I have read this novel many times and it never gets old. I hope my book group likes it. I have never read a novel that so completely puts you in a setting as this one does. And the setting is the last night of a Red Lobster restaurant in Connecticut. O'Nan perfectly captures how a chain like this one works, what the employees are like, the regular customers too. What a failing mall that surrounds it feels like on a very snow night a few days before Christmas. Manny is the manager and he is presiding over the death sentence dealt to his beloved place. He will still have a job--at the Olive Garden--and he can take five people with him. He considers this during the long day too. I love O'Nan and this is my favorite. You can read it in a few hours.
6 comments:
Yes, I can easily picture the setting - the dying mall, the snowy night, the staff slowly coming in, the few customers. Really good.
He's one of my favorite writers. Have you read SPEED QUEEN.
I have a couple Stewart O'Nan novels on my shelf. Your wonderful review makes me want to drop everything and read one!
I've read several of his other books, but not The Speed Queen.
I've been meaning to read his novels, not least due to your rave reviews...a number of his short stories, but not yet the novels nor THE CIRCUS FIRE.
You finally got my attention (regarding Stewart O'Nan) with this post. I do want to read a book by Stewart O'Nan. I have WISH YOU WERE HERE on the Kindle. I will try that one first. I also have IN THE WALLED CITY: STORIES, which you featured late last year.
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