- Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel
- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Unbridled Books; 1 edition (June 2, 2009)
- ISBN-13: 978-1932961683
Back-of-the-book blurb: Lilia Albert has been leaving people behind for her entire life. She spends her childhood and adolescence traveling constantly and changing identities. In adulthood, she finds it impossible to stop. Haunted by an inability to remember her early childhood, she moves restlessly from city to city, abandoning lovers along with way, possibly still followed by a private detective who has pursued her for years. Then her latest lover follows her from New York to Montreal, determined to learn her secrets and make sure she s safe. Last Night in Montreal is a story of love, amnesia, compulsive travel, the depths and the limits of family bonds, and the nature of obsession.
She is Too Fond of Books’ review: I read this book more than two months ago, and have been literarily (but not literally!) paralyzed , unable to write my review for fear that I wouldn’t do justice to this masterwork of literary fiction.
Imagine you and I have gotten together for coffee (or a glass of wine, pick your poison!):
me: Friend, have you seen this book!? It’s by a Canadian author, Emily St. John Mandel. Well, she was born in British Columbia; and after studying dance in Toronto, and a brief stint in Montreal, she lives in Brooklyn now. Her personal geography is interesting because the novel takes place in Brooklyn and Montreal, with flashbacks all across the U.S.
you: Hey, slow down! Your tongue is flapping like all those papers sticking out of the book … what’s with that?!?
me: Those are all the places I’ve left markers, flagging passages and ideas that struck me. (The photo doesn’t show all the markers – 14 spots I’ve marked, often tearing a marker in half, then half again to mark new passages as I found them)
you: So what struck you? What’s the story about?
me: On the surface it’s about a girl who has been on the run with her father for over a dozen years; Lilia was 7 when she and her father hit the road. She doesn’t remember what led them to flee, and she’s not sure she wants to remember. Mandel writes that “she’d been disappearing for so long that she didn’t know how to stay.”
Lilia knows that she and her father are a team of two against the world. Here, take a look at this section I marked; Lilia’s father has given her a book of Life magazine’s outstanding photographs of the 20th century; she leafs through it as they drive, and she is drawn repeatedly to the image of a crater in the New Mexican desert, formed by a test bomb near the end of WWII:
The crater showed the aftermath of an ungodly heat: the center was purest black, the brightest black imaginable, and around the edges of this brilliant darkness was a shining ring. This was where the unimaginable heat of the explosion had changed the sand to glass, and the glass reflected the sky. The same force levels cities and creates mirrors in the desert. It occurred to her that this was what being caught might be like. The white-hot flash of recognition and then her life blown open, a radioactive mirror in a wasteland, her secretive life torn asunder and scattered outward in disarray. Tears came to her eyes in the passenger seat. (p 70-71)
you: You say that’s what’s going on “on the surface” … what’s really going on?
me: Well, I can’t tell you too much about the plot, I want you to discover it for yourself. There’s so much beautiful imagery that starts early on; I can share some of that with you. The theme of vanishing, disappearing, is a constant. We meet Lilia when she is 22; she has been absent for 15 years.
Her latest lover, Eli, is a linguist studying dead or dying languages. His approach is clinical; Lilia looks at his books and journals and sees the personalities behind the languages, perhaps identifies with the dilemma … she questions what it must be like to be
One speaker of a language once shared by thousands or millions, marooned in a sea of Spanish or Mandarin or English. Perhaps loved by many but still profoundly alone; reluctantly fluent in the language of her grandchildren but unable to tell anyone her dreams. How much loss can be carried in a single human frame? Their last words hold entire civilizations. (p 45)
Another theme is the relationship between fathers and daughters – substitutes and surrogates of sorts. As you read, remember your Greek mythology and the ways that icons can be represented or symbolized. I can’t say any more about symbols, but call me (or email) after you’ve read it; lots to discuss with a friend or in a book group.
Consider Lilia’s hobby of photography – what she takes pictures of, what catches her eye. Is the camera something she hides behind, or does it, along with a rootless upbringing, allow her a unique view of the world?
There are several other important, mysterious (yet well-developed) characters in the novel, aside from Eli, Lilia, and her father. I won’t introduce you now, because I want you to meet them for yourself.
you: You knew it wouldn’t take much to convince me; I’m a sucker for these books you press into my hands. I’m curious about the straightforward storyline, as well as what lies beneath the surface.
me: Great, let’s finish this coffee before it gets stone cold, then head over to the bookstore …
Cue the music. Cut to us walking into a fun and funky bookstore. Quick flashes of showing each other books, walking to the cash wrap with Last Night in Montreal at the top of your stack of books. C’est magnifique!
Very cute way to review a book! You know, now and again I find myself in the same situation. I just don’t even know where to start with a review…the story is complex (too complex to summarize easily), the writing magical…how on earth do you do it justice? I remember a few reviews and interviews going around on this book. It is on my list!
