Reviews

Late in the Day by Tessa Hadley

lisanreads's review against another edition

4.0

There were times when I did not know whether I could separate personal experience from my love of this novel, but Hadley is so brilliant that I was able to do so. Two couples with nearly lifelong friendships become unmoored when when one dies unexpectedly. The characters become real almost immediately, and the plotting is terrific.

jillybebe's review against another edition

3.0

This book reminds me of the kind of novels written by Anita Brookner: Small, claustrophobic, studied.

common1's review against another edition

4.0

Decades into their friendship, two couples suffer a loss when a husband of one couple unexpectedly passes away. Together, the three friends struggle to put their lives back together in his absence, occasionally looking back in time to their evolving friendship. Hadley writes with a precise lyricism, fashioning characters that lifelike, dimensional and relatable.

allyann's review against another edition

3.0

I have enjoyed Tessa Hadley's other books but this one didn't engage me at all. Dull and unsympathetic characters and a thin plot. Hope she returns to form.

lindseyjones's review against another edition

DNF at 30% - this might be my fault bc I was trying to read this the week of the election, but I could not convince myself to give a single sh*t about these characters or this story and I love a messy story about grief and marriage and friendship. It was so rambling! Why! 

asamandawanders's review against another edition

2.0

Thank you to the publisher and Edelweiss for the ARC.

hein's review against another edition

reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Death of parent

Minor: Alcohol

fsleineweber's review against another edition

4.0

I received this book in a giveaway, and I really enjoyed it. I like her style of writing. It isn’t overtly dramatic or exciting, and the story unfolds in a much more subtle way. Still, I find that the characters have a lot of depth to them, and it keeps me reading.

jaclyncrupi's review against another edition

5.0

This might be my favourite Tessa Hadley and I have LOVED them all!

vacantbones's review against another edition

1.0

I don't have anything against literary fiction, per se, but Late in the Day is just dreadfully boring. The characters aren't interesting enough to make their bad decisions and betrayals feel consequential, and it all feels emptily artsy. I just set the book down three minutes ago and I already can't recall why anything that happened in the past or present of the story mattered to four people who clearly don't like each other.

Also, why do authors make the stylistic choice to forgo quotation marks? It makes me want to tear my hair out the entire time I'm reading.