I'm a big fan of St. John Mandel, and this book is another amazing work. LibraryThing Author. Please try again. There is a good counter story - a detective and then his daughter obsessed with finding the young girl, but then when he finds her, just follows her. Something went wrong. “Last Night in Montreal is a rare achievement, a gripping, mysterious, and original literary novel about family secrets and the unbearable weight they place on young shoulders. This one is about two fathers and two daughters and how their lives intersect and affect each other. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. Sorry. Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2016. It introduces lots of characters you would love to get to know. The author hinted at things or mentioned something in passing which were part of the overall story arc and which I would have liked to have explored in more detail. The author hinted at things or mentioned something in passing which were part of the overall story arc and which I would have liked to have explored in more detail. Gorgeously written, charged with tension and foreboding, Last Night in Montreal is the story of a life spent at the centre of a criminal investigation. I think as I read Mandel, the thing I envy most is her ability to play with time. . She displays this masterfully in her post-apocalyptic novel Station Eleven, but she also exploits this theme with great satisfaction in Last Night in Montreal. Or is he Lilia's savior, taking her away from something awful? However Last Night in Montreal is no Station Eleven. She is an excellent writer. Please try again. Last Night in Montreal (Book) : Mandel, Emily St. John : Lilia Albert has been leaving people behind for her entire life. I hate the "feel-good / uplifting" type of novels and love the air of fey bleakness and near despair she achieves. Something about it is just absolutely, shatteringly lovely. Please try again. Reviewed in the United States on May 9, 2018, Emily St. John Mandel writes well about loss and dislocation. Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2020. While the plot is interesting enough, the prose often feels forced and the characters sometimes amount to accumulations of quirks, whimsies and neuroses. https://www.amazon.com/Last-Night-Montreal-Emily-Mandel/dp/1101911956 . It should be hard to follow her transitions, but somehow it isn’t. Now, haunted by an inability to remember much about her early childhood, Lilia moves restlessly from city to city, abandoning lovers and eluding the private detective who has dedicated a career to following close behind. Previous page of related Sponsored Products, Unbridled Books; 1st edition (June 3, 2009). And I have to say it was worth finishing. News, author interviews, critics' picks and more. I'm sure there are reasons for those endings, but they just didn't sit well with this reader. I'm sure there are reasons for those endings, but they just didn't sit well with this reader. Two mysteries of the past that need to be uncovered, but would probably be better left unsaid. I felt a bit cheated by this book. So a few days later I went back to it. Back in present-day Montreal, Eli meets Michaela, who happens to be the daughter of the detective who years ago worked on Lilia's abduction case, and together they try to fill in the blanks of Lilia's past. 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 takes the disappearance of a young girl – a common enough theme in recent literature – and elevates it into a meditation on the sense of loss which pervades our life, Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2020. The characters are rich and the story well-executed. The best writers ensure their readers’ time is well invested. Two mysteries of the past that need to be uncovered, but would probably be better left unsaid. I think as I read Mandel, the thing I envy most is her ability to play with time. Emily St. John Mandel is a wonderful and refreshingly unorthodox writer, and this should be the start of a … Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, Visit Amazon's Emily St. John Mandel Page. Until a few days ago I might have been tempted to put money on her marvellous novel 'Station Eleven' being the finest book I will read this year. When highly dramatic events are described late in the book, you have no idea if the actions described flow rationally and naturally or not. Is he a spurned ex-husband who refuses to accept the court's custody decision? There is a good counter story - a detective and then his daughter obsessed with finding the young girl, but then when he finds her, just follows her. However Last Night in Montreal is no Station Eleven. She spends her childhood and adolescence traveling constantly and changing identities. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. 24d Canadiens The characters are rich and the story well-executed. This book is tragic but somehow uplifting. She lives in New York City with her husband. That, however, was before my boss recommended her first novel, 'Last Night in Montreal'. The writing is good. (In what ways you will find out). Highly recommended for all contemporary fiction collections.—Eleanor J. Bader, Brooklyn, NY, I knew it belonged with all those other books on my bookshelves that make me happy just knowing that they're there
