to demonstrate connections, so I’ll give the writers the benefit of the doubt and say they did this on purpose. Martha’s cynicism develops as she manages the tip line at the NY times, the same old conspiracy theorists rearing their head over and over again. Mikey’s quick summaries of the democratic candidates at the beginning of the book made me chuckle, because I could picture each person perfectly in my mind:
“The Democratic roster includes a highly successful Black woman with shallow support; a boyish Midwesterner; a brilliant antitrust lawyer who looks like a schoolteacher who graded you hard for your own good; a vaguely hippie-ish woman like your liberated aunt who brings up auras and innovative sexual positions at Thanksgiving; and the billionaire governor of Colorado who looks like the guy responsible for deciding the location of the Walmart that wrecks your town.”
-p.24 of The Last Election by Andrew Yang and Stephen Marche, ARC edition
There’s many quips like this throughout the novel, but the most thought-provoking are those that describe the state of democracy today:
“But they don’t vote for what they want. They don’t think about what they want when they vote now. The American people vote against what they don’t want.”
-p. 131
The above quote made alot of sense to me, even though up here in Canada, we have more than two political parties to choose from. But when I see the two candidates the U.S. currently has to choose from, I would be voting for what I don’t want too!
To read the rest of my reviews, please visit my blog:
https://ivereadthis.com/
September 12, 2023
“The Last Election” by Andrew Yang and Stephen Marche is a fictional look at how the 2024 presidential election could play out. I found it a very interesting book. Definitely a book to read if you are interested in politics and the dysfunctional system we find ourselves in leading into the 2024 presidential election.
The story is about the 3rd Party candidacy of the newly founded Maverick Party. The Maverick Party only has a candidate in the presidential election. One of their campaign slogans is to “Unfuck America”. They are aiming for the youth vote and the independents that are fed up with the extreme left Democratic candidate and the far right GOP candidate. All three candidates are wealthy billionaires. Cooper Sherman made his fortune in the tech industry. He is the youngest of the three candidates, but he is still 64 years old. The issue of the candidate’s ages is part of the story line where even Cooper has a hard time keeping up the pace required for the campaign.
Another story line within the book is the issue of the mainstream media displaying its bias for the Democrat and the alt-right media displaying its bias for the GOP. A reporter working the tip line of the New York Times receives a tip containing audio files of senior government officials discussing how to handle an election where none of the candidates wins the Electoral College. Essentially a Contingent Election that is dealt with by Article 12 of the Constitution. This has only happened one other time in the US history and occurred in 1824. The House votes for President with each state getting one vote. The Senate votes for the Vice President with one vote per state.
The New York Times refuses to run a story about this group of senior government officials and their discussions about how to act in case of a Contingent Election and if they should take over leadership of the country in a coup. The reporter struggles with how to get the story out to the American public so that they are aware of the potential for coup by senior government officials. The rise of the influencers on YouTube, etc. becomes a part of the story on how to make the information public.
Violence dominates the nominating conventions for all three parties by supporters of the other parties. The presidential debate does not occur due to violence at the site.
I will end my discussion of the story lines within the novel to avoid spoiling the ending. I think anyone interested in a way that the 2024 Election could play out, especially if a 3rd Party enters the race, would like this book. It has enough information to support your opinion of how you think about the various parties, the media, and they dysfunctional system we currently have in Washington. It does a good job of demonizing everyone to some extent.
I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers giveaway program. This is my fair and honest review of the book.
The story is about the 3rd Party candidacy of the newly founded Maverick Party. The Maverick Party only has a candidate in the presidential election. One of their campaign slogans is to “Unfuck America”. They are aiming for the youth vote and the independents that are fed up with the extreme left Democratic candidate and the far right GOP candidate. All three candidates are wealthy billionaires. Cooper Sherman made his fortune in the tech industry. He is the youngest of the three candidates, but he is still 64 years old. The issue of the candidate’s ages is part of the story line where even Cooper has a hard time keeping up the pace required for the campaign.
