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Last Friends (2013)

by Jane Gardam(Favorite Author)

3.74 of 5 Votes: 3

ISBN

1609450930 (ISBN13: 9781609450939)

languge

English

genre

Historical Fiction

publisher

Europa Editions

series

Old Filth

review 1: Really a 4.5. A little emotionally anti-climactic for me after The Man in the Wooden Hat, but continues to fill in gaps and pieces of the mosaic. The focus on Veneering answers some lingering questions about the Filth--Betty-Veneering love triangle-- Veneering's youth is incredibly well drawn and imaginatively conceived. Gardam boosts the status of Dulcie and Fiscal-Smith to more significant characters in this volume, because they are the ones left, which itself says a lot. I never cared about them as I did about the major characters---- but they are part of the glue holding together the mosaic. All in all, it is a great trilogy, and a very impressive literary achievement.
review 2: This is the third (and final) book in the Old Filth trilogy. Although I lik... moreed this book, it was my least favorite of the three. This volume focuses on Veneering mostly, and we learn about his background, childhood, how he came to his profession and his wife and son. We also learn more about two characters who were minor voices in the other two Old Filth novels: Fiscal-Smith and Dulcie. They are the "last friends" as they are left when Old Filth (Edward Feathers), Betty (his wife) and Veneering (his arch enemy for a time) die. The author is still spot-on with her descriptions, and the book has humor, pathos and finally sympathy for these aged "last friends" who are left after all the other major characters die off. I would recommend you start with Old Filth (the first in the trilogy), then move on to novel #2 and then finally this one. If you love British understatement and fine writing, you will enjoy these terrific books. less

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