The story is important (and the ending is breathtaking), but the plot details are not to me the most important aspect of Mandel's novel. Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2016. As he obsessively searches for her, the story integrates the viewpoints of private investigator Christopher Graydon and Graydon's neglected daughter, Michaela, who has long resented Lilia's looming presence in her family's life. Her writing just draws you in. I felt a bit cheated by this book. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. Last Night in Montreal. Last Night in Montreal was a book I’ve found late at night while browsing for writers I’ve never read before. The premise is good - a young girl kidnapped by her father moves constantly until she is 16 years of age and learns to be happy only when she is leaving. It was full of ideas and sub-plots but none of them were very well developed. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 11, 2019. Sorry. This book flows from the respective points of view of the 2 main characters, and flows back and forth through time and relationship. But the odd thing is that - although I say I didn't care enough - once I'd put the book to one side, unfinished, it haunted me! When highly dramatic events are described late in the book, you have no idea if the actions described flow rationally and naturally or not. She writes beautifully, and although the whole scheme is a little contrived, and not quite believable, and although it's all wrapped up rather quickly and artificially at the end, I was glad I read it through. Overall. She displays this masterfully in her post-apocalyptic novel Station Eleven, but she also exploits this theme with great satisfaction in Last Night in Montreal. Lilia has no recollection of life before the abduction, yet the mysterious scars on her arms suggest abuse. We work hard to protect your security and privacy. My original review is below (in quotation marks), and I feel it's now a little harsh, though I still stand by some of it. But the odd thing is that - although I say I didn't care enough - once I'd put the book to one side, unfinished, it haunted me! Tragedy pervades the narrative, but never chokes it. I did get bored, I did want things to move on (as Lilia does, for goodness sake). I did find the ending a bit abrupt, but I also enjoyed it. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. 0 likes. A sad book, not at all uplifting, but oddly satisfying. She is an excellent writer. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. The Road to My Calling: One Russian Woman's Quest for Purpose in America. And I have to say it was worth finishing. Now, haunted by an inability to remember much about her early childhood, Lilia moves restlessly from city to city, abandoning lovers and eluding the private detective who has dedicated a career to following close behind. I'm a big fan of St. John Mandel, and this book is another amazing work. Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2014. Sometimes at night it starts to ring.” Last Night in Montreal NPR coverage of Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel. There are enough questions to keep the reader moving toward the end, and the answers, once revealed, are satisfying. Emily St. John Mandel's book Last Night in Montreal was available from LibraryThing Early Reviewers. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. ); the significance of language and the limitations it can impose (Lilia is fluent in a number of languages, whereas Eli’s and Michaela’s shared difficulty with French ends up … Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2014. What an incredibly absorbing story! We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2018. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Get the Last 24 Hours for Montréal, QC, CA. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. Tragedy pervades the narrative, but never chokes it. This Study Guide consists of approximately 61 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Last Night in Montreal. It left me feeling unsatisfied whilst I could see that all the pieces join together to make a bigger story and can appreciate the author's skill in doing that. Montreal photographer Martin Reisch captured a magnificent photo of the storm, perfectly showing a giant shelf cloud over the island. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. It'll probably still haunt me, even so. His quest is interspersed with flashbacks to Lilia's childhood: her father kidnaps her at age seven from her mother's house, and the two go on the lam. Now, haunted by an inability to remember much about her early childhood, Lilia moves restlessly from city to city, abandoning lovers and eluding the private detective who has dedicated a career to following close behind. I loved "Station 11" and thought I would like this book too but it seemed too dark and the characters lacked likability. A sad book, not at all uplifting, but oddly satisfying. The premise is good - a young girl kidnapped by her father moves constantly until she is 16 years of age and learns to be happy only when she is leaving. While the plot is occasionally contrived, the fast pacing and unusual characters make this a compelling first novel. The prose is gorgeous and absolutely a joy to read. In adulthood, she finds it impossible to stop. “Last Night in Montreal is an exciting debut: a thriller, a love story, and a quiet ballad about life's fleeting connections.” —Quill & Quire “Taut, gripping. Simply blew me away.”—Nancy Pearl, NPR, “Morning Edition”. I think she,s a great author but I just find,t care for the book. I have amended my review, and increased the rating to four stars. I kept wondering what did actually happen. She takes the disappearance of a young girl – a common enough theme in recent literature – and elevates it into a meditation on the sense of loss which pervades our life, Reviewed in the United States on April 10, 2020. Lilia Albert has been leaving people behind for her entire life. Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2017. It should be hard to follow her transitions, but somehow it isn’t. . All the Ways We Said Goodbye: A Novel of the Ritz Paris, “Breathtaking. She knows where she is going but not why. Lilia, the main character in the novel, was among the most complex in the story. Modavie: Last Night in Montreal - See 4,513 traveler reviews, 1,022 candid photos, and great deals for Montreal, Canada, at Tripadvisor. (In what ways you will find out). It introduces lots of characters you would love to get to know. This is an excellent debut novel. Many people across the city have reported feeling an earthquake in Montreal last night, and Earthquakes Canada has confirmed that at 3:22 a.m. an earthquake of 3.3 magnitude rocked the Montreal area. In the end, however, the outcomes do not satisfy. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 16, 2017. Having read an advance review copy of The Glass Hotel, Mantel's latest novel, and found it intriguing, I decided to try more of her work. When the novel opens, Lilia is a twentysomething Brooklyn dishwasher living with a disgruntled grad student named Eli Jacobs. And I’m happy I did. In Her Words: A gripping, twisty psychological thriller. This one is about two fathers and two daughters and how their lives intersect and affect each other. Last Night in Montreal By Emily St. John Mandel Paperback, 256 pages Unbridled Books List price: $14.95 Again, I have no memory of how this book crossed my path. Last Night in Montreal Emily St John Mandel, Author. Because there are some things she just cannot remember about her past, this young woman is a mystery even to herself. I adore this book. 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. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It'll probably still haunt me, even so. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. Restaurant Holder: Last Night in Montreal - See 1,435 traveler reviews, 326 candid photos, and great deals for Montreal, Canada, at Tripadvisor. This is a clever, unique writer. Though Last Night in Montreal is relatively short, the author still finds a way to get us very intimately acquainted with the inner world Lilia as well as the other main characters (more on them a bit later), giving us a very complete picture of who they are, what they’re seeking, and … Housewife Chronicles: A suburban murder mystery with a touch of romance (Housewife ... A young woman with a habit of running away runs away yet again in Mandel's competent if unremarkable debut. I have amended my review, and increased the rating to four stars. by Emily St. John Mandel. In the end, however, the outcomes do not satisfy. She lives in Brooklyn. Emily St John Kandel is a fine writer and one comes across sentences that cry out to be read aloud. Emily St John Kandel is a fine writer and one comes across sentences that cry out to be read aloud. Like “I like waitresses with tattoos. 4 out of 5 stars 4.2 out of 5.0 5 Stars 46 4 Stars 35 3 Stars 14 2 Stars 5 1 Stars 1 Performance. Unable to add item to List. There are several secrets, and there is a new boyfriend who cannot accept his loss. I did get bored, I did want things to move on (as Lilia does, for goodness sake). Her previous novels were Last Night in Montreal, The Singer’s Gun, and The Lola Quartet. Newton’s second law of thermodynamics – all systems tend toward entropy – governs the characters in Emily St. John Mandel’s debut novel. The lost souls in this elegantly compelling novel are lost to themselves as much as they are to others.” —Booklist You're not alone. I did find the ending a bit abrupt, but I also enjoyed it. A must read for any fan of St. John Mandel, or anyone who enjoys a good book in general. For me, that would be the characters and the writing. They tumble into one another’s orbits, toil over dead languages, and fret over their inert lives. 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. In adulthood, she finds it impossible to stop. When Lilia Albert was a child, her father appeared on the doorstep of her mother's house and took her away. Her most recent novel, Station Eleven, was a finalist for the 2014 National Book Award and a New York Times bestseller. Lilia is a rootless twenty-something who has been running from her past since she was a small child, leaving a trail of broken relationships, abandoned apartments and false identities behind her. About a month later, Eli gets a postcard from someone named Michaela in Montreal telling him that Lilia is there, so he heads north, leaving (thankfully) his insufferable friends behind to natter on about art without him. This book flows from the respective points of view of the 2 main characters, and flows back and forth through time and relationship. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 23, 2015. Emily St. John Mandel was born in British Columbia, Canada. Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2020. The city was hit by an intense storm last night that left over 7,000 Montrealers without power. 0 likes. She is a staff writer for The Millions, and her work has appeared in numerous anthologies, including The Best American Mystery Stories 2013and Venice Noir. Unable to add item to List. Montrealers on the western side of the island reported as many as three tremendous booms that rattled homes early in the morning of March 25. Severe. Please try your request again later. It implies the existence of a secret life.” ― Emily St. John Mandel, Last Night in Montreal. Please try your request again later. Until a few days ago I might have been tempted to put money on her marvellous novel 'Station Eleven' being the finest book I will read this year. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Reviewed in the United States on February 16, 2018. It is a quick read, easily accomplished in just a few hours, but as always with her books, I find myself wanting to slow down and keep reading because I don't want it to end. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 30, 2018. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. Something went wrong. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. Few of the characters are particularly likable, as people, but all of them are compelling in some way. Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2014. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. The writing is good. Instead, her independently wealthy dad moves her from one U.S. city to another, along the way educating her in matters both practical and not. Having read an advance review copy of The Glass Hotel, Mantel's latest novel, and found it intriguing, I decided to try more of her work. She spends her childhood and adolescence traveling constantly and changing identities. Then you can start reading Kindle books on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Last Night in Montreal A Novel (Book) : Mandel, Emily St. John : "When Lilia Albert was a child, her father appeared on the doorstep of her mother's house and took her away. Lilia and Michaela each know a secret about the other and only by revealing them can they resolve their lives. Please try again. 