Another story line within the book is the issue of the mainstream media displaying its bias for the Democrat and the alt-right media displaying its bias for the GOP. A reporter working the tip line of the New York Times receives a tip containing audio files of senior government officials discussing how to handle an election where none of the candidates wins the Electoral College. Essentially a Contingent Election that is dealt with by Article 12 of the Constitution. This has only happened one other time in the US history and occurred in 1824. The House votes for President with each state getting one vote. The Senate votes for the Vice President with one vote per state.
The New York Times refuses to run a story about this group of senior government officials and their discussions about how to act in case of a Contingent Election and if they should take over leadership of the country in a coup. The reporter struggles with how to get the story out to the American public so that they are aware of the potential for coup by senior government officials. The rise of the influencers on YouTube, etc. becomes a part of the story on how to make the information public.
Violence dominates the nominating conventions for all three parties by supporters of the other parties. The presidential debate does not occur due to violence at the site.
I will end my discussion of the story lines within the novel to avoid spoiling the ending. I think anyone interested in a way that the 2024 Election could play out, especially if a 3rd Party enters the race, would like this book. It has enough information to support your opinion of how you think about the various parties, the media, and they dysfunctional system we currently have in Washington. It does a good job of demonizing everyone to some extent.
I received this book through the LibraryThing Early Reviewers giveaway program. This is my fair and honest review of the book.
September 19, 2023
I really liked this book, but I've never wavered on a 3.5 more than this.
Your enjoyment of this book will depend mainly on your "politics junkie" status, your support of Andrew Yang, and your partisanship.
The Last Election is the story of the last year of the 2024 election cycle with a third-party candidate, Cooper Sherman, upending the system. The chapters are separated by several weeks and highlight important moments of the campaign cycle: Media appearances, Super Tuesday, the debates, etc., and in between are significant events hinted at but rarely seen or explained.
In the background, there is a military conspiracy to overthrow the constitution and a reporter sitting on the story. Cooper's campaign managers and staff, a right-wing "problem solver," a tech billionaire, and others make up the window dressing to make the book move page by page.
I'll start with the general eye rollers and failures of the book.
The characters are not defined much at all. One wants a baby, but that's all we know. None of the campaign staff seem to have lives outside of hoping to save democracy. Cooper himself is as out of touch and hopeful as any actual candidates. The most interesting character is the right-wing mobster who drinks, commiserates, and tells his life story to prostitutes.
The assassinations, bombings, and street wars happen in the background, like on a news channel crawl. It felt like I was reading half, or even one-third, of a book. A chapter would end with an explosive, shocking act of violence, then jump forward 6 weeks, and it would never be mentioned again outside of some quip about the "rise in violence."
There are some NAUSEATING depictions and conversations about sex that add nothing to the book and come at the most ludicrous moments. Running from a gang of black-clad vigilantes would not get me horny, but maybe I'm the weird one. It all comes out of left field and exists in a vacuum, rarely acknowledged again.
Now, the good.
The book is fanfiction of how Andrew Yang wished his campaign had gone. It felt authentic like the authors were pulling from actual events. Bundling, campaign events, lobbying, navigating news scandals, etc., all rang authentic from experience.
The rise in violence and the reaction will be over the top until we see it happen in the real world, but it didn't seem that outlandish. Just the 2020 election turned up one degree more. The downward spiral of the country felt believable and rooted in policy. The news interviews and use of the natural world made it easy to visualize and feel.
The story is a page-turner, and I read this in just 3 sittings. It moved fast and made me wish there was a sequel or a midquel to fill the gap, telling the story from another character's POV.
I would recommend this to anyone who is into the news, and if you're a Yang fan, it is Tailor-made for you.
I will have to drop it to a 3-star but a 4-star if you are the target demographic.
Your enjoyment of this book will depend mainly on your "politics junkie" status, your support of Andrew Yang, and your partisanship.
The Last Election is the story of the last year of the 2024 election cycle with a third-party candidate, Cooper Sherman, upending the system. The chapters are separated by several weeks and highlight important moments of the campaign cycle: Media appearances, Super Tuesday, the debates, etc., and in between are significant events hinted at but rarely seen or explained.
