Sunday, December 28, 2008

November #7 - LAST NIGHT AT THE LOBSTER



Title: Last night at the Lobster

Author: Stewart O'Nan

Publisher: Penguin Books

Copyright: 2007

ISBN: 978-0-14-311442-0

Series or stand-alone: Stand-alone

Genre: Fiction

Setting: New Britain, CT

1st Sentence:
Mall traffic on a gray winter's day, stalled.

Surlygirl's Quick Comments:
A short book, coming in at only 146 pages, this story is set in a Red Lobster in Connecticut on it's last day of business. The manager who is being downgraded to assistant manager at a nearby Olive Garden wants everything to run at status quo -- he doesn't want to lower their standard of service just because it's their last night. However, a blizzard rages outside, customers are few, staff members don't show or leave early and the book is full of reflection and redemption as it shows how the closing of a restaurant affects many. I've only read one other book by O'Nan (THE NIGHT COUNTRY) and I really enjoy his style of writing. It's fluid and clean without much filler and the story gets told. This isn't my typically preferred genre but I think this story would resonate with many, especially with anyone who has worked at one place for a long time and has built relationships with their co-workers only to find that things might change.

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