X-Book

The Last One

Click Buy to Log in and see personalised pricing.

Send as a gift Get in the xigxag app
How does xigxag pricing work?

Listen to a sample

What to expect

'Taut, tense and at times almost unbearably real' Sunday Times bestseller Ruth Ware

'A smart twist on the apocalypse' Reader Review

'Shows what impact our times have on the ways we think. A compelling entry into the post-apocalypse genre' Kirkus

***

She wanted an adventure. But what if it never ends?

When Zoo agrees to take part in a new reality TV show, In The Dark, she's hoping for a challenge. Facing eleven competitors, she's prepared for her physical and mental strength to be tested in a series of unforgiving survival tasks.

But as her fellow contestants are overcome by hunger, injury and psychological breakdown, Zoo becomes increasingly afraid. Because the deserted TV set and gruesome props are starting to feel all too real.

Is there something they're not telling Zoo about the world outside?

Critics Review

A high-concept, high-octane affair ... The conceit is undoubtedly clever and well executed, but what makes The Last One such a page-turner is Zoo herself: practical, tough-minded and appealing
Guardian
Clever in its concept and gripping in its delivery. This propulsive book is for everyone who ever thought reality television signalled the end of the world. Haunting, moving, and remarkable
We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves
The Last One seamlessly melds two of our contemporary obsessions -- the threat of global catastrophe; the staged drama of reality TV -- into a fiercely imagined tale of the human psyche under stress. An uncompromising, thought-provoking debut
The Passage
Taut, tense and at times almost unbearably real, The Last One is both a compelling read, and a terrifyingly believable evocation of survival against the odds
In a Dark, Dark Wood
Alexandra Oliva's apocalyptic thriller The Last One poses another deeply relevant question: How is reality created and perpetuated by the media? Oliva brilliantly scrutinizes the recorded (and heavily revised) narratives we believe, and the last 100 pages will have the reader constantly guessing just what Zoo is capable of doing to find her way back home.
Washington Post

Page-turning and deeply unsettling.

Sister
Tense and gorgeous and so damn clever. I loved every second.
The Shining Girls
Clever in the best sense: Oliva is able to skewer reality show culture and dystopian tropes while never letting concept or critique become more important than a good yarn. The novel is thoroughly steeped in its times-the use of a Reddit-like forum plays a key plot role-but unlike other dystopian novels, it doesn't so much use contemporary times to warn us about potential future collapse as it shows what impact our times have on the ways we think about identity and human relationships. An astute and compelling entry into the post-apocalypse genre
Kirkus
Gripping portrayal of an ordinary person's evolving survival instincts as she realizes she can't trust the reality she sees
Booklist
Tense, riveting, and timely - The Last One is a conceptually brilliant novel, one you'll race to finish
Girl Unknown

User Reviews

Book 5.0
Narration 5.0
Author Alexandra Oliva
Narrator Mike Chamberlain, Nicol Zanzarella
Duration 12 hours and 20 minutes
Release Date
ISBN 9781405926874
Format Audiobook
Publisher Penguin Books Ltd
Genre Dystopian and utopian fiction, Modern and contemporary fiction, Psychological thriller
Collections Reality Reads
Availability AU, GB, IE
Rating
5.0 (1 review)
Narration
5.0 (1 review)

About xigxag

xigxag is an independent, UK-based audiobook platform and the UK’s only B Corp certified audiobook company. We offer nearly 150,000 audiobooks, all with professional human narration. No AI-generated voices. xigxag is rated an Ethical Consumer Best Buy for audiobooks and a top-rated ethical bookshop.

There is no subscription. You buy the audiobooks you want, you own them permanently, and prices start at £8.99. The more you listen over the year, the less you pay per book, and there is always a selection in Listen for Less from £3.99. You can also send audiobooks as gifts using our audiobook gift cards or in-app gifting.

Every audiobook on xigxag has honest reviews covering both the book and the narration, and our community features make it easy to share what you are listening to, discover what others recommend, and find your next listen.

Download or stream on iOS, Android, or in your browser. Browse the full catalogue at xigxag.co.uk.