In the background, there is a military conspiracy to overthrow the constitution and a reporter sitting on the story. Cooper's campaign managers and staff, a right-wing "problem solver," a tech billionaire, and others make up the window dressing to make the book move page by page.
I'll start with the general eye rollers and failures of the book.
The characters are not defined much at all. One wants a baby, but that's all we know. None of the campaign staff seem to have lives outside of hoping to save democracy. Cooper himself is as out of touch and hopeful as any actual candidates. The most interesting character is the right-wing mobster who drinks, commiserates, and tells his life story to prostitutes.
The assassinations, bombings, and street wars happen in the background, like on a news channel crawl. It felt like I was reading half, or even one-third, of a book. A chapter would end with an explosive, shocking act of violence, then jump forward 6 weeks, and it would never be mentioned again outside of some quip about the "rise in violence."
There are some NAUSEATING depictions and conversations about sex that add nothing to the book and come at the most ludicrous moments. Running from a gang of black-clad vigilantes would not get me horny, but maybe I'm the weird one. It all comes out of left field and exists in a vacuum, rarely acknowledged again.
Now, the good.
The book is fanfiction of how Andrew Yang wished his campaign had gone. It felt authentic like the authors were pulling from actual events. Bundling, campaign events, lobbying, navigating news scandals, etc., all rang authentic from experience.
The rise in violence and the reaction will be over the top until we see it happen in the real world, but it didn't seem that outlandish. Just the 2020 election turned up one degree more. The downward spiral of the country felt believable and rooted in policy. The news interviews and use of the natural world made it easy to visualize and feel.
The story is a page-turner, and I read this in just 3 sittings. It moved fast and made me wish there was a sequel or a midquel to fill the gap, telling the story from another character's POV.
I would recommend this to anyone who is into the news, and if you're a Yang fan, it is Tailor-made for you.
I will have to drop it to a 3-star but a 4-star if you are the target demographic.
September 6, 2023
I wish I could give fractional stars, because this really is a solid 3.5 - but rounding that up to a 4 didn't feel honest, so I rounded down to a 3. Here's the good:
* Very timely - this will be a cathartic anger read for anyone left-leaning through the upcoming presidential election,
* Educational, in a way people can absorb - by weaving it into the story, Yang makes an understanding of how elections are really decided accessible to Americans. A lot of people could use the explanation of electoral colleges and contingent elections, so that's great.
* On a line level some of the sentences and images are really strong.
* Very timely - this will be a cathartic anger read for anyone left-leaning through the upcoming presidential election,
* Educational, in a way people can absorb - by weaving it into the story, Yang makes an understanding of how elections are really decided accessible to Americans. A lot of people could use the explanation of electoral colleges and contingent elections, so that's great.
* On a line level some of the sentences and images are really strong.
September 24, 2023
I would round this review up to 2.5 because I desperately wanted to love it. I love political thrillers and I love politics. The content was good and the concept was enjoyable. I enjoyed this book from NetGalley and Recorded Books who provided me a copy of the audiobook of this publication, so I can provide an honest review.
Narration: The narrator, Jonathan Todd Ross, was excellent. He made the complex story, multiple characters and shifts across locations and times easy to listen to. His voice and inflections are a great addition to the book.
Story: I think I could better have appreciated this complex book as a paperback in hand. The story was engaging and the concept was exciting and terrifying. But I never really connected to the people in this story including the main characters, Mikey and Martha, along with the countless side characters. I could never really figure out who was working together to do what. I might have appreciated the complexities of this story better if it had recorded with additional indicators that had been omitted in the writing, such as: said Martha. Said Balfour. Said Mikey.
There is much dialogue and the added indicator cue language could have helped distinguish the multiple speakers. However, in an audiobook with so many twists and turns, it was hard for me to keep up.
I think many fans of political thrillers could find this enjoyable. However, for me, I would have liked to have better connected to who was doing what, to whom and why. I felt disconnected to the narrative and that was disappointing overall. All of this said, I listened to the recording twice just to see whether I could appreciate the story better if I slowed down during the second listen. But even on my second listen, I found it entertaining if not truly understandable or enjoyable.
