The superplague seems like a minor part of the plot in comparison to Lucy's many personal problems, but Maazel uses it to make some profound observations of modern America. The idea of bio-terrorism doesn't seem all that ridiculous — at least, no more ridiculous than the threat of nuclear war felt when Kurt Vonnegut began writing his post-apocalyptic prose in the 1950s and '60s.

It's this threat — one that has remained in the back of people's minds since 2001 even if it still hasn't happened — that makes Maazel's story work, because Last Last Chance becomes more about real fear of death than the self-absorbed complaints of a drug addict. It's not just the threat or the panic felt throughout the novel, it's the apathy and selfishness that comes as a result of bio-terrorism. As the cable news programs hype up the threat of superplague, Lucy observes that "panic is understudied for something so destructive and ubiquitous...What of the people whose panic results in apathy? The mind scrambling for purchase. Indecision or madness. Flee to the suburbs or flee this life." Through Lucy's narration, Maazel suggests that fear of the unknown can breed panic, and this is an apt observation in a time where we fear terrorism.

At the same time, Maazel has weaved an excellent story about the dangers of addiction. It's not a cautionary tale, but it does show how drugs have ruined Lucy's life. Unlike her mother Isifrid, Lucy is willing to try to overcome her addictions, and does learn to manage them in the end. Yet, the damage of addiction is still felt; she has difficulties with real relationships, and even though she spends time in rehab and frequents her 12-step meetings, she still deals with anxiety and her own personal fears. Lucy also seeks out a spiritual life, and at the end of the novel she speaks to God but hears nothing in return. Even though she manages to overcome drugs, not everyone does, and her sense of "making it" is never fully restored.

Throughout Last Last Chance, Maazel isn't after happy endings. Instead, Last Last Chance is a book about recognizing fear and uncertainty, and showing that even in the lowest places of society, the American dream of rags to riches isn't always possible. Maazel's voice is bitingly satiric and hopelessly pathetic, the exact opposite of a novelist out to make the world a happy place. As a result, Last Last Chance is the right portrayal for a 21st Century America, an America trying to make sense of chaos and fear despite our growing apathy.