Provocative, unusual and absolutely luminous.

Last Seen starts with an unforgettable statement, "I am one of those boys they keep finding in the river." Thus we meet Caleb, who died right before Christmas, his voice and story is joined by others, Matthew who was looking for his ex, Leo running through the woods and Steven.

Castellani provides an atmospheric and almost claustrophobic read as we hear the stories of the men in different rivers, from different times, and for different reasons. The stories slowly unwind the truth in what happened to each man, each boy and what happens when their bodies are found. Haunting, lyrical, beautiful and unforgettable #Vikingpenguin #lastseen #christophercastellani

I really enjoyed getting to read this book, it had that element that I was looking for from the cover and description, it was everything that I was looking for and worked well in the genre. The characters were so well written and was hooked from the first page and enjoyed how good the overall feel was. Christopher Castellani was able to weave a strong writing style and had that character development that I was looking for and glad they worked overall.

Christopher Castellani’s LAST SEEN is best experienced with as little prior knowledge as possible. It’s a novel that invites you on an unpredictable journey - one filled with quiet revelations, emotional turns, and haunting beauty.

Castellani’s prose is absolutely opulent. His writing flows like a river, immersive and lyrical, pulling you into the emotional undercurrents of the characters' lives. I felt as though I were drifting alongside them, getting closer with every page, drawn into their inner worlds in a way that was both intimate and deeply affecting.

This book broke my heart in the best possible ways - again and again - and somehow managed to piece it back together. Even now, days after finishing it, the characters linger. I find myself thinking of them in quiet moments, as if they still walk beside me, pausing with me in unexpected places, etched into both mind and heart.

LAST SEEN is a story that stays with you. It’s not just read - it’s felt.

This book was really hard for me to get into due to the pacing. The sections of the book were so long, and the book was not what I expected. I thought we could get more of character POVs instead we get third POV. I was not the right target audience for this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Viking Penguin for the digital ARC copy.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. This book reached inside and squeezed my core. The stories told from multiple men who disappeared. I was consumed by their backstories and what got them to where they are now. Told from the viewpoint of all of them, this was a fascinating plot and way to narrate. My heart broke at many times while reading. Mostly because when people really do disappear I wonder if this is the way could they tell their own tales or keep an eye on us. Beautifully tragic and well written.