I think many folks used to Tom Clancy novels, which I also enjoy, will enjoy this novel. However, it's been a while since I've enjoyed a political thriller which could be why it was hard for me to connect to the characters here. There are also quite a few over the top analogies which I felt were out of place in the world the authors worked hard to create. I can appreciate campy asides and analogies when reading straight noir or campy detective novels, but they felt out of place in a smart political thriller.
If you are like me and if you are looking for characters you can connect with like Sara Linton, Will Trent, Jack Reacher or Tess Monaghan or my friends from the Thursday Murder Club, you may feel entertained but slightly deprived with this story.
Narration: The narrator, Jonathan Todd Ross, was excellent. He made the complex story, multiple characters and shifts across locations and times easy to listen to. His voice and inflections are a great addition to the book.
Story: I think I could better have appreciated this complex book as a paperback in hand. The story was engaging and the concept was exciting and terrifying. But I never really connected to the people in this story including the main characters, Mikey and Martha, along with the countless side characters. I could never really figure out who was working together to do what. I might have appreciated the complexities of this story better if it had recorded with additional indicators that had been omitted in the writing, such as: said Martha. Said Balfour. Said Mikey.
There is much dialogue and the added indicator cue language could have helped distinguish the multiple speakers. However, in an audiobook with so many twists and turns, it was hard for me to keep up.
I think many fans of political thrillers could find this enjoyable. However, for me, I would have liked to have better connected to who was doing what, to whom and why. I felt disconnected to the narrative and that was disappointing overall. All of this said, I listened to the recording twice just to see whether I could appreciate the story better if I slowed down during the second listen. But even on my second listen, I found it entertaining if not truly understandable or enjoyable.
I think many folks used to Tom Clancy novels, which I also enjoy, will enjoy this novel. However, it's been a while since I've enjoyed a political thriller which could be why it was hard for me to connect to the characters here. There are also quite a few over the top analogies which I felt were out of place in the world the authors worked hard to create. I can appreciate campy asides and analogies when reading straight noir or campy detective novels, but they felt out of place in a smart political thriller.
If you are like me and if you are looking for characters you can connect with like Sara Linton, Will Trent, Jack Reacher or Tess Monaghan or my friends from the Thursday Murder Club, you may feel entertained but slightly deprived with this story.
June 8, 2024
This review is based on an audiobook edition obtained via NetGalley.
What a wretched slog of a book. I understand the end of democracy in the USA is not a cheery subject, but the presentation here lacks any thrill, hope, or honestly, meaning. The whole book feels like a bad faith argument, setting up dominoes for itself to knock over into its own forgone conclusions. In that sense, it doesn't challenge your thinking, so much as it tells you to just stop trying.
One of the big problems I had with this book was the constant mean-spirited editorialising of our omnipotent narrator. The story is told from a third person omniscient point of view, so we switch between multiple characters throughout (which is something I usually enjoy), mostly focusing on two main ones. However along this journey, we often get passages of opinion stated as fact, not from any particular character, but from the narrator themselves. In here features a number of screeds especially about the narrator's low-down opinions about journalists which I could barely stand to listen to and got me really, really close to DNF'ing.
Screeds aside, I also had a lot of trouble with the way we jumped between characters throughout the story, and I think the reason is twofold:
1) There are sections that come seemingly out of nowhere from the perspective of characters we never see again. In a different novel, I can see how this might have been a fun and interesting gimmick, allowing us for wider context of the slowly unfolding events. Instead here, I found it confusing because I really struggled to keep track of the side characters in the early book. Maybe this one's just on me, but the way I fixed it was to just stop caring.
2) Every character sounds the same. This is a big part of why I couldn't keep track of people. They all speak the same way, from seemingly much the same perspective and attitude: pompous yet depressed. It only twigged with me in one of the last chapters, where Rachel Maddow appears on a TV broadcast, and I thought to myself "this dialogue sounds nothing like Rachel Maddow, it sounds like literally every other character in this book".
On top of that, I didn't really like any of the characters, and even the one(s) I did were corrupted by stupid, bad moral decisions by the end. Why should I care about the end of a world where (by the narrator's own admission) every likeable, good, moral person ends up dead or corrupted?
