Last Orders

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Summary: SOBRE LO PERECEDERO
Review: "Todo en la naturaleza es lírico en su esencia ideal, cómico en su existencia y trágico en su destino." Esta brillante sentencia de George Santayana sintetiza, a mi entender, el destino de los protagonistas de la novela de Swift, hombres y mujeres que no tuvieron muchas oportunidades en la vida y que se arrastran, a punto de jubilarse, por el Londres de los noventa. Los cuatro protagonistas acompañan las cenizas de su amigo desde la capital británica hasta la costa en un viaje en coche que es también un viaje hacia el sinsentido de sus vidas. Swift nos ofrece los recuerdos, las traiciones y los miedos de sus personajes a través de monólogos interiores entrelazados con escenas del trayecto hacia la costa. El resultado es un texto estremecedor, profundo, que nos invita a pensar sobre la naturaleza perecedera de todo lo que conocemos, sobre la caducidad de la materia de que estamos hechos no sólo los hombres sino también nuestros sueños.

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Summary: Faulkner could teach Swift a thing or two about style
Review: ...The story is boring. The writing is boring. The characterisation is boring. In a word, the book is a giant bore. I tried reading when it won the Booker. I gave up after three chapters. On seeing some of the comments here, I decided to give Last Orders a second chance. After all, I loved Waterland and if his other books don't come near to matching it, they are readable enough - although I couldn't for the life of me tell you what one of them was about.

Last Orders is told in the first person from the viewpoint of five people. This style of story telling only works if the writing is good enough to give the characters strong enough personalities to be recognisable from their own words. A voice of their own, so to speak. Swift is unable to do this. Without the names of the characters appearing on the chapter headings, it would be difficult to tell who was who. Consequently, I found myself caring little about them and nothing about their journey to Margate. In the hands of a better writer, this may work, but not with Graham Swift. ...

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Summary: Closing time too soon!
Review: An intense, realistic story with an unusual narrative style. The many, often subtle metaphors for the passage of time and the variety of 'viewpoints' make this a rewarding and satisfying read. I was almost sad when it ended, just as I am to hear that closing time bell after last orders!

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Summary: Pleasant and quiet
Review: At first I really liked the book as I thought it was a black comedy somewhat like "As I Lay Dying" but in the end I felt that it didn't measure up to its billing. Although pleasant and readable, it just doesn't have enough to it to be memorable. It would make an entertaining movie of the "Ned Devine" type, but I don't think it would win any awards as there's nothing to impel the plot forward other than the journey which becomes a bit tiresome. There are some good scenes, but all in all it seems on the tame side.

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Summary: The English Have A Certain Way
Review: Be warned - this is a "Brit" book, but that said, the writting is beautiful and the story entrancing. A MUST READ for the more mature, soulful reader.

Rating:
Summary: Faulkner could teach Swift a thing or two about style
Review: Boring. Boring. Boring. The story is boring. The writing is boring. The characterisation is boring. In a word, the book is a giant bore. I tried reading when it won the Booker. I gave up after three chapters. On seeing some of the comments here, I decided to give Last Orders a second chance. After all, I loved Waterland and if his other books don't come near to matching it, they are readable enough - although I couldn't for the life of me tell you what one of them was about.

Last Orders is told in the first person from the viewpoint of five people. This style of story telling only works if the writing is good enough to give the characters strong enough personalities to be recognisable from their own words. A voice of their own, so to speak. Swift is unable to do this. Without the names of the characters appearing on the chapter headings, it would be difficult to tell who was who. Consequently, I found myself caring little about them and nothing about their journey to Margate. In the hands of a better writer, this may work, but not with Graham Swift.

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Summary: A Rare Find
Review: Every once in awhile a special book comes along which makes me want to shout out to everyone I know, "You've got to read this book." Being an avid reader, I'm surprised at how infrequently this actually happens. But Last Orders is such a find. It is a beautifully written tale which looks lovingly at humanity and the hopes, dreams, and weaknesses we all possess. It is a haunting story which will stay with me for a long, long time

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Summary: Did I miss something?
Review: Everyone talks about this book as some struggle of humanity to makes its own expressions in the face of secrets and lies. Instead, I found a depressingly banal group of insights, from an essentially and elementally fragmented and isolated group of so-called friends. They exchange a series of aphorisms as if these trite little snippets mean something, all the while deepening their own alienations from each other and from their own feelings. Their sole response then is to do their duty--and indeed they do. The book ends with no surprise--and I am left wondering whether indeed any action in such a trite and hackneyed world, glib to the core, has any inherent meaning outside its adherence to some last and final order.

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Summary: Are people's lives really this complicated?
Review: Four blokes. One of them's just died. The other three and the dead man's son (kind of) are charged with driving the ashes from London to Margate, and scattering them into the sea. Sounds like the premise of a fairly simple tale - instead it's the foundation for a lengthy bout of philosophical reflection through the eyes/minds/voices of the surviving characters. It's all beautifully written, all intelligently observed - which for me is the problem. Are four typical geezers from East London really this eloquent? Do they really struggle quite so painfully with their consciences? Or would they in real life be sitting down the pub saying "Cor, makes you think, dunnit?"

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Summary: Heart warming and soul touching......
Review: Graham Swift has created an amazing tribute to life. A group of four friends receive their last orders to take a friend's ashes to scatter at the beach. Their journey to do this provides the time for the rest of the men to remember their past, their experiences, and to think about where they are in their lives now. This is beautifully written, humorous and poignant. When it is over you will still be thinking about it and about your own life too. It is a British book and it may take a while to fall into the rhythms and patterns of expression, but it is well worth it. Heart-warming and soul touching, a brilliant novel.