Book Club October Review: Last Orders

[Fionn]

I really enjoyed this, I thought it was a poignant and very moving story of ordinary people's lives. I thought the different narrators device worked well. Must admit I saw the film first so couldn't get Michael Caine, Helen Mirren etc out of my head when I read it.

I enjoyed this too, but though I hadn't seen the film, I had seen the trailers so Tom Courtenay was in my mind's eye. I also liked the way it was presented from different viewpoints. Very impressed with Graham Swift as I read Waterland a long time ago, and from what I remember it was very different in style and feel to this.

I read this a couple of years ago but I haven't seen the film. From the choice of actors, I would imagine it is quite a good version.
Anyway, to the book. I'm not sure how much I enjoyed it, really. I wanted to finish it but at times I got a bit fed up and wanted them to get on and do the deed and go home! I found the characters difficult to distinguise between, had to keep going back and check which one was married to whom etc.

I think it was an interesting bit of social commentary, with the woman going off regularly to see her disabled daughter and the growing apart of the family who emigrated, with lack of communications between OZ and the UK.

The whole book definitely has an unusual theme yet showcasing ordinary everyday lives.