What a wretched slog of a book. I understand the end of democracy in the USA is not a cheery subject, but the presentation here lacks any thrill, hope, or honestly, meaning. The whole book feels like a bad faith argument, setting up dominoes for itself to knock over into its own forgone conclusions. In that sense, it doesn't challenge your thinking, so much as it tells you to just stop trying.
One of the big problems I had with this book was the constant mean-spirited editorialising of our omnipotent narrator. The story is told from a third person omniscient point of view, so we switch between multiple characters throughout (which is something I usually enjoy), mostly focusing on two main ones. However along this journey, we often get passages of opinion stated as fact, not from any particular character, but from the narrator themselves. In here features a number of screeds especially about the narrator's low-down opinions about journalists which I could barely stand to listen to and got me really, really close to DNF'ing.
Screeds aside, I also had a lot of trouble with the way we jumped between characters throughout the story, and I think the reason is twofold:
1) There are sections that come seemingly out of nowhere from the perspective of characters we never see again. In a different novel, I can see how this might have been a fun and interesting gimmick, allowing us for wider context of the slowly unfolding events. Instead here, I found it confusing because I really struggled to keep track of the side characters in the early book. Maybe this one's just on me, but the way I fixed it was to just stop caring.
2) Every character sounds the same. This is a big part of why I couldn't keep track of people. They all speak the same way, from seemingly much the same perspective and attitude: pompous yet depressed. It only twigged with me in one of the last chapters, where Rachel Maddow appears on a TV broadcast, and I thought to myself "this dialogue sounds nothing like Rachel Maddow, it sounds like literally every other character in this book".
On top of that, I didn't really like any of the characters, and even the one(s) I did were corrupted by stupid, bad moral decisions by the end. Why should I care about the end of a world where (by the narrator's own admission) every likeable, good, moral person ends up dead or corrupted?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 16, 2023
The Last Election audiobook is not a book I would recommend. To be fair, I am not a political person, but I wanted to listen to this book because one of the authors is former presidential candidate Andrew Yang; and, though I was at odds with his political views during that run for the nomination, I thought he had a unique take on things, and I wanted to see how those unique perspectives might make their way into a book. Unfortunately, I was not prepared for the disdain and doomsday predictions that were so pervasive throughout this book.
This book is very critical and, at times, even mocking of certain political beliefs. I guess I wanted an interesting story but instead got an exaggerated, partisan political tale that paints people in the worst possible light.
Politics aside, the book spends a lot of time following a 3rd Party candidate who is very entertaining, but who then disappears for the last 25% of the book. This was disappointing, as he was a focal point and the best character in the story, in my opinion. There are unsettling relationships that seem to pop up with no explanation and no resolution. I didn't find the characters to be well-developed. A literary tool that I did not find appealing was the use of actual celebrities, news outlets, former presidents, current Senators, and well-known reporters in the book; especially in a story that is so filled with hate and extremism, it felt very odd to insert these real-life entities into the plot.
In the plus column, I did enjoy the narrator, who was easy to listen to and held my attention despite my not being a fan of this book overall.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.
This book is very critical and, at times, even mocking of certain political beliefs. I guess I wanted an interesting story but instead got an exaggerated, partisan political tale that paints people in the worst possible light.
Politics aside, the book spends a lot of time following a 3rd Party candidate who is very entertaining, but who then disappears for the last 25% of the book. This was disappointing, as he was a focal point and the best character in the story, in my opinion. There are unsettling relationships that seem to pop up with no explanation and no resolution. I didn't find the characters to be well-developed. A literary tool that I did not find appealing was the use of actual celebrities, news outlets, former presidents, current Senators, and well-known reporters in the book; especially in a story that is so filled with hate and extremism, it felt very odd to insert these real-life entities into the plot.
In the plus column, I did enjoy the narrator, who was easy to listen to and held my attention despite my not being a fan of this book overall.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook.
