Scan barcode
A review by jstilts
So Late in the Day by Claire Keegan
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Claire Keegan has a lovely writing style, but I'm thankful this is such a short story - a very depressing little tale about two cold people who decide to marry, then don't.
It's hard to believe in their relationship at all as the man has no redeeming features, not even anything excitingly awful - he's just casually cheap, blandly unappreciative, lazily misogynistic - but not in ways that fire the blood. Sabine is barely sketched - just a barely-there presence. They are both grey and blah, and you're left wondering why they ever bothered to pursue this non-relationship past the first day.
Regardless, there is something compelling about the writing - I'll be interested to try a longer novel by this author and hope it has a bit more substance to it.
It's hard to believe in their relationship at all as the man has no redeeming features, not even anything excitingly awful - he's just casually cheap, blandly unappreciative, lazily misogynistic - but not in ways that fire the blood. Sabine is barely sketched - just a barely-there presence. They are both grey and blah, and you're left wondering why they ever bothered to pursue this non-relationship past the first day.
Regardless, there is something compelling about the writing - I'll be interested to try a longer novel by this author and hope it has a bit more substance to it.
Content Warnings
Minor: Body shaming, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, and Alcohol