The Last Noel

Rating:
Summary: More than a Christmas Confection
Review: "The Last Noel" is elliptical, beginning and ending at Christmas time when all our emotions spike: higher highs, lower lows. This novel is such a joy to read that at first it seems a box of bonbons wrapped in every conceivable variety of seasonal glitter; as light and enjoyable as the snow-starred sled zipping down its stylish vellum cover. Michael Malone's beautiful torrent of carefully chosen words often blurs the line between prose and poetry. This balanced, structured novel is indeed a Christmas confection. That and so much more.

Malone's richly textured work is accomplished using a panoply of methodology: his osmotic knowledge of history, his appreciation of music, his unerring ear for the cadences of idiomatic dialogue, and his encyclopedic compendium of pop culture. These provide the musculature which clothe his elegant twelve day framework. Malone always has great heart, compassion, and humor to spare. This novel is no exception as he takes us deep into the lives of characters who live side by side, but who are poles apart.

For over a generatioin, Malone sweeps the reader along with Noni and Kaye as they grow up in the new south. We bring our own memories to the civil rights struggle, to a frightening number of murders and assassinations, Vietnam, and Watergate: events which shook our nation. We sing along with snippets of pop songs quoted, and remember mini-skirts, high boots, Afros, and can luxuriate in recalling Noni's tried and true classical piano music. The love story between rich, white, upper crust Noni and poor, black, lowest rung on the social ladder, Kaye creates a sexual tension which is palpable. The brave and decent struggles of these two who are forbidden to love is captivating and the denouement will prove that you can read while crying and snubbing into an industrial strength tissue.

Sound like too much perfection? Well, one negative criticism might be that Noni is a heroine too good to be true. Shouldn't we be told more about her weaknesses? We know what they are, but they are not as fully developed as Kaye's. However... Charles Dickens (to whom Malone is often compared) created many female characters who are much more lacking in the life-like department than Noni is. Generally, Malone understands the way a woman thinks and feels. More so than most male writers. But is Noni, whom I loved, a smidgen too angelic? Nit picking aside, she is still unforgettable.

When the subject is miscegenation, inevitably, Desdemona and Othello are bound to come to mind. And if not the mixing of the races, then that of social class is the crux. Cathy and Heathcliff are the predecessors of Noni and Kaye, as are, perhaps Estella and Pip. No matter. When the time comes for Dr, Michael Malone to conduct his first seminar in that great class room in the sky, his friends, Shakespeare, Emily Bronte, and Charles Dickens will welcome him as a kindred spirit. And if I am lucky enough to be there, I'll check my wings, settle a cloud against my back and be allowed to audit. That would undoubtedly be Heaven.

Rating:
Summary: Fluffy
Review: Although I admit being choked up in parts of the book, I won't say which parts, I feel "The Last Noel" was a piece of fluff compared to Michael Malone's other books. I have always enjoyed the depth of Mr. Malone's characters but feel the characters in this book were soap opera like in a way. I enjoyed reading the book, but felt it was less than I expected.

Rating:
Summary: Fluffy
Review: Although I admit being choked up in parts of the book, I won't say which parts, I feel "The Last Noel" was a piece of fluff compared to Michael Malone's other books. I have always enjoyed the depth of Mr. Malone's characters but feel the characters in this book were soap opera like in a way. I enjoyed reading the book, but felt it was less than I expected.

Rating:
Summary: Good winter read from a fine writer.
Review: Everything is suddenly coming up Michael Malone. The award-winning writer just took up residence again on ABC's daytime soap opera, "One Life to Live," the site of his former head-writing glory, this time as a consultant.

Not only that, but the past few months have seen the addition of another novel to his already impressive gallery (including "Foolscap," "Handling Sin" and a selection of short stories entitled "Red Clay, Blue Cadillac").

"The Last Noel" was released in enough time for the holiday spirit, which it invokes to start kicking in.

I like Malone.

His books are like the equivalent of a warm cup of cocoa on a day in which a massive snowstorm rages outside.

You don't care how bad the weather is outside because you're inside, you don't have to go out and you're happy because you have cocoa.

"Last Noel" is no exception to this precedent. It is the story of the relationship between Noni, a heartstrong Southern belle, and Kaye, the bullheaded grandson of Noni's parents' maid.

In a nifty trick, Malone unfolds Noni and Kaye's story as it spans decades by visiting them once every other Christmas or so (12 chapters in all - can you say "partridge in a pear tree?").

We first meet them as 7-year-olds on Christmas morning, when Kaye breaks into Noni's room to tell her that it's snowing outside and he wants to use the sled that's waiting for her under the tree.

Next we see them five years later, and catch up on the mutual tragedies that have marked their lives. So it goes.

At 15, Kaye rescues Noni from a dance date turned ugly; at 20 she's getting married to the [guy] and Kaye is a little torn over the whole thing; at 28 Noni is divorced and has a child (but is her son really her husband's?), while Kaye, now a successful doctor, seems well on the way to a happy marriage.

It's wondrous to see events unfold through these two forever-linked lives, and the storytelling technique Malone has selected lends more than a small element of magic to the proceedings. The characters draw the reader in; they come to feel like family.

"Last Noel" is a cozy book about friendship and grand passion, told by one of the best authors of our time. Everything that Malone spins out winds up gold (I'm definitely setting my VCR for "One Life to Live") and is told intelligently, sweetly, superbly.

Like I said, it's just like an excellent cup of cocoa.

With marshmallows on top.

Rating:
Summary: Heartwarming & Touching~
Review: I picked "the last noel" off the shelf because of the unique & festive cover which looked like a perfect read for the Holidays, and was happy to find that sometimes you can judge a book by it's cover. This was my first novel by Michael Malone & I found his writing style to be wonderful, entertaining and easy to read, as well as discriptive and moving.

The story begins with 7 year old Kaye intruding upon Noni one wintery, snowy night, where they journey out into the freshly fallen snow and take off on Noni's new beautiful red sled with her name engraved upon it. Thus begins a lasting yet tumultuous friendship between the two. The Last Noel is written quite creatively, as the novel spans 12 different Christmases at various points in Kaye & Noni's lives. At their homes of Clayhome & Heaven's Hill you will meet many lovable characters. The story spans the relationship of Noni & Kaye as they struggle to love one another at the right times and in the right ways. There is also an undercurrent of racial tension, but the heart of the story lies with this loving yet frustrating couple.

The Last Noel is a cozy and moving story that will stay with me~

Rating:
Summary: A woman's book a man can enjoy
Review: I would classify this book as a "skirt book" if pressed but I would also heartily recommend it to anyone. I love Malone's writing and count Handling Sin as one of my all time favorite books so reading this love story was a pleasure. His story isn't anything new. You can find a hundred similar love stories on the shelf. However, his characters and his use of language sets this little book apart. Kaye and Noni are a great pair. At times I wanted to reach in and shake them. Bunny, as the loyal best friend and Tatlock, as the cantankerous Grandfather were also a delight. I did find myself longing for more from some of the supporting characters -- Parker and Shani in particular -- when Kaye and Noni got to be a littel repetitive. Malone also uses the story to show the developing and relaxing tensions of race relations through the course of the story and he does so through Noni's willingness to admit her love for Kaye and Kaye's willingness to accept it. The story ends in a fairly predictable ending but the last sled ride down the hill brought tears to my eyes.

I don't usually like these sentimental stories but this one was good with its dash of social commentary. Guys, give it to your wife for Christmas and read it when she is finished. Ladies buy it for yourselves if he doesn't.

Rating:
Summary: A Wonderful Holiday Love Story
Review: Love has always figured in Michale Malone's fiction, as a steady undercurrent in the whacky comedy Handling Sin, the intellectual mystery Foolscap, or the Savile and Mangum mystery trilogy. The Last Noel however, is a love story, through and through.

The story of African-American Kaye and born-to-riches Noni, both of whom have Christmas birthdays, spans forty years. Malone organizes the story in twelve chapters that parallel the twelve days of Christmas, each chapter taking place in a different year. The southern setting creates a built-in tension and certain inevitibility into the story which, ultimately, is the tale of timing gone awry -- everything that should happen happens, but none of it happens at the right moment. And, as is true in life, most of what we do not want to happen, happens at the most inopportune moments.

Malone demonstrates the same engaging narrative, detailed and colorful characters (including those on the fringe of the action) and sure-fire ear for dialogue that made his previous novels a joy to read. This time, however, he has stretched in a new direction and brought us a bitter-sweet love story.

Rating:
Summary: The Last Noel - Alison Owens
Review: My best friend and I have a book exchange in that we take turns choosing a book to read each month. For December I picked this book and my friend was unimpressed. I procrastinated the book because of his bad reviews until yesterday. I wasn't supposed to like it and therefore didn't for the first few pages. After that, I got hooked and read it in a day. I even stayed up this morning til 2:30 to finish it. I cried for a good hour (maybe two - I'm trying not to exaggerate) of my reading. I particularly loved the gift exchange between the two best friends. Malone captured a great deal of their love for each other in the gifts they gave. The most memorable part for me was the end, when he walked into the hall closet to get the sled and told his son "It was your mother's first gift to me....and she gave me so many". I have thought about the book all day today and grieved for Kaye, Noni, Amma and Johnny.

My husband is a professional musician and he sometimes makes fun of my choices in music. They are not musically sophisiticated enough for him. Just yesterday I heard Whitney Houston's "I will always love you" and he said he thought it had been butchered by too many singers for him to like it. The song strikes deep emotional chords for me, despite my husband's critique of it.

This book does the same despite my best friend's critique. I think when I see it on my book shelf, I will get a feeling like I do when I hear Whitney sing "I will always love you".

Rating:
Summary: made for tv movie fodder
Review: The Last Noel started with a cute premise: a bold and intelligent friendship starting at age seven. Even the "kiss" in chapter one is intriguing. But from that point on it becomes too messy. The characters take a back seat to social commentary, the march of time, and the annoying little literary trick of introducing props to serve as titles for the upcoming chapters (hitchcock chair, hope chest, etc).
Its hard to write a book about a person's life without focusing on only the "bad" stuff - and Malone tries to attempt a double life story by covering Noel and Kaye. The result is a focus on one tragedy after another. Plus, the reader is never really given a fair chance to ever really care about Bud and Judy Tilden.
This book is filled with too many extra characters that are disposable. I never really cared about many of them and they ate a lot of print. Wade - idiot. Parker - couldn't trust (neither could Kaye). Roland - loser. grandpa Gordon - bigot. Shani - just there. No richness, just flat. Soap Opera and plodding.
It was a relatively easy read with a terribly unnecessary, and unoriginal ending.
I can't really think of anything positive to say about this book. But if I were a writing teacher, I would read chapter 1 aloud to my students, and stop right there. I would let the students then finish the story. That would be fun because chapter 1 is powerful and would provide a great prompt for creative writing.

Rating:
Summary: Not a good holiday read!
Review: When I read this book, to be honest, I couldn't put it down. The friendship of Noni and Kaye is so heartwarming and wonderful from the time they were seven and through their years.
I understand that this is the real world and along with happiness comes sadness, but the real world quite honestly is sad enough at times and maybe it could have ended on a happier note. This book left an ache in my heart....I probably should have paid more attention to the title....