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A review by littoral
So Late in the Day: Stories of Women and Men by Claire Keegan
4.0
I loved Claire Keegan's previous two releases, FOSTER and SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE, so I jumped at the chance to review SO LATE IN THE DAY, her newest collection of 3 short stories about the relationships between women and men. Those who have read Keegan before will be familiar with the close distance she brings the reader to the characters, and the details she captures in each scene to describe the characters.
My favorite of the three stories was the titular SO LATE IN THE DAY, in which the protagonist Cathal proceeds through his workday while reflecting on the parallel trajectory of his relationship with Sabine - with an ending that is not unexpected and yet satisfying. In THE LONGER AND PAINFUL DEATH, a writer takes a weeklong retreat at a seaside home of a German writer, where she interacts with an unwanted guest. In ANTARCTICA, a married woman plans a weekend affair which slowly unravels into more than she expected.
In all three stories, Keegan masterfully guides the reader through the narrators' headspace, and traces their interactions with other characters in sometimes unexpected ways - the plots creep sinuously along until you realize you're somewhere other than when you started, much as sometimes occurs in reality. Fans of her previous work will find much to like, but note that the tone in these stories was darker and more discomfiting than the two previous works of hers I'd read.
Thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
My favorite of the three stories was the titular SO LATE IN THE DAY, in which the protagonist Cathal proceeds through his workday while reflecting on the parallel trajectory of his relationship with Sabine - with an ending that is not unexpected and yet satisfying. In THE LONGER AND PAINFUL DEATH, a writer takes a weeklong retreat at a seaside home of a German writer, where she interacts with an unwanted guest. In ANTARCTICA, a married woman plans a weekend affair which slowly unravels into more than she expected.
In all three stories, Keegan masterfully guides the reader through the narrators' headspace, and traces their interactions with other characters in sometimes unexpected ways - the plots creep sinuously along until you realize you're somewhere other than when you started, much as sometimes occurs in reality. Fans of her previous work will find much to like, but note that the tone in these stories was darker and more discomfiting than the two previous works of hers I'd read.
Thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.