Review: Last Summer by Kylie Ladd @kylie_ladd

Genre: Fiction

Format: ARC Paperback
Publication: July 2011

Last Summer
Rory Buchanan has it all: looks, talent, charisma...an all around good-guy, he's the centre of every party and a loving father and husband. Then one summer's afternoon, tragedy strikes. Those who are closest to him struggle to come to terms with their loss. Friendships are strained, marriages falter and loyalties are tested in a gripping and brilliantly crafted novel about loss, grief and desire.Told from the points of view of nine of the people who are mourning Rory, this novel presents a snapshot of contemporary suburban Australia and how we live now. Marriage, friendship, family...all are dissected as they start to unravel under the pressure of grief.

Kylie Ladd @kylie_ladd
Kylie Ladd is a freelance writer whose essays and articles have appeared in The Age, Griffith Review, Etchings, O magazine, The Sydney Morning Herald, Good Medicine, Sydney’s Child, and Readers Digest, amongst others. In 2006 she co-authored Living with Alzheimer’s and Other Dementias and in 2008 co-edited Naked: Confessions of Adultery and Infidelity. She holds a PhD in neuropsychology and continues to work in public and private practice in this field.

Kylie loves reading, swimming, running, the beach, eating, reading, her PC and reading. She lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband, Craig, and two young children.

Review
The narrative style of this novel was reminiscent of two of my favourite authors,  Christos Tsiolkas (The Slap) and Jodi Picoult (My Sister's Keeper). You got a glimpse of the story from the perspectives of a number of characters, all with different attitudes, motivations and agendas. It is very easy to get lost when a story is constructed in this way but Kylie's easy style and captivating story line ensured you were kept on track. Some characters I liked, some I hated, some (well actually one in particular really) I thought was pathetic and some are riddled with scandal. There are a number of page turning moments and the best part is that the loose ends are neatly and logically put to bed. A very realistic study into people, you can imagine some of these characters being people in your own life.

Kylie will be doing an author talk & book signing at the Werribee Plaza Library on Wednesday, 20 July. Click HERE for all the details