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Summary: The book you'll think about after you read it.
Review: Most of the time when I read a book, I just read it. I do not need to think about it because typically the endings of the books I read resolve the plot. However, the ending of this book made me examine the plot again and question what had happened and why which made this book a total reading experience. I'll admit that the first part of the book was a chore to get through but towards the end of it, I could not wait to get to the next part. The second part of the book I felt was more of a visual experience due to the vivid descriptions of Kenya. The third part was an emotional experience because of the highly dramatic moments that occur. This is my first time reading anything by Anita Shreve and if her other books are as spellbinding as this one, I think I might become a fan.
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Summary: Shocker
Review: The Last Time They Met has a slow and somewhat confusing start but once you get the characters and the time frame straight it is an enjoyable read. The author describes Africa in such detail you can see it in your minds eye. I had the ending of the book all figured out until I got to the last page. What a shocker. I had to go back and read it twice. I still can't believe it. Give the book a chance I think you'll be as surprised about the ending as I was.
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Summary: Hit Over the Head!
Review: The novel took me awhile to get into -the events move backwards in time, constantly teasing the reader with things to come. Initially, I found this frustrating and confusing. It finally settled in and I enjoyed it enormously. The ending struck me so hard I felt like I was hit over the head!
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Summary: Don't waste your time
Review: I HATED the ending, which was not even believable. I felt manipulated and cheated. I found the rest of the book mildly interesting, but I would not dream of re-reading to "look for clues" as other reviewers have suggested. It's not worth my time. While the idea of writing backwards (from present to past) is clever, it cries out for an ending which justifies the preceding 312 pages.
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Summary: A slow start, but a strong finish!
Review: I had a difficult time with the beginning of the book, but thanks to long airport lines and two delayed flights, I am glad I hung in there until the end. For anyone who doesn't believe that true love still exists, read this book renew your faith!Quite a story, and a great storyteller.
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Summary: Read to help you fall asleep...
Review: I am so sorry I bought this book, I simply could not get into it. I was too busy trying to figure out who's perspective was being shared throughout each chapter. I found it boring and to difficult to follow. I wish I would have read some of these editorials before I bought it, it is the only book on my shelf I couldn't get myself to finish...
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Summary: Read Weight of Water--it ties in with this book
Review: I think that this book is much better if you read Weight of Water immediately after finishing this one. They are related and add to each other. I wasn't happy with this book's ending but then I went on to read Shreve's Weight of Water and it made me feel differently about this one. Try it.
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Summary: I felt ripped off!!!
Review: It is hard to discuss the reasons why I felt betrayed by this book without giving away too much, but suffice it to say that the ending of this book left me with a feeling of "Why did I bother?" In addition to the let down I felt at the end, I found that Shreve described every detail ad nauseum. I felt the need to break out the thesaurus on more than one occasion just to make sure I really knew what she was driving at.
I haven't read Weight of Water, so I did not know Thomas going into this book. Maybe if I had, I would have felt more connected, but in the end, I really felt as though the whole novel was a waste of time; a waste of my time, a waste of Shreve's time and especially a waste of time and energy on behalf of these characters.
In my opinion: Not one of Shreve's best.
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Summary: Breathtaking imagery matching a shocking ending
Review: I bought this and The Pilot's Wife at the same time. Read The Pilot's Wife first and hated it so was almost reluctant to get into The Last Time They Met. Yes, it's a little heavy-going at first, but oh! the character development, Thomas and Linda's obsession. I had to read the final page three times to really comprehend what had happened. And then immediately returned to the beginning to look for clues. They were there, they were so subtle it's little wonder they were missed; they are meant to be missed on the first read.Read this book, experience it. Do not peek ahead to the end - you'll ruin it for yourself if you do.
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Summary: possible explanation
Review: I also loved this book - for many of the same reasons already expressed by others. I am still trying to justify the end, however. I know that I need to re-read this and The Weight of Water for more clues - but - what if this book is really about Thomas' struggle not only with what might have been, but also with his own mental illness? It seems plausible to me that he is slowly going mad, from that crucial moment that for us occurs on the last page on. There surely are hints of that in The Weight of Water, and his demise in the end of this book fits this picture. Perhaps the events that we are led to believe occurred later in time are a product of his psychosis, from which he briefly breaks away both during his marriage to Regina in respose to her pregnancy, and then to Jean, but which slowly and fatally consumes him following Billie's death.
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