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Debra V. (Kenosha, WI)
Hard to put down
This was my first book by Tara Conklin and I'm really looking forward to the next one. A story of a family whose path is changed by tragedy and depression, the book drew me into the story right away. The four siblings are the main characters and very different from each other. Narrated by the youngest sister from the year 2079 we are given glimpses of the future but very little information about it. This keeps the focus on their lives and relationships which are complicated and interesting. A great book club choice!
Kristen H. (Hagerstown, MD)
Romance Lives On
I loved Tara Conklin's first novel The House Girl and she didn't disappoint with this novel. The manner in which she introduces the characters is fascinating. She introduces them in such a way that you feel like you have known them all your life. Renee, Caroline, Joe and Fiona were all siblings who went through many phases of love, disappointment, and forgiveness. As the novel follows the four of them though their lives you experience all of their emotions as they grow. The youngest Fiona is the narrator of this story and she describes her siblings with great emotion. I found this novel to be very well written
…more and I would highly recommend it to any book clubs. (less)I enjoyed The House Girl by Tara Conklin several years ago and was excited to see another book by her in the selections from First Impressions. It did not disappoint. A family saga told from the point of view of the youngest of four siblings it begins in the year 2079 when the character is 102 years old. A glimpse into the future but mostly a story of love from many perspectives. Beautifully written so that every character has their own voice, Conklin invites the reader into the Skinner family for an intimate look into their hearts and souls. The sisters and brother argue, fight, make up, fight again just like
…more real families. Their shared secrets, joys and heartaches only bind them closer together even when they pull away from each other. Conklin has taken her time putting out this second book but I would rather see a good book from an author every seven years than a mediocre one every year or two. A most enjoyable read! (less)I was drawn into this book almost immediately and found it very engaging until the end. The characters are well-developed and real enough that I found myself strongly disagreeing with one or becoming disgusted with another. My only criticism is that the reason for the power failure and evacuation was never clearly explained. Overall, I would recommend this book to any reader and particularly to a book club.
Marion C. (Peabody, MA)
The Love Poem
The Last Romantic is about love, all kinds of love, and the negotiations we make for love. Poet Fiona wrote, "The Love Poem" that is successful for many years. She never told the story behind the poem until she had a reading when she was 102 years old. A young woman in the audience insisted Fiona reveal if there was a real lady behind the story because her mother named her Luna, the same name used in the poem. Will Fiona finally tell the truth behind the name?
The Last Romantics is an enjoyable read both lyrical and captivating. It is a compelling story and a fast read, one that makes this reader want a sequel.
Doris K. (Angora, MN)
The Last Romantic
Tara Conkin has written a interesting book about family dynamics. Although the Skinner family could be described as dysfunctional there is a strong bond between them. Each member of the family is unique as shown by how they react to the circumstances in their lives. The story jumps back and forth through periods of time but the author makes it easy to understand what period of time is being told about.
The characters are well developed, the reader gets to know each one.
Anyone who who is interested in family dynamics and chooses to read this book will find it well worth the time.
Barbara P. (Mountain Center, CA)
The people who know us best - or do they?
I found myself engaged with the characters and drawn into this family's story immediately. Each of the four main characters has a life and perspective of their own, and draws you in to care about how they feel and how they grow. it is a story of siblings at the core, but it gives the reader the opportunity reflect on their own family history and perhaps how they would respond or react in the same situation. This is an excellent Book Club choice, providing great opportunity for discussion.
M K. (Minneapolis, MN)
The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin
This book begins with an underground seismic event: the death of small town dentist Mr. Skinner, and the reverberations stretch onto every page all the way through this gorgeously written novel. Ostensibly this story is about the Skinner family: Antonia (mother, called Noni), and the children, Renee, Joe, Caroline, and Fiona. Tara Conklin in her delicious prose takes us into the family dynamics of what happens during loss, how each of them configures a life very much unlike the life they imagined would be their childhood maturing into the rest of their lives. I became immersed in the story so quickly given Tara
…more Conklin's sublime character development that even a week after finishing it I still knew the intimate details of each of the children's lives. It's not a book that I would have read given its title but once twenty pages into it was an experience that I fully gave myself to and have no regrets at all. It's a book that I would highly recommend. (less)
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