LOL! That is certainly the most original book review I’ve seen! Loved it, certainly very engaging. I do own the book and I will be getting to read it soon but I’m not sure I’ll review it, who could beat yours after all
What a creative review! The book sounds great (and I’ll choose the wine if it’s after 5!). I’ve been putting off writing about The Enchanted April for weeks now because I don’t think I can do it justice. I really need to get going…
You “interview” format is too funny! I loved this book and can’t stop recommending it!
I love the review format! Your review sort of has it sounding somewhat like “Special Topics in Calamity Physics.” Did you read that and if so, how does it compare?
Dawn, thank you so much for this review! You just made my morning.
All the reviews of this book are great! I really need to get hold of a copy of it.
I just sent off my mom to Maine with this book! For a debut especially, it’s impressive.
I missed the release party of this book when it was in Brooklyn, and I’ve been wanting to read it since then. Lilia sounds like an interesting character…a poetic one, if that makes sense.
Thanks for the review!
Sandy – I feel terrible about it taking so long to sit and write this – I should have “just done it” ages ago. LAST NIGHT IN MONTREAL is a wonderful book!
Lilly – Oh, put it to the top of your list … then tell us what you think
JoAnn – yes, like the folks at Nike say: Just Do It!
Julie – I re-read your review and see you had the same hesitation I had; how to write about such a full book without giving it away.
rhapsody – I haven’t read SPECIAL TOPICS (and, yes, now you’ve got me curious to take a peek the next time I’m in the bookstore.)
Emily – and you made my day by stopping by! Looking forward to reading more of your writing!
Kathy – get it! Now!
Care – I could pull so many scenes that are bursting with imagery and discussion fodder; wonderful! I’m sure your mom will enjoy it.
Kari – I wonder if the author will do more readings since she’s in your area. Someone to watch for! Yes, saying Lilia is a poetic character is very fitting.
Dawn – Always a pleasure! I love your blog.
Kari – As it happens, I have an event in New York in a little over a week. It’s a sort of book party thing called Just Working On My Novel on August 17th — other people will be reading, and I think it’ll be fun. In case you’re interested in coming, here’s the Facebook page with more info: http://bit.ly/14uBcV
Wow, thanks for the heads up, Dawn and Emily! I’ll definitely check it out.
Okay, I skimmed, because thanks to Dar, I have this one in my TBR pile. I should’ve taken this one to Oregon…I know I would’ve read it. Now…I keep forgetting about all the wonderful books stashed around the house!
This was already on my wish list, but now I’m excited to get it!
What I really loved about this book is Lilla’s attachment to photography and taking photos. It seems to be her way of making things permanent in her life…as if she can capture its essence and take it with her when she moves on.
Cute Review. I loved this book too. I had actually dog-eared the pages for any passage I liked but after a while I gave up. It was spoiling the book
Emily and Kari – I hope it works out, and you’re able to meet at the event.
softdrink – some people have a hidden stash of chocolate; pleasure from our vice lasts longer
Stacy – bump it up and get LAST NIGHT the next time you’re out!
Serena – yes, as a photographer it makes sense that you connected with that. It struck me, and I barely “point and shoot”. Do you think she was also putting up a barrier, looking thru the lens?
violet – ugh! I’m not a dog-earer; my book would have looked like a pentagon with all those folded corners
I’m am giggling over your review format. Super!! What a great way to approach the book.
I have this one sitting here awaiting my eyes….
Well this was just fun to read and boy what a way to drum up excitement for a book that you really liked. Thank you for this fun and exciting review.
I had not yet heard of this book, but your excitement for it makes me think that I should go look it up and do some more research on it. It sounds like it was really a favorite with you. I sometimes get so into a book that I place stickies all through it as well, and those “sticky” books are the ones I want to press on to every reader I know. This
was probably a “sticky” book for you, so I will take your opinion and run with it. Thanks for the great review, and the recommendation!
I love the format for this review! I may have to borrow it sometime! I like both your personalities … your “me” made my “me” want to read it!
Beth – I’d love to talk with you after you read it! I think you’ll be pushing into people’s hands, too
Toni – I wish I had written it a few months ago, but know that I’ll still be able to introduce it to a lot of readers.
zibilee – definitely a sticky book! I usually remove those sticky flags after I review a book, so that I don’t influence a friend who might borrow it, or myself when re-reading.
Jenners – my “me” thanks your “me” for the compliment, and hopes your “me” gets to read LAST NIGHT IN MONTREAL soon.
What a great format! I loved this book as well, and you really did it justice with your review.
Great review, Dawn! This one is on my night table, thanks to all the blogger buzz about it …
Your review was so fun! I stumbled across the beginning of it randomly at LibraryThing and had to read the rest of it. This book sounds amazing, and I love the quotes you pulled! I’m definitely going to look for it.
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