Last Chance Saloon
No, this is not great literature. It isn't perfect, it may not even the one of the best Marian Keyes books. What it is is funny, gentle, sweet and relatively calm - exactly what I've been needing to read. In typical Keyes fashion, the characters are all terrible flawed and all the more likeable for it. I really think Katherine is not up there with my favourite Keyes characters, as is the lovely Fintan (which makes the usual heartbreaking plot-line of the book even more heartbreaking). Having dealt a lot with cancer in my short life through multiple family members' journeys through the disease, I am always fascinated to see how authors deal with such a tricky subject. I thought Keyes did a fairly good job, most particularly with the friend's and family's reactions and support of Fintan throughout. Again, the characters' flaws show up hugely, but so do their strengths, just as in real life.
Anyway, apart from the more sobering tone of Fintan's story, the other plot threads were entertaining and (mostly) cheerful. I can't honestly say that I could relate to Tara at all, but her melodramatics made for a amusing read, and she shows surprising strength in the end.
The banter between friends was hilarious, and I suppose my only disappointment with this book is that I left it with very little more than I came to it with. Still, a worthy little read for summer, especially if you happen to already be a Keyes fan.