September 11, 2023
Mikey Ricci has worked on political campaigns and has become disillusioned with the deep state players - politically and financially. He has joined a third party candidate from the Maverick Party whose objectives are more in line with what he thinks elections and governing are all about. As the third party gains traction, it becomes apparent that the election may devolve into chaos as no candidate gathers the requisite number of electoral votes. At the same time, Martha Kass has been “demoted” from a front line report to monitoring the New York Times’ tip line. When she receives a recording that indicates that the military may be making plans if the election does result in a “no decision” but her editors will not let her run with the story. I don’t want to give any spoilers but suffice it to say that the possibilities of a divided Electoral College will test the American adventure in democracy. Andrew Yang was a candidate for the Democratic Party nomination in 2020 and subsequently formed the Forward Party. This book probably reflects his feelings about the current political climate in the country as well as giving the reader some insight into the behind the scenes political machinations involved in a presidential race. The story moves quickly along moving back and forth between the political operatives, the liberal press (not my connotation but Yang’s), and the multiple right- and left-wing factions currently in the country. This is certainly not a literary masterpiece but a relatively entertaining story that hopefully does not bode ill for the future of the county. My thanks to Akashic Books and Edelweiss for the ARC of this novel.
September 17, 2023
This novel written by former presidential candidate Andrew Yang and author Stephen Marche was pretty disappointing. The description said it would be "a gripping, intricately plotted political thriller". Unfortunately, I didn't find it any of those things. I didn't feel a "thrill" of it being "gripping". I was not worried that someone would save the day. The plot didn't seem "intricate" at all. It was pretty straight forward and plain using plot devices I've heard before.
The writing wasn't that great either. First, there was one sex scene and it was horrible. It truly sounded like an entry for a contest of bad writing. Next, the names of the characters weren't thought out very well. There was a character named Nellie who wasn't introduced until later in the book. At the Maverick Party national convention, they had celebrities and musical artists like at most political conventions. I was assuming this character was the rapper/singer Nelly and the dialogue wasn't making sense for a while. Finally, I figured out my mistake. Lastly, there was a LOT of "insider" talk that would happen during a political campaign. I'm sure this was meant to give authenticity to the story, but I kind of found myself getting lost with all of this campaign strategy and vocabulary.
I wish this review could've been more positive.
Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for an ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
The writing wasn't that great either. First, there was one sex scene and it was horrible. It truly sounded like an entry for a contest of bad writing. Next, the names of the characters weren't thought out very well. There was a character named Nellie who wasn't introduced until later in the book. At the Maverick Party national convention, they had celebrities and musical artists like at most political conventions. I was assuming this character was the rapper/singer Nelly and the dialogue wasn't making sense for a while. Finally, I figured out my mistake. Lastly, there was a LOT of "insider" talk that would happen during a political campaign. I'm sure this was meant to give authenticity to the story, but I kind of found myself getting lost with all of this campaign strategy and vocabulary.
I wish this review could've been more positive.
Thank you to RB Media and NetGalley for an ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.
September 18, 2023
The narrator kept the pace manageable. I listened at 2x speed and had no issues. It was a short book overall, so listening at an accelerated rate made it a quick car-read.
For the story, I found myself needing to do 30 sec rewinds regularly. Names were thrown around quickly and regularly, so it was a bit hard to keep up with the who's who game going on. The interconnectedness of all the characters + their spooling social networks was tough to keep track of when listening.
Pros: Realistic. Clearly the division within the country means we've seen many of these instances already play out and that more of them seem inevitable rather than merely possible. Nice to acknowledge the "games", the traded sex, the breakneck speed, the rotating door of subject matter experts that flits in or out based on the latest poll.
Cons: Nothing too mind blowing about the story itself in terms of originality. Martha's role didn't seem all that essential, and the fertility angle really bothered me on a personal level (even if much of its portrayal was heartbreakingly accurate). The celebs at the convention made me roll my eyes (can't we escape them, PLEASE).
Overall: 4 stars
I'll tell my students about: language, sex, alcohol, suicide/death, abortion, infertility/trauma
**Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media, Recorded Books for the free ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.**
For the story, I found myself needing to do 30 sec rewinds regularly. Names were thrown around quickly and regularly, so it was a bit hard to keep up with the who's who game going on. The interconnectedness of all the characters + their spooling social networks was tough to keep track of when listening.
