Peter's Reviews > So Late in the Day

Broken
The first paragraph of this short story illustrates how Claire Keegan bathes every novel she writes in beautiful lyrical language. Some writers indulge in over-the-top descriptive passages that feel contrived, but not Keegan, she displays her art such that readers feel the sensory excitement of a given moment.

So Late in the Day is the story of Cathal: how he lives alone, was once almost married to Sabine and how certain character flaws can destroy relationships. The picture built of Cathal erodes our sympathy from a lonely, jilted man to a person with mean tendencies, sharing issues and a lack of empathy. We see how a relationship without love cannot be camouflaged. Our discerning compassion for Sabine grows as we witness Cathal's actions and behaviour, particularly when sharing time, money, and space. It’s ultimately not worth staying in a relationship that will become sour, and no matter how ‘late in the day’, it should end.

While this is a short story, it’s no surprise that the pace and modulation are on point, but I can’t help but wonder if Keegan can stretch this to a full novel. I have enjoyed previous stories from her, and while I hate novels that employ padding, I would like to spend more time with her characters and the scenarios they could find themselves in. I recommend reading this story even for the opening paragraph – okay I’ll include it below.

“On Friday, July 29th, Dublin got the weather that was forecast. All morning, a brazen sun shone across Merrion Square, reaching onto Cathal’s desk where he was stationed by the open window. A taste of cut grass blew in and every now and then a close breeze stirred the ivy, on the ledge. When a shadow crossed, he looked out; a gulp of swallows skirmishing, high up, in camaraderie. Down on the lawns, some people were out sunbathing and there were children, and beds plump with flowers; so much of life carrying smoothly on, despite the tangle of human upsets and the knowledge of how everything must end.”