A sweltering weekend in London. A whale is stuck in the Thames. Time is running out for pregnant Maggie to tell her best friend Phil that her and her partner Ed are moving out of London, Phil needs to decide if his situationship with housemate Keith is going anywhere, and Phil’s mother Rosaleen needs to break the news to her son that she’s been diagnosed with cancer. The weekend is long and unrelenting.
The novel opens with the calamity, chaos and curiosity of a whale stuck in the Thames, setting the scene perfectly for the rest of the weekend as the characters try to grapple with their changing and confusing lives which have led them to make difficult decisions. Financially, Maggie and Ed can’t afford to stay in London and raise a child. Ed doesn’t know if he should divulge his history with Maggie’s best friend Phil, who is contemplating if he should continue sleeping with Keith who already has a boyfriend.
This novel gave a voice to many different people who are battling with their own demons and the day to day challenges of modern life, from money, relationships, sex, and security, to hope.
Reviewed by Victoria.
Evenings and Weekends was published on 09/05/24 by Fourth Estate.
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