Pros: Realistic. Clearly the division within the country means we've seen many of these instances already play out and that more of them seem inevitable rather than merely possible. Nice to acknowledge the "games", the traded sex, the breakneck speed, the rotating door of subject matter experts that flits in or out based on the latest poll.
Cons: Nothing too mind blowing about the story itself in terms of originality. Martha's role didn't seem all that essential, and the fertility angle really bothered me on a personal level (even if much of its portrayal was heartbreakingly accurate). The celebs at the convention made me roll my eyes (can't we escape them, PLEASE).
Overall: 4 stars
I'll tell my students about: language, sex, alcohol, suicide/death, abortion, infertility/trauma
**Thank you to NetGalley and RB Media, Recorded Books for the free ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.**
September 21, 2023
"The Last Election" is a novel by Andrew Yang and Stephen Marche, narrated by Jonathan Todd Ross.
This was my first read of a political thriller. It's pretty good, overall, with a focus on two political insiders in the 2024 election. Martha, a NY Times reporter, handles the Times tip line and is dealing with infertility and in vitro fertilization procedures in her personal life. Mikey is a campaign manager for the 3rd party (Maverick) candidate, Cooper (a thinly disguised Yang).
This novel explains by example why a 3rd party won't work in America and depicts growing violence that might ensue, as well as the fall of democracy. Then, when no party can be certified as the winner, the contingency election occurs. This archaic method of resolution last used in 1824 is still in the constitution in real life and must be changed before it happens!
Honestly, given the recent violence we already had in the 2020 election and the Jan. 6, 2021 rebellion at the Capitol, this book wasn't at all shocking nor unbelievable. It is, however, scary because it is so plausible.
The narration by Jonathan Todd Ross is exceptionally well done. He made the story better, and I recommend this narrator. He is easy to listen to, and the tone of his voice is pleasing.
Thank you to Netgalley and RB Media for providing me this audio book in exchange for my honest review.
This was my first read of a political thriller. It's pretty good, overall, with a focus on two political insiders in the 2024 election. Martha, a NY Times reporter, handles the Times tip line and is dealing with infertility and in vitro fertilization procedures in her personal life. Mikey is a campaign manager for the 3rd party (Maverick) candidate, Cooper (a thinly disguised Yang).
This novel explains by example why a 3rd party won't work in America and depicts growing violence that might ensue, as well as the fall of democracy. Then, when no party can be certified as the winner, the contingency election occurs. This archaic method of resolution last used in 1824 is still in the constitution in real life and must be changed before it happens!
Honestly, given the recent violence we already had in the 2020 election and the Jan. 6, 2021 rebellion at the Capitol, this book wasn't at all shocking nor unbelievable. It is, however, scary because it is so plausible.
The narration by Jonathan Todd Ross is exceptionally well done. He made the story better, and I recommend this narrator. He is easy to listen to, and the tone of his voice is pleasing.
Thank you to Netgalley and RB Media for providing me this audio book in exchange for my honest review.
January 8, 2024
I guess I expected a bit more; the subject matter is very scary and so pertinent to what is going on in the U.S. today. I don't really believe the Joint Chiefs of Staff would start a civil war, but then again, our country looks more and more like it could be headed in that direction.
Cooper Sherman is the most unlikeable third-party candidate I could possibly imagine. Of course, Sherman shares a lot of personality traits that some of our current presidential candidates possess, which makes the scenario even more disturbing.
The major female characters and their various sex-related preferences/conditions/outcomes are out of place in the book. As a matter of fact, none of the characters are particularly developed enough that the reader cares about any of them.
The Last Election does present enough realistic political situations that we all should probably prepare for/dread. The 2024 presidential election features no perfect candidates, and our democracy is definitely at stake. (Note: I am a registered Independent voter, so I vote the person, not the party.)
If this book makes some people reconsider their political views, then it has succeeded. If you can get past the obvious literary flaws in the characters, dialogue and certain storylines, there is valuable information presented that we all should learn from.
