The Last Time They Met

One of Shreve's best. The flashbacks were well inter-woven and pulled me into the history of the two friends and lovers. The most thoughtful part of the novel was the ending sequence, though. It got me thinking about what possibly goes on in our minds when we are facing death and how the universe could quite possibly work. I guess we will never know until we get to that point ourselves, but its always interesting to speculate.

Thomas Janes never forgot Linda Fallon. They first meet at 17 in a Boston high school poetry class and the connection is instant. Linda's Catholicism is a dominant theme throughout the book with references to Magdalene and acts of confession. What is pivotal in this story is the intense love between Thomas and Linda, one which sets a tone that overshadows all others, even when both are 26 and married. There are distinct periods in their lives which Shreve captures well and readers are hooked by the kind of force field that keeps igniting again and again. When both are 52 and in middle age ... they meet up in Toronto at a poet's festival where another attempt at partnership happens. What is sad is that, despite all those years, nothing can erase a yearning for a love bound by history and circumstance.

Ok, I admit, I'm still confused. But, unlike many reviewers, I'm not angry about it. I'm titilated. Afterall, not every author could blow your socks off on the last page. I'll even admit that after I finished the book, I went back and reread the first chapter again, picking up on things I'd missed before.I definitely feel this book could keep a reading group debating for hours. And, that is what makes for a great read--something that haunts you, makes you think, even curse, question your sanity, or question the author's sanity. But anyone who reads this completely through and comes away with a "ho hum" attitude is either brain dead or decieving his/herself. You'll either love it or hate it, there isn't much room for complacency in this novel.It did remind me a little of the movie Momento in terms of starting at the end and working backwards and finally wondering what actually happened. Writing in reverse order (from ending to beginning) like Shreve did cannot be easy and for this alone I applaud her.Don't listen to the naysayers. Give this book a chance. And if you're convinced you understand it completely, drop me a line! You're someone worth talking to....

I adored this book, and there aren't many that merit that description. Shreve had me in the palm of her hand until the end, then I reread the first third and picked up on oh-so-many clever foreshadowings and outright CLUES to what had happened to Thomas. Brilliant, brilliant writing. It's not a book about adultery at all, but about how a tragic loss can color a life forever, burden a life with guilt that cannot be assuaged. "Does time help?" Linda asks. "No," Thomas answered, speaking with the conviction of "long experience." Oh, my. Now I see. Not to be missed--but it requires an effort on the part of the reader.

I'll be the first to admit, I am a big fan of Anita Shreve! I have read all of her books and had the opportunity to hear her read the first chapter of this book during a recent book tour. She peeked my interest at the book reading and I walked away wanting to know the rest of the story. Well, I couldn't put this book down. In my opinion, it is the very best of all of her novels. Definitely, a page turner and the ending was amazing. She does an excellent job of tying in little details that move from the present relationship between Thomas and Linda to the first day they met. Their relationship made me think of Romeo and Juliet in the fact that they experienced true love at such a young age. Anita Shreve does an excellent job of writing about love that can last a lifetime no matter what twists and turns a life can take. I too reread the last few pages again and actually went back and reread the beginning as well.