Rory is a great Aussie bloke - a father, husband, brother, son and good mate to many. He's also the captain of the local cricket team and the nucleus of a group of friends in suburban Melbourne. Then suddenly (and shockingly) one day he dies....and everybody around him is left floundering as they try to pick up the pieces of their lives without Rory in it.
I really liked the way the premise of this book and how it explored what happens when a tragic, unexpected event occurs. It illustrated wonderfully just how different people cope (or don't cope) and how people attempt to move on. This is especially true when losing a person like Rory, who they all relied upon in one way or another.
The multiple point of view format worked really well for this novel, with each chapter exploring a different character's reaction to Rory's death. Although some of the chapters overlap a little (in terms of time or events), it is not repetitive in any way and was very easy to follow.
Kylie Ladd has captured each character in Last Summer wonderfully and I came to know and like/dislike each of them well. Although Rory does not actually appear in the novel, he is also explored through flashbacks to the same level.
The author has also created a stunningly accurate snapshot of a contemporary Australian group of friends. Although set in Melbourne (and it captures Melbourne perfectly), it could be set in any Australian city and be any group of thirty/forty something friends with kids the same age in a smorgasbord of professional/trade careers.
Last Summer is easy to read but explores many deeper issues and is thought provoking in many ways. Although not suspenseful as such, it captured my interest from the first scene and held it until the last.
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