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So Late in the Day: Stories of Men and Women
Librarian's Note: This is the entry for the short story collection. Please don't combine it with the short story of the same name.
From Booker Prize Finalist and bestselling author of “pitch perfect” ( Boston Globe ) Small Things Like These , comes a triptych of stories about love, lust, betrayal, and the ever-intriguing interchanges between women and men.
Celebrated for her powerful short fiction, considered “among the form’s most masterful practitioners” ( New York Times ), Claire Keegan now gifts us three exquisite stories, newly revised and expanded, together forming a brilliant examination of gender dynamics and an arc from Keegan’s earliest to her most recent work.
In “So Late in the Day,” Cathal faces a long weekend as his mind agitates over a woman with whom he could have spent his life, had he behaved differently; in “The Long and Painful Death,” a writer’s arrival at the seaside home of Heinrich Böll for a residency is disrupted by an academic who imposes his presence and opinions; and in “Antarctica,” a married woman travels out of town to see what it’s like to sleep with another man and ends up in the grip of a possessive stranger.
Each story probes the dynamics that corrupt what could be between women and a lack of generosity, the weight of expectation, the looming threat of violence. Potent, charged, and breathtakingly insightful, these three essential tales will linger with readers long after the book is closed.
From Booker Prize Finalist and bestselling author of “pitch perfect” ( Boston Globe ) Small Things Like These , comes a triptych of stories about love, lust, betrayal, and the ever-intriguing interchanges between women and men.
Celebrated for her powerful short fiction, considered “among the form’s most masterful practitioners” ( New York Times ), Claire Keegan now gifts us three exquisite stories, newly revised and expanded, together forming a brilliant examination of gender dynamics and an arc from Keegan’s earliest to her most recent work.
In “So Late in the Day,” Cathal faces a long weekend as his mind agitates over a woman with whom he could have spent his life, had he behaved differently; in “The Long and Painful Death,” a writer’s arrival at the seaside home of Heinrich Böll for a residency is disrupted by an academic who imposes his presence and opinions; and in “Antarctica,” a married woman travels out of town to see what it’s like to sleep with another man and ends up in the grip of a possessive stranger.
Each story probes the dynamics that corrupt what could be between women and a lack of generosity, the weight of expectation, the looming threat of violence. Potent, charged, and breathtakingly insightful, these three essential tales will linger with readers long after the book is closed.
64 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 22, 2022
1087 people are currently reading
28643 people want to read
About the author
Claire Keegan
20 books9,816 followersClaire Keegan was raised on a farm in Wicklow. She completed her undergraduate studies at Loyola University, New Orleans, Louisiana and subsequently earned an MA at The University of Wales and an M.Phil at Trinity College, Dublin.
Her first collection of stories, Antarctica, was a Los Angeles Times Book of the Year. Her second, Walk the Blue Fields, was Richard Ford’s book of the year. Her works have won several awards including The Hugh Leonard Bursary, The Macaulay Fellowship, The Rooney Prize for Irish Literature, The Martin Healy Prize, The Olive Cook Award, The Kilkenny Prize, The Tom Gallon Award and The William Trevor Prize, judged by William Trevor. Twice was Keegan the recipient of the Francis MacManus Award. She was also a Wingate Scholar. She lives in Wexford.
Her first collection of stories, Antarctica, was a Los Angeles Times Book of the Year. Her second, Walk the Blue Fields, was Richard Ford’s book of the year. Her works have won several awards including The Hugh Leonard Bursary, The Macaulay Fellowship, The Rooney Prize for Irish Literature, The Martin Healy Prize, The Olive Cook Award, The Kilkenny Prize, The Tom Gallon Award and The William Trevor Prize, judged by William Trevor. Twice was Keegan the recipient of the Francis MacManus Award. She was also a Wingate Scholar. She lives in Wexford.
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March 17, 2025
Claire Keegan is a master of quiet profundity and her prose is so succinct and intoxicating that she could write the whole vastness of the night sky into a single sentence and the stars and moonshine would not be diminished. Those who, like myself, have been dazzled by Keegan’s novellas (I’d rate Foster as my favorite book I read last year) will not be surprised to learn she began her career writing short stories where she refined her seemingly preternatural skills of brief, poetic simplicity that slices straight to an emotional core. So Late in the Day is a sampler plate of sorts, offering three stories from the span of her career that highlights the best of her abilities. The stories collected here offer a much grittier vision than her two novellas and hone in on the struggles of women under a patriarchal society. Keegan excels at crafting a story where the dark shadows of humanity are lurking within stories delivered with idyllic imagery and gorgeous phrases, of people ‘carrying smoothly on, despite the tangle of human conflicts and the knowledge of how everything must end.’ This is an excellent introduction to Keegan’s short stories and a window into the incredible amount of insights and social criticisms she can neatly fold into a tiny space.
‘You know what is at the heart of misogyny? When it comes down to it?...it’s simply about not giving…whether it’s not giving us the vote or not giving help with the dishes—it’s all clitched to the same wagon.’
The three stories here are well chosen to represent the versatility and grace of Keegan’s work though I wish there were more in this small volume, particularly as only one story was new to me. It begins with the title story that was first printed in The New Yorker in 2022 (I reviewed the story at length HERE) , and the other two being from her collections Walk the Blue Fields and Antarctica (if you are interested, I reviewed the latter HERE). But as always, Keegan bewitches the reader with her words. Her sentences feel like you could unpack them and have a lush green field roll forth from the vowels, trees sprouting from each noun, and verbs becoming a sweet spring wind and rain. It feels much like the description of her writer character in the second story:
With such an economy of language she brings the world and characters into our minds as so alive with their fears, frustrations, hopes and dreams.
‘‘She thought of Antarctica, the snow and ice and the bodies of dead explorers. Then she thought of hell, and then eternity.’’
There is a theme of interpersonal communications between men and women here, often demonstrating how women are objectified, looked down upon or treated as property and how misogyny can be passed down generationally with sons falling into step with the behaviors of their fathers. The title story deals with this rather directly, with Cathal, despite vowing to break the cycle, ending up driving his love away when his fears and fragility get the best of him. Sabrine must reflect him back upon himself in order for him to realize the reality of his behaviors and must of the story deals with the emotional as well as physical labors that burden women that men just assume they should carry.
In many of Keegan’s stories we see how the inability of the men to productively process and address their emotions becomes another emotional burden women must shoulder. Cathals insistence that ‘if things have not ended badly, they have not ended,’ is also a stark reminder that the most dangerous time for a women is when she leaves her partner, with 75% of all domestic assaults occurring during a separation.
Much of this stems from a belief of women as property, which we see in the chilling twist of the final story, Antarctica, where what begins as simple fun for a woman looking for an extramarital good time turns into something nightmarishly sinister. In this story, Keegan does an excellent job of disarming the reader, making you feel the initial unease but then lulling you into a feeling of comfort until the twist strikes. The idea of women seen as property is also represented in the second story, The Long and Painful Death, where there are multiple references to men not wanting women to own land. In her book The Second Sex, French feminist and existentialist philosopher Simone de Beauvoir spends an entire chapter drawing a direct line from property ownership of land to the social assumptions of husbands possessing their wives like legal property in which the woman has no say. In the story, the narrator is living in the former home of Heinrich Böll on a writer’s residency when she is intruded upon by a professor who wishes to see the house. He is overtly dismayed to find a woman residing in Böll’s residence who would spend time baking cakes or enjoying a swim, as if a woman’s leisure between periods of writing is a direct attack on the legacy of Böll. That she is unwed is also certainly seen by him as a slight against all men, and here we can see Keegan approach the idea that unwed women without children who write are seen as frivolous and obscene whereas for a man to do the same is the height of literary genius.
Keegan is a master of short stories and, while it would have been nice to see more new work, So Late in the Day is a lovely little collection. This would make an excellent introduction to Keegan and I would highly recommend checking out her full short story collections as well. With so little, Keegan can create so much.
4.5/5
‘You know what is at the heart of misogyny? When it comes down to it?...it’s simply about not giving…whether it’s not giving us the vote or not giving help with the dishes—it’s all clitched to the same wagon.’
The three stories here are well chosen to represent the versatility and grace of Keegan’s work though I wish there were more in this small volume, particularly as only one story was new to me. It begins with the title story that was first printed in The New Yorker in 2022 (I reviewed the story at length HERE) , and the other two being from her collections Walk the Blue Fields and Antarctica (if you are interested, I reviewed the latter HERE). But as always, Keegan bewitches the reader with her words. Her sentences feel like you could unpack them and have a lush green field roll forth from the vowels, trees sprouting from each noun, and verbs becoming a sweet spring wind and rain. It feels much like the description of her writer character in the second story:
‘She had made the incision in place and time, and infused it with a climate, and longing. There was earth and fire and water on these pages; there was a man and a woman and human loneliness, disappointment.’
With such an economy of language she brings the world and characters into our minds as so alive with their fears, frustrations, hopes and dreams.
‘‘She thought of Antarctica, the snow and ice and the bodies of dead explorers. Then she thought of hell, and then eternity.’’
There is a theme of interpersonal communications between men and women here, often demonstrating how women are objectified, looked down upon or treated as property and how misogyny can be passed down generationally with sons falling into step with the behaviors of their fathers. The title story deals with this rather directly, with Cathal, despite vowing to break the cycle, ending up driving his love away when his fears and fragility get the best of him. Sabrine must reflect him back upon himself in order for him to realize the reality of his behaviors and must of the story deals with the emotional as well as physical labors that burden women that men just assume they should carry.
‘‘At least half of men your age just want us to shut up and give you what you want, that you’re spoiled and become contemptible when things don’t go your way.’
In many of Keegan’s stories we see how the inability of the men to productively process and address their emotions becomes another emotional burden women must shoulder. Cathals insistence that ‘if things have not ended badly, they have not ended,’ is also a stark reminder that the most dangerous time for a women is when she leaves her partner, with 75% of all domestic assaults occurring during a separation.
Much of this stems from a belief of women as property, which we see in the chilling twist of the final story, Antarctica, where what begins as simple fun for a woman looking for an extramarital good time turns into something nightmarishly sinister. In this story, Keegan does an excellent job of disarming the reader, making you feel the initial unease but then lulling you into a feeling of comfort until the twist strikes. The idea of women seen as property is also represented in the second story, The Long and Painful Death, where there are multiple references to men not wanting women to own land. In her book The Second Sex, French feminist and existentialist philosopher Simone de Beauvoir spends an entire chapter drawing a direct line from property ownership of land to the social assumptions of husbands possessing their wives like legal property in which the woman has no say. In the story, the narrator is living in the former home of Heinrich Böll on a writer’s residency when she is intruded upon by a professor who wishes to see the house. He is overtly dismayed to find a woman residing in Böll’s residence who would spend time baking cakes or enjoying a swim, as if a woman’s leisure between periods of writing is a direct attack on the legacy of Böll. That she is unwed is also certainly seen by him as a slight against all men, and here we can see Keegan approach the idea that unwed women without children who write are seen as frivolous and obscene whereas for a man to do the same is the height of literary genius.
Keegan is a master of short stories and, while it would have been nice to see more new work, So Late in the Day is a lovely little collection. This would make an excellent introduction to Keegan and I would highly recommend checking out her full short story collections as well. With so little, Keegan can create so much.
4.5/5
November 7, 2025
After enjoying Small Things Like These, I had to read more of Claire Keegan’s work. So Late in the Day contains three short stories that don’t hold back with social criticism – particularly towards misogyny.
Each piece was captivating, although these are melancholic, pass-me-the-Prozac stories. Claire is an expert at simple yet beautiful prose and delivering work that lingers in the mind. These are superb character studies of lonely people and observations on the human condition which provide food for thought.
So Late in the Day
The title story was originally published in The New Yorker. It follows a man, Cathal, reflecting on a failed relationship. He’s a rather clueless, unlikeable person. We gradually learn more about the relationship he had with Sabine.
“That was the problem with women falling out of love; the veil of romance fell away from their eyes, and they looked in and could read you.”
It had a great ending, and like the rest of these stories, I wondered how the characters’ lives would look moving forward.
The Long and Painful Death
My favourite story in the collection, originally published in 2007. It had such a strong sense of place.
“She sensed the high, sheltering presence of the mountain, the bare hills and, far below, where the road ended, the clear, pleasant thumps of the Atlantic on the shore.”
It follows a writer, newly arrived at the Heinrich Boll cottage on Achill Island. Her residency gets interrupted by an unwanted visitor - a German man, who seems reluctant to leave. She ultimately retaliates in a creative way. It made me wonder how much of this story was true.
Antarctica
Originally published in her collection of the same name. This was unexpected and spine-chilling - perhaps my least favourite.
“She thought of Antarctica, the snow and ice and the bodies of dead explorers. Then she thought of hell, and then eternity.”
There’s an illicit feel to this story, which depicts a married woman determined to find out what it feels like to sleep with another man. Undeniably creepy, I found the Antarctica imagery quite a genius element of the story.
While I preferred Small Things Like These, this was still a worthwhile, albeit repetitively-themed read and gave me plenty to reflect on – and in one case, a longing to spend time writing in a cottage by the sea. Ireland certainly produces talented writers.
Each piece was captivating, although these are melancholic, pass-me-the-Prozac stories. Claire is an expert at simple yet beautiful prose and delivering work that lingers in the mind. These are superb character studies of lonely people and observations on the human condition which provide food for thought.
So Late in the Day
The title story was originally published in The New Yorker. It follows a man, Cathal, reflecting on a failed relationship. He’s a rather clueless, unlikeable person. We gradually learn more about the relationship he had with Sabine.
“That was the problem with women falling out of love; the veil of romance fell away from their eyes, and they looked in and could read you.”
It had a great ending, and like the rest of these stories, I wondered how the characters’ lives would look moving forward.
The Long and Painful Death
My favourite story in the collection, originally published in 2007. It had such a strong sense of place.
“She sensed the high, sheltering presence of the mountain, the bare hills and, far below, where the road ended, the clear, pleasant thumps of the Atlantic on the shore.”
It follows a writer, newly arrived at the Heinrich Boll cottage on Achill Island. Her residency gets interrupted by an unwanted visitor - a German man, who seems reluctant to leave. She ultimately retaliates in a creative way. It made me wonder how much of this story was true.
Antarctica
Originally published in her collection of the same name. This was unexpected and spine-chilling - perhaps my least favourite.
“She thought of Antarctica, the snow and ice and the bodies of dead explorers. Then she thought of hell, and then eternity.”
There’s an illicit feel to this story, which depicts a married woman determined to find out what it feels like to sleep with another man. Undeniably creepy, I found the Antarctica imagery quite a genius element of the story.
While I preferred Small Things Like These, this was still a worthwhile, albeit repetitively-themed read and gave me plenty to reflect on – and in one case, a longing to spend time writing in a cottage by the sea. Ireland certainly produces talented writers.
December 15, 2023
claire keegan seemed to me to only write short, perfect books, and i found most of this little collection to be no exception.
i loved the first two stories, which were subtle and lovely and excruciating in their depiction of how men and women feel, and make each other feel.
the last one i loved moments of, but i felt it lost much of the nuance and quietness that made the first two so powerful for me. still, claire keegan is among my favorite authors writing today.
bottom line: irish lit forever
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
i loved the first two stories, which were subtle and lovely and excruciating in their depiction of how men and women feel, and make each other feel.
the last one i loved moments of, but i felt it lost much of the nuance and quietness that made the first two so powerful for me. still, claire keegan is among my favorite authors writing today.
bottom line: irish lit forever
(thanks to the publisher for the e-arc)
July 16, 2023
Claire Keegan has a seemingly preternatural ability to sneak into the reader’s heart with soothing prose and succinctness that masks the unbelievable explosion of emotions and social criticisms she unleashes once she is inside. The tightness of her novellas, like in Foster, seems to have been forged through Keegan’s history of short story writing from which she has published two collections. Keegan’s recent short story So Late in the Day, (you can read it or listen to her read it here) yet again demonstrates her incredible prowess with a taut plot and subtle symbolism where nothing seems wasted or in excess. Keegan also pulls no punches, delivering a sharp jab into misogyny and the societal norms that allow it to perpetuate, told in a story filled with idyllic language and scenery but a dark shadow of unease growing over the landscapes of prose.
Writing advice commonly instructs to never start a story with descriptions of weather and atmosphere is better served through character’s reactions than a description for the sake of a jumping in point. Keegan subverts this well, opening with ‘on Friday, July 29th, Dublin got the weather that had been forecast,’ a quick line that instantly snags at our assumptions and is a rather surprising start for a line about being unsurprising. This plays into the tone of the story flawlessly: what comes as a surprise is, unfortunately, unsurprising. So Late in the Day is told from the perspective of Cathal, opening with him clearly dealing with some grief before diving into a story of a relationship a year prior. Keegan casts an idyllic setting, Dublin in the summer full of children playing with ‘carrying smoothly on, despite the tangle of human conflicts and the knowledge of how everything must end,’ and we know darkness lurks around the corner. In short, it is the story of a failing engagement, one where the woman must bluntly reflect her partner back to himself in order for him to see the reality of his behaviors. It is not a pretty sight, but it also startles him into realizing how much of who he is was learned through his father and through what society allows to pass unchecked.
‘“You know what is at the heart of misogyny? When it comes down to it?’ she asks him, ‘it’s simply about not giving…whether it’s not giving us the vote or not giving help with the dishes—it’s all clitched to the same wagon.’ Keegan brings up pranks pulled of Cathal’s mother that the father allowed, or the acknowledgement that ‘mother had served everyone,’ with Cathal not realizing how much emotional burdens and labor men in society thoughtlessly pile upon the women they claim to love.
It takes a directness for Cathal to even accept this might be vaguely true, as his whole perspective until then had been critiques of her ‘ that she would not listen, and wanted to do a good half of things her own way.’ The man’s way is thought to be the only way and Keegan would like to remind you that this is a notion that must be torn down and snuffed out lest women be forced to carry the labour of men’s inability to process their own emotions forever. And also Cathal’s unrealistic expectations when his idea of romance sours for him because ‘it’s just too much reality.’
There is also an element that Cathal believes ‘ if things have not ended badly, they have not ended,’ which plays into why the most dangerous time for a women is when she leaves her partner, with 75% of all domestic assaults occurring during a separation. 1 in 4 women have been abused by a current or former partner in Ireland, while in the United States an average of 20 women per minute are assaulted by an intimate partner. Men will use this violence to keep a woman from leaving, thinking, like Cathal does, if things haven’t gone to total ruin, there is still a chance to win them back. Which is horrific.
This is a chilling but wonderfully executed story that probes at the heart of misogyny. Keegan is always ready with a perfect phrase, or symbol such as the cherries here that chart the ups and ends of the relationship. Succinct but powerful is Keegan’s signature, and this story does not disappoint.
⅘
‘At least half of men your age just want us to shut up and give you what you want, that you’re spoiled and become contemptible when things don’t go your way.’
Writing advice commonly instructs to never start a story with descriptions of weather and atmosphere is better served through character’s reactions than a description for the sake of a jumping in point. Keegan subverts this well, opening with ‘on Friday, July 29th, Dublin got the weather that had been forecast,’ a quick line that instantly snags at our assumptions and is a rather surprising start for a line about being unsurprising. This plays into the tone of the story flawlessly: what comes as a surprise is, unfortunately, unsurprising. So Late in the Day is told from the perspective of Cathal, opening with him clearly dealing with some grief before diving into a story of a relationship a year prior. Keegan casts an idyllic setting, Dublin in the summer full of children playing with ‘carrying smoothly on, despite the tangle of human conflicts and the knowledge of how everything must end,’ and we know darkness lurks around the corner. In short, it is the story of a failing engagement, one where the woman must bluntly reflect her partner back to himself in order for him to see the reality of his behaviors. It is not a pretty sight, but it also startles him into realizing how much of who he is was learned through his father and through what society allows to pass unchecked.
‘“You know what is at the heart of misogyny? When it comes down to it?’ she asks him, ‘it’s simply about not giving…whether it’s not giving us the vote or not giving help with the dishes—it’s all clitched to the same wagon.’ Keegan brings up pranks pulled of Cathal’s mother that the father allowed, or the acknowledgement that ‘mother had served everyone,’ with Cathal not realizing how much emotional burdens and labor men in society thoughtlessly pile upon the women they claim to love.
‘‘At least half of men your age just want us to shut up and give you what you want, that you’re spoiled and become contemptible when things don’t go your way.’
It takes a directness for Cathal to even accept this might be vaguely true, as his whole perspective until then had been critiques of her ‘ that she would not listen, and wanted to do a good half of things her own way.’ The man’s way is thought to be the only way and Keegan would like to remind you that this is a notion that must be torn down and snuffed out lest women be forced to carry the labour of men’s inability to process their own emotions forever. And also Cathal’s unrealistic expectations when his idea of romance sours for him because ‘it’s just too much reality.’
There is also an element that Cathal believes ‘ if things have not ended badly, they have not ended,’ which plays into why the most dangerous time for a women is when she leaves her partner, with 75% of all domestic assaults occurring during a separation. 1 in 4 women have been abused by a current or former partner in Ireland, while in the United States an average of 20 women per minute are assaulted by an intimate partner. Men will use this violence to keep a woman from leaving, thinking, like Cathal does, if things haven’t gone to total ruin, there is still a chance to win them back. Which is horrific.
This is a chilling but wonderfully executed story that probes at the heart of misogyny. Keegan is always ready with a perfect phrase, or symbol such as the cherries here that chart the ups and ends of the relationship. Succinct but powerful is Keegan’s signature, and this story does not disappoint.
⅘
‘At least half of men your age just want us to shut up and give you what you want, that you’re spoiled and become contemptible when things don’t go your way.’
October 12, 2023
After Small Things Like These, Claire Keegan is back with a punch. Late In The Day includes three short stories: So Late in the Day, The Long and Painful Death, and Antarctica.
Normally short stories aren’t my jam, but Claire Keegan knows how to expertly tell a story in a short amount of time. Her prose is so smooth that her books flow naturally, captivating the reader.
This collection of short stories focuses on the dynamic between male and female characters. Late In The Day felt so realistic that the male subject reminded me of someone that I know.
My favorite story is The Long and Painful Death. There is some symbolism going on, and I would love to give it a reread. What does the window represent? My windows actually have their seals broken so the view isn’t quite what it used to be. That sounds like the basis for another short story…..
This book is small but mighty.
Perfect if you want a short read for a book club! Or if you just like books that give food for thought.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased review.
Normally short stories aren’t my jam, but Claire Keegan knows how to expertly tell a story in a short amount of time. Her prose is so smooth that her books flow naturally, captivating the reader.
This collection of short stories focuses on the dynamic between male and female characters. Late In The Day felt so realistic that the male subject reminded me of someone that I know.
My favorite story is The Long and Painful Death. There is some symbolism going on, and I would love to give it a reread. What does the window represent? My windows actually have their seals broken so the view isn’t quite what it used to be. That sounds like the basis for another short story…..
This book is small but mighty.
Perfect if you want a short read for a book club! Or if you just like books that give food for thought.
*Thanks, NetGalley, for a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and unbiased review.
November 22, 2023
As the story begins, we meet Cathal, our protagonist as he goes about his usual workday, even staying a bit late to finish up on pending work. The date is a significant one (which is revealed later) and throughout the workday and on his way home to Arklow, his thoughts often drift to Sabine, the woman with whom he had been in a relationship and was set to marry. As he reflects on the relationship – the highs and the lows- he is compelled to assess how his attitude toward Sabine and women, in general, contributed to the end of their relationship.
"That was the problem with women falling out of love; the veil of romance fell away from their eyes, and they looked in and could read you."
As the day progresses and Cathal critically examines the roots of his behavior the author directs our attention to the influence of social conditioning and upbringing on how one learns to perceive and value relationships. The narrative paints Cathal in an unfavorable light which is justified. We do get a glimpse of how treating women with utter disregard runs in his family and that is the environment he was exposed to in his formative years but can that alone justify the misogyny and insensitivity that he exhibits towards Sabine? We see flashes of the same pattern of thought in between his more enlightened and introspective moments and ultimately it is doubtful whether his broken engagement and his moments of clarity would actually inspire positive change. My only complaint is that we get a limited view of Sabine’s perspective, and not a very direct one, which is what I felt would have given the story a bit more depth and dimension.
Claire Keegan does not disappoint when it comes to writing about complex characters and their relationships. With vivid imagery, subtle symbolism and elegant prose, So Late In The Day is a beautifully penned, insightful short story.
**I found this story in the February 28, 2022 issue of The New Yorker Magazine. There is also a link for the audio narration of the story, read by the author. I believe the story can be accessed online even if you don’t have a subscription.(last I checked)**
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
"That was the problem with women falling out of love; the veil of romance fell away from their eyes, and they looked in and could read you."
As the day progresses and Cathal critically examines the roots of his behavior the author directs our attention to the influence of social conditioning and upbringing on how one learns to perceive and value relationships. The narrative paints Cathal in an unfavorable light which is justified. We do get a glimpse of how treating women with utter disregard runs in his family and that is the environment he was exposed to in his formative years but can that alone justify the misogyny and insensitivity that he exhibits towards Sabine? We see flashes of the same pattern of thought in between his more enlightened and introspective moments and ultimately it is doubtful whether his broken engagement and his moments of clarity would actually inspire positive change. My only complaint is that we get a limited view of Sabine’s perspective, and not a very direct one, which is what I felt would have given the story a bit more depth and dimension.
Claire Keegan does not disappoint when it comes to writing about complex characters and their relationships. With vivid imagery, subtle symbolism and elegant prose, So Late In The Day is a beautifully penned, insightful short story.
**I found this story in the February 28, 2022 issue of The New Yorker Magazine. There is also a link for the audio narration of the story, read by the author. I believe the story can be accessed online even if you don’t have a subscription.(last I checked)**
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
November 10, 2023
In a Nutshell: It’s a Claire Keegan story collection! What more do you want to know?! Read it! (As you must have guessed, this is a very biased review, because I love this author!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Claire Keegan is one of my top favourite contemporary authors. She has a way of making me feel like a fool, most times.
Hmmm… Those two sentences don’t make much sense next to each other, do they? 👀
Let me elaborate.
I love Claire Keegan. She's among the few writers who believes in the intelligence of her readers and hence never goes overboard elaborating her content. She offers just enough for us to read and then trusts in our capacity to read between the lines and process the gaps. This means that her stories can never be rushed through. That what she says is much less than what she leaves unsaid. That