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Reality TV shows tend to be light and brainless—whether they follow a baking competition or the lives of a group of frienemies. But in Last Chance Live! by author Helena Haywoode Henry, a reality competition is a matter of life or death for its young contestants.
The story finds 18-year-old death row inmate Eternity Price betting on her last chance at freedom when she applies to be a contestant on a reality TV show. Last Chance Live! brings together a group of young inmates, who compete for viewers’ votes. Each week, the contestant with the fewest votes is returned to prison to have their sentence carried out immediately, while the winner is allowed to go free. Eternity fears that America won’t really like her—but she’s determined to fight as hard as she can to get back home to her little brother, Sincere.
While most novels about contestants on reality TV competitions are dishy and lighthearted, that’s not the case here. Though it does offer a few glimpses into the typical trash-talking and posturing, the purpose of the competition and the consequences of being voted off make it very different. From the beginning, Last Chance Live! is heavy and heartbreaking. As Eternity fights to get through one elimination ceremony after another, readers get to know more about her past—and the series of tragedies that eventually led her to appear on this show.
Eternity isn’t exactly a likable character; after all, she’s clearly on death row for a reason—one that’s slowly revealed as her story plays out. But, no matter what the people around her may have made her believe, she’s not just a bad person. She’s not just fat or ugly or unlikable. She’s just a kid who loved her family—whose mother had great things planned for her future—who had one loved one after another taken from her until she found herself desperate and alone. Eternity’s story is one of loss and hopelessness—a commentary on the challenges that teens (especially teens of color and those living in lower income communities) face each day. And though there are touches of humor and friendship and hope here, it’s the kind of read that will weigh heavy on your heart long after you finish the last page.
Last Chance Live! is not a fun reality TV story; it’s a heartbreaking tale of one desperate teenager’s fight for survival—and, if she can manage it, freedom and friendship and forgiveness, too. It’s not an easy read, but it’s a thoughtful and powerful one that you won’t forget.
Listen to the review on Shelf Discovery:
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