Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Moving and thought-provoking, 1 May 2003
By A Customer
Stephan Collishaw's first novel 'The Last Girl' is a wonderfully evocative and moving novel about loss, guilt, memory and love. Set in Lithuania, particularly in Vilnius, and moving between time frames from the second world war to the 1990s, it explores the lives of a number of individuals as events shape and guide their actions and the things that happen to them. The story is held together by Stepanos, a poet, elderly in the 1990s but a young man during the war. His fascination for a young woman he meets in the 1990s stirs memories of events during the war. The story is not simply about the war, however, but is about how people react to their circumstances and how memory is shaped and altered by experience. Some books touching on these subjects can have a heavy-handed approach to history, shoe-horning individual experiences to reflect the author's message, but Collishaw avoids this trap, providing the reader instead with a moving story about individuals and their reactions to the world around them. The city of Vilnius and the people there are evoked with tenderness but not romanticised, and the characters feel alive and 'real'. The central story is quiet, contemplative, but does not shy away from difficulties or attempt to provide easy answers to the way people act. A compelling story told with style and assurance. I'll definitely be looking out for more from this author.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Moving, informative, beautiful, 29 Mar 2003
One of the outstanding debuts of 2003, Collishaw is a talent to watch on the evidence of this novel. Set in Lithuania, it is a tapestry of memorable characters and history, with a terrible secret at its heart, which packs a terrific emotional punch. Collishaw's style is subtle, never showy, but has a telegraphic beauty which cuts to the heart every time. Highly recommended, especially for those who have enjoyed Rachel Seiffert, Helen Dunmore and Sebastian Faulks.
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4 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Review of The Last Girl, 5 April 2003
This book is most definitely worth reading! From the moment I picked it up I was captivated by it! I really do think that Stephan Collishaw is an excellent new writer and I would absoloutely recommend this book!
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by Stephen Collishaw
