#BlogTour: Last Stop Tokyo by James Buckler @DoubledayUK #LastStopTokyo

Published by Doubleday/Transworld on 24th August 2017. My thanks to the publisher for the review copy and to Anne Cater for inviting me on to the blog tour.

The funny thing with suffering is just when you think you’ve suffered enough, you realize it’s only the beginning.

Alex thought running away would make everything better. Six thousand miles from the mistakes he’s made and the people he’s hurt, Tokyo seems like the perfect escape. A new life, a new Alex.

The bright lights and dark corners of this alien and fascinating city intoxicate him, and he finds himself transfixed by this country, which feels like a puzzle that no one can quite explain. And when Alex meets the enigmatic and alluring Naoko, the peace he sought slips ever further from his grasp.

After all, trust is just betrayal waiting to happen and Alex is about to find out that there’s no such thing as rock bottom. There’s always the chance it’ll get worse . . .

My Thoughts:

Last Stop Tokyo is the debut novel by exciting author James Buckler. I found it intriguing and highly compelling, I was drawn in by the writing style and hooked after the very first chapters. 

Alex is an English teacher and goes to Japan, as a means of escape. He has a craving for anonymity. Things however do not run smoothly for him, a spiral of destruction leads him into dire situations. 

He meets Naoko, who is a lady that he is almost compelled to, so drawn is he to her. What ensues is a gripping roller coaster of a read, that I was utterly beguiled by.

Tokyo itself is described in vivid detail, the bright lights of the big city, the noise and the hustle and bustle. There is always an undercurrent here though, one of imminent danger, a certain edge to the Tokyo that is described in this story. One where foreigners may not be fully welcomed. 

The unlikeable characters, give the story depth and dimension and a certain hazardous reality to events.

At 280 pages, Last Stop Tokyo, packs quite a punch, it has an excellent finale, and a build up to it that is enough to keep the reader sitting on the edge of their seat. Most definitely one of the most original and satisfying novels I have read this year.

I would love to read more from James Buckler in the future, a bright fresh talent. 

About the Author:

James Buckler grew up in the South West of England and currently lives in London. In the past he lived in America and Japan, where he worked as an English teacher, providing inspiration for Last Stop Tokyo. He studied Film at the University of Westminster and worked in film & TV for many years, most notably as a post-production specialist for MTV and BBC Films. Last Stop Tokyo is his debut novel.



Please do have a look at the other stops on the blog tour: