Rating: 
Summary: Dismayed
Review: I love Anita Shreve's work, and had the pleasure of meeting her at a book signing, where she read from this book. That evening she said, "Don't ask me about the ending" so as not to ruin it for those in the crowd who had not read it yet. That statement would have had my trousers in a twist had I already read the story, because now that I have, I have a plethora of questions for the author. Like many of Shreve's novels, the prose in The Last Time They Met is remarkable and the language rich and intellilgent. The book is based on the character Thomas Janes from one of Shreve's prior novels, The Weight of Water, and his relationship, over time, with his High School sweetheart, Linda. The book is divided into three parts: When Linda and Thomas are ages 52, 26, and 17. The first part is riveting, old lovers coming together by chance at a literary festival in Toronto, Canada after many years apart. The second part is romantic, set against the backdrop of a lush, hot, bright Africa, old feelings are stirred between Linda and Thomas, now in separate marriages. The last part is endearing, set in Hull, Massachusetts, it tells the story of how Thomas and Linda first met, and the fate that betwixt them, inspiring Thomas' "Magdalene Poems" referred to in both this book and the Weight of Water. Page after page, I was drawn to the love Linda and Thomas shared for one another over the years. However, when I read the very last page of the novel, the entire story I had spent days connecting with and endearing myself to, vanished into thin air! Unlike the characters of other beloved books that live on in our hearts, completing their stories in an imaginary parallel universe, Thomas and Linda are lost in oblivion. I am dismayed!
Rating: 
Summary: This is a brilliant rare find
Review: With the enormous selection of ficiton book titles available in the super-bookstores, this is a rare jewel. The cover design and title immediatley drew me in. With the beginning of the story set in Toronto, I knew this was a must-read, since I live in Toronto.Shreve has eloquently and with great economy captured the deepest of emotions in just 313 pages (hardcover word count). Thomas Janes, the brooding poet with his permanent melancholy, displayed a humaness rather than sappy melodrama. But it is the character of Linda Fallon, whose sense of quiet peace and unusual acceptance of tragedy makes her appear to be the stronger one. Shreve captures the fragility of love and its mysticism. With her theme of love that survives time and space, readers can only imagine what force of emotion can perpetuate a longing of 35 years for a lost beloved. This story is not about romance as it is about the power of the human heart to endure hopeless hope. Like other readers, the ending shocked me and I re-read the book. I had first listened to the audio version which only made me more emotional when the final piece of the romance was revealed. For a week, I told everyone I knew to get a copy of this book. An enchanting read for both men and women! The audiobook version narrated by Blair Brown is excellent as well. You may not want to listen to this while driving a car or excercising. Shreve's novel will only distract you.
Rating:
Summary: Most definitely astonishing!
Review: It has 3 chapters. 'Fifty-two' 'Twenty-six' and 'Seventeen'. These are the ages of Linda and Thomas - the lead characters - on their meetings. The first is an up-to-date chapter, then it goes back to when they were 26, and then it goes back again to when they were only 17. The story is absolutely heartbreaking. There were times when I had to put the book down just to catch my breath. I was so into the story, I become an untold character in the book - I was watching everything from afar. I've read quite a few books, but none of which has hit me as hard as this one. Maybe it's for personal reasons, I don't know. But whatever it is, this book sucked me in good and proper. The story isn't what the reader thinks it is - there's a tremendous twist at the end, one that isn't expected, but one that you know has to be there. As i read the last pages, my stomach started to turn, I felt physically sick. I sat up straight, I couldn't believe it ended the way it did... completely astonishing. The passion I have for this book was also a surprise, I didn't think a book could make me feel so hurt. I didn't know my feelings could be controlled just by a few words - I keep telling myself, 'it's just a book, it's fictitious'. Some people may not like the book.. I suppose you need a connection with the words you read to be able to feel the emotions, and if you don't have any link to the story, there's no way you can enjoy the true love that is expressed in it. Even now I can feel a lump in my throat when I think of the book. Even now I want to cry. I will keep this book.. for some unknown reason, I just cannot part with it.
Rating:
Summary: Old Lovers Meet Again
Review: The novel begins when Linda Fallon and Thomas Janes, both published poets, meet at a literary conference after not having seen each other for years. The novel travels backwards in time to re-discover the various times they have met over the years, finally culminating in their high school romance. The first third of the novel is very confusing because of the veiled references and illusions to some event in their distant past that caused them to lead separate lives, although it is obvious that they love each other and have probably always been in love. The writing style is somewhat cumbersome. The author's habit of punctuating all dialogue with a dash followed by italicized letters, caused me to back track many times to figure out who was speaking. Sometimes the italicized letters were thoughts rather than spoken words, so I was occasionally confused about whether any dialogue had actually occurred. The book finally started to get interesting when it revealed the time during which Linda and Thomas were both in Africa with their spouses and how they rediscovered each other after many years apart. Finally, the beginning of their relationship in high school was described, and the awful event that had been alluded to throughout the book that caused them to be separated.
If you can bear with it and trudge through the first third of the novel, you will be rewarded with a story that is rich in detail, fascinating, troubling and poignant.
Rating:
Summary: Page turner
Review: I had to balance out the review written by the only other person to review this book so far. This story about a love affair that can't seem to get anywhere despite multiple opportunities kept my attention from beginning to end. I loved the way the story moved backwards in time, and found that only in two places was I a bit confused about the timeline, confusion that was cleared up within a couple of pages. The shock ending killed me, not because I felt it didn't work, but because I was hoping for a happy ending. The skill the author most impressed me with was her ability to write about these characters at whatever age they were in the book sections. What I mean is that when she portrayed them at 17, they sounded 17. At 26, then at 52, they came across as older, wiser, different....REAL. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and intend to check out more of Shreve's work next time I hit the bookstore.
Rating: 
Summary: The Last Time They Met
Review: I was disappointed by this book. I had expected better after all the praise for Ms. Shreve's works. The beginning seemed to drag on chapter after chapter with overwhelming details that didn't seem necessary. The imagery was good, but the characters themselves did not interest me at all.
Rating:
Summary: Stunning!
Review: I highly recommend reading Anita Shreve's "THE WEIGHT OF THE WATER" before you begin "THE LAST TIME WE MET." But whatever you do, definitely read them both. The stories are surprisingly intertwined with characters taking us through the most important times of their lives. Lives filled with hope, love, loyality, success, betrayal, loss, and deep regrets. Both endings will leave you feeling stunned. You will, no doubt, find yourself wanting to re-read the last chapters over and over again. When a book grabs you this way, I consider it a successful story told (despite how I feel about the outcome). Anita Shreve is a wonderful author and "THE LAST TIME WE MET" (as well as "THE WEIGHT OF THE WATER") is an excellent read. Don't pass these two books up!
Rating:
Summary: Very Disappointing - Questions Left Unanswered
Review: I finished this book last night and couldn't believe - the "accident" the book referred to throughout its entirety was described very poorly. And it certainly never said WHY the accident caused the couple to break up - it just ended - saying this "was the last day of Linda's life" - no explanation of why a car accident would keep two people so in love apart. Furthermore, I don't understand the relavance of both characters having both been married twice - I can't put it into words, but I feel like I finished this book and still had no answers to several questions. I won't be reading anymore of Shreve's books.
Rating: 
Summary: Not her best work
Review: This is the 4th Anita Shreve book I have read, but if it had been the first, it would have been my last. The story is interesting, but it is difficult to follow since 90% of it is told in foreshadowing (or actually, backshadowing, I suppose), and I spent most of my time just looking forward to actually getting the story. Every chapter, you feel like you need to go back and start over again, now knowing what you know. Even though I didn't love it, I didn't hate it until I got to the end. The end gives us a twist that just doesn't work. It was an admirable undertaking, but it doesn't make sense, and it is far from her best work. If you want to read Anita Shreve, try Sea Glass or Resistance. (Or The Weight of Water, which has a character from this book, but I would never have recognized him from anything other than his life events -- there is little similarity between the portraits.)
Rating:
Summary: Last Time They Met
Review: I have been an Anita Shreve fan for quite awhile, and long ago gave up the "happy ending" that I frequently was looking for - but come on! I didn't feel "stunned" by the end - I felt ripped off.
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