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. The electrifying sequel to "The Sympathizer" by Viet Viet Thanh Nguyen. Emily St. John Mandel is a LibraryThing Author, an author who lists their personal library on LibraryThing. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. She dips backwards and forwards effortlessly. There was a problem loading your book clubs. Her writing just draws you in. “ Last Night in Montreal is a rare achievement, a gripping, mysterious and original literary novel about family secrets and the unbearable weight they place on young shoulders. There are enough questions to keep the reader moving toward the end, and the answers, once revealed, are satisfying. This was the first Emily st John Mandel book I read, it gripped me from page one right through to the end. A character who can’t stay and a lover who yearns for her too. The best writers ensure their readers’ time is well invested. . — Tyler Toffoli had two goals, including an empty-netter in the final minute, and the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Winnipeg Jets 4-2 on Monday night. It left me feeling unsatisfied whilst I could see that all the pieces join together to make a bigger story and can appreciate the author's skill in doing that. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 23, 2015. She studied dance at The School of Toronto Dance Theatre and lived briefly in Montreal before relocating to New York. It was full of ideas and sub-plots but none of them were very well developed. Few of the characters are particularly likable, as people, but all of them are compelling in some way. "Last Night in Montreal" is a story of love, amnesia, the depths and limits of family bonds, and the nature of obsession Access-restricted-item true Addeddate 2010-06-11 19:54:10 Bookplateleaf 0002 Boxid IA122216 Boxid_2 CH124001 Camera Canon EOS 5D Mark II City Denver Donor alibris Sign up to get a pre-publication copy in exchange for a review. She writes beautifully, and although the whole scheme is a little contrived, and not quite believable, and although it's all wrapped up rather quickly and artificially at the end, I was glad I read it through. An intriguing idea, but the delivery isn't quite there. Please try again. It is a quick read, easily accomplished in just a few hours, but as always with her books, I find myself wanting to slow down and keep reading because I don't want it to end. So a few days later I went back to it. OTHER BOOKS. Now, haunted by an inability to remember much about her early childhood, Lilia moves restlessly from city to city, abandoning lovers and eluding the private detective … When Lilia Albert was a child, her father appeared on the doorstep of her mother’s house and took her away. About Last Night in Montreal. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. An enchanting, beguiling and beautiful novel, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 8, 2015. What listeners say about Last Night in Montreal. Please try again. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. I think she,s a great author but I just find,t care for the book. Reviewed in the United States on March 4, 2017. My original review is below (in quotation marks), and I feel it's now a little harsh, though I still stand by some of it. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. She is never again seen by her mother or brother. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 30, 2018. The prose is gorgeous and absolutely a joy to read. A must read for any fan of St. John Mandel, or anyone who enjoys a good book in general. 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. . I loved "Station 11" and thought I would like this book too but it seemed too dark and the characters lacked likability. Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2014. … Each of the characters major and minor is wholly alive, three-dimensional in all their complexity, bad choices, general quirkiness and flawed decisions
And the writing simply blew me away.”Nancy Pearl on NPR’s Morning Edition. But what he discovers is a deeper mystery, one that will set past and present spinning toward collision. When Lilia unceremoniously leaves him—a pattern she's perfected—Eli is bereft. But the people of this book remain enigmas. Last Night in Montreal by Emily St. John Mandel is a Vintage publication. An enchanting, beguiling and beautiful novel, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 8, 2015. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. It is a novel about identity, love and amnesia, the depths and limits of family bonds and - ultimately - about the nature of obsession. But the people of this book remain enigmas. Emily St. John Mandel is such a writer. When I saw Emily St. John Mandel’s name, it immediately caught my attention. LAST NIGHT IN MONTREAL: ABOUT the BOOK The story opens as Lilia is leaving Eli, a boyfriend she casually acquired in New York. Lilia and Michaela each know a secret about the other and only by revealing them can they resolve their lives. So I read a few pages and decided that it would be good for me to read a woman author from Canada. She dips backwards and forwards effortlessly. Here's the sound that woke Montreal up last night . Taking a look back at the major storms that flooded over 5,000 Quebec homes Vintage; Reprint edition (August 4, 2015). As Eli finishes another grim day of work on his thesis (its topic: dead and dying languages) in his Brooklyn apartment, he realizes his girlfriend, Lilia, never returned after going out for the newspaper that morning. That, however, was before my boss recommended her first novel, 'Last Night in Montreal'. Like “There is a pay phone by a truck stop near the town of Leonard, Arizona. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, Visit Amazon's Emily St. John Mandel Page.