Cooper Sherman is the most unlikeable third-party candidate I could possibly imagine. Of course, Sherman shares a lot of personality traits that some of our current presidential candidates possess, which makes the scenario even more disturbing.
The major female characters and their various sex-related preferences/conditions/outcomes are out of place in the book. As a matter of fact, none of the characters are particularly developed enough that the reader cares about any of them.
The Last Election does present enough realistic political situations that we all should probably prepare for/dread. The 2024 presidential election features no perfect candidates, and our democracy is definitely at stake. (Note: I am a registered Independent voter, so I vote the person, not the party.)
If this book makes some people reconsider their political views, then it has succeeded. If you can get past the obvious literary flaws in the characters, dialogue and certain storylines, there is valuable information presented that we all should learn from.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2023
This is a hard one to rate. As a political thriller, it was fast paced, well-structured, and a quick read. Insights into government and campaigns, journalism, and constitutional provisions were particularly interesting.
I am a big Andrew Yang fan and was expecting something like Atlas Shrugged from this book. I like Yang because his message is hopeful and smart. We can solve poverty and face the changing future by working across political lines to solve problems all - despite political affiliation - can agree on. He started the forward party, a third party, as a way to (I think) strengthen democracy. I thought this book would further that message through a political thriller. Despite the title - the last election - I thought the maverick party would save the day.
Spoiler - they didn’t. The authors pretty much took notes from Barbara Walter’s How Civil Wars Start. And a big reason democracy lost in this book seemed to be the third party. So I am left now questioning whether third parties are too risky given our political climate. That couldn’t have been the goal, so what am I missing? What was the goal in writing this book? Just a political thriller?
I am a big Andrew Yang fan and was expecting something like Atlas Shrugged from this book. I like Yang because his message is hopeful and smart. We can solve poverty and face the changing future by working across political lines to solve problems all - despite political affiliation - can agree on. He started the forward party, a third party, as a way to (I think) strengthen democracy. I thought this book would further that message through a political thriller. Despite the title - the last election - I thought the maverick party would save the day.
Spoiler - they didn’t. The authors pretty much took notes from Barbara Walter’s How Civil Wars Start. And a big reason democracy lost in this book seemed to be the third party. So I am left now questioning whether third parties are too risky given our political climate. That couldn’t have been the goal, so what am I missing? What was the goal in writing this book? Just a political thriller?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 18, 2023
I purchased this book because I saw Yang and Marche speak, which was entertaining and uplifting.
The book however is not uplifting. If I see them again, I would ask why they decided to make their female characters so formulaic 1- the wife who wants to get pregnant and questions whether her career was worth not having a baby (and then annoyingly gets prego from extra marital sex), 2- the campaign staffer who is so good at what she does she watches "SAW" while she has sex (really, you can't like sex and be normal?), and 3- the good girl who commits suicide after having an abortion. And to think this is written by men who want to have a more diverse political party.
Secondly, The Maverick Party ends up being responsible for the end of democratic republic, is this an encouragement to join the Forward Party?
It was a quick read, which was nice but one of the big conundrums of the book is whether to publish a big story about military coup, when NYTs refuses to publish it, the wanna-be-mom leaks it. After all her soul searching and concern for her physical well-being and career the leak putters into nothing.
The book however is not uplifting. If I see them again, I would ask why they decided to make their female characters so formulaic 1- the wife who wants to get pregnant and questions whether her career was worth not having a baby (and then annoyingly gets prego from extra marital sex), 2- the campaign staffer who is so good at what she does she watches "SAW" while she has sex (really, you can't like sex and be normal?), and 3- the good girl who commits suicide after having an abortion. And to think this is written by men who want to have a more diverse political party.
Secondly, The Maverick Party ends up being responsible for the end of democratic republic, is this an encouragement to join the Forward Party?
It was a quick read, which was nice but one of the big conundrums of the book is whether to publish a big story about military coup, when NYTs refuses to publish it, the wanna-be-mom leaks it. After all her soul searching and concern for her physical well-being and career the leak putters into nothing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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