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| Plot Summary of The Last Time They Met |
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"
Little, Brown; Apr 2001, 24.95, 313 pp.
ISBN: 0316781142
When semi-recluse, but renowned poet Thomas Janes learns that his peer Linda Fallon will make an appearance at a Toronto literary conference, he decides to attend too. Both over fifty, Thomas and Linda once shared a torrid love affair when both were married other people. That affair ended quite horribly with Thomas and Linda tragically having broken hearts.
Now together they look back over time to the moments when their lives converged. Twenty-five years have passed since they had that disastrous love affair, but neither one ever forgot the other over the subsequent decades. They vividly remember back to high school in the Northeast United States where their obsession first began. Linda and Thomas have always wondered whether they could have done something different as regrets of what they both believe should have been still haunt them.
Anita Shreve goes back in time to one of her previous novels to resurrect Thomas, husband of the narrator (Jean) of THE WEIGHT OF WATER. The story line uses a reverse chronological order to tell his side of the tale. This technique adds uniqueness though can bewilder a reader at times. The gripping story line works as the audience empathizes with Linda and Thomas yet retains sympathy for some of the support cast impacted by their love for another. Anita Shreve has written a strong relationship drama that her fans will want to reread.
Harriet Klausner
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Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar
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"Woven with threads from past writings the author has tempted us to delve into our deepest thoughts about relationships in general, love, loss, lust, growth, pain and suffering for our youth and leaves us questioning our place. With frequent hints of past book characters, she does an outstanding job of setting the place for confusion which accomplishes exactly what she sets out to do."
deb h, Resident Scholar
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| Review Analysis of The Last Time They Met |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Tone of book?
- thoughtful
Time/era of story
- 1980's-1999
Romance/Romance Problems
Yes
Kind of romance:
- rekindling lost love/marriage
Family, loving relations
Yes
Special relationship with
- aunt
Internal struggle/realization?
Yes
Struggle over
- vague finding self/purpose in life (i.e. no plot to book)
Is this an adult or child's book?
- Adult or Young Adult Book
Main Character
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- writer
Age:
- 40's-50's
- 60's-90's
Has magical powers?
Yes
Magical/mental powers of main character:
- can read emotions
Eccentric/Mental
Yes
Eccentric:
- obsessed
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Main Adversary
Identity:
- none
- society
Age:
- 40's-50's
Eccentric/Smart/Dumb:
Yes
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- throughout most of the book.
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 2 ()
Africa
Yes
Kind of Africa:
- White Enclave
The Americas (not US):
Yes
The Americas:
- Canada
Small town?
Yes
Small town people:
- nice, like Andy/Opie/Aunt Bee
Style
Person
- mostly 1st
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
Sex in book?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- vague references
- descript of kissing
Unusual Style:
- a lot of flashback and forwards
- a lot of stream of consciousness
Amount of dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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