Famous Last Words

Katie Alender’s Famous Last Words fuses the conventions of the young adult (YA) coming-of-age novel with those of the paranormal thriller to externalize its protagonist’s internal trauma. At its core, the narrative is a coming-of-age story, or bildungsroman: Willa must navigate a new school, adjust to a wealthy stepfather, and negotiate the social hierarchies of a cliquey institution where she is sorted into the “Hollywood kids” (31). In the process, she develops an authentic identity, finds her courage, and learns to trust her instincts. This character arc aligns with conventions of YA fiction, which often focuses on adolescent struggles with identity, family, and belonging, as seen in foundational works like S. E. Hinton’s The Outsiders (1967). Willa’s story, however, overlays these realistic problems with a paranormal layer that gives her anxieties a terrifying physical form. Her new home is haunted, and she is plagued by visions she cannot control, forcing her to question her mental well-being: “Had it really been an earthquake…or was it just in my head?” (9).

This use of a haunted setting to amplify psychological distress is a classic horror trope, notably employed in Stephen King’s The Shining (1977), where a hotel’s malevolent energy preys on the existing dysfunctions of the Torrance family. Similarly, the ghostly presence in Willa’s house latches onto her unprocessed grief and guilt surrounding her father’s death. The frightening paranormal events, such as seeing a corpse in the pool or being held underwater, are not random; they are manifestations of her trauma, guilt, and emotional isolation. By blending these genres, Alender creates a narrative where the ghost story becomes a powerful metaphor for the overwhelming and often isolating experience of adolescent trauma.