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A review by bluefairybug
End Of A Century by Paul Carnahan
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
5.0
Me for the first 95% of this book: "Aww, what a lovely story. I hope they find the original owner of the suit."
Me at 95%: "No, no no!" TEARS.
I read Paul's first book (How Soon is Now) last year and it was easily a 5 star read. This means I approached his new book with a mixture of delight and apprehension, what if it didn't live up to the previous one? But I did not need to worry. Paul has knocked it out of the park again and written another 5 star book.
Set in both Glasgow and London in the 1990s, End of a Century is the story of a suit. Yes that's right, a suit. Having bought a second-hand suit in Glasgow, Des decides to go on a journey to find out who it had been made for and why. Whilst I've never been to Glasgow, and was only a child in the 90s, the descriptions of Camden didn't seem too far removed from what it is like now in 2025.
Despite the fact we only "meet" Tyler a handful of times throughout the book, I had an intense dislike for him. On the other hand, Erin only appears as a name in one chapter, and yet I cried. (Getting very close to a spoiler there). Paul really does write fantastic, believable characters bringing just the right amount of backstory to each of them.
This book is an easy 5 star for me, and I can't wait to find out what's coming next.
Me at 95%: "No, no no!" TEARS.
I read Paul's first book (How Soon is Now) last year and it was easily a 5 star read. This means I approached his new book with a mixture of delight and apprehension, what if it didn't live up to the previous one? But I did not need to worry. Paul has knocked it out of the park again and written another 5 star book.
Set in both Glasgow and London in the 1990s, End of a Century is the story of a suit. Yes that's right, a suit. Having bought a second-hand suit in Glasgow, Des decides to go on a journey to find out who it had been made for and why. Whilst I've never been to Glasgow, and was only a child in the 90s, the descriptions of Camden didn't seem too far removed from what it is like now in 2025.
Despite the fact we only "meet" Tyler a handful of times throughout the book, I had an intense dislike for him. On the other hand, Erin only appears as a name in one chapter, and yet I cried. (Getting very close to a spoiler there). Paul really does write fantastic, believable characters bringing just the right amount of backstory to each of them.
This book is an easy 5 star for me, and I can't wait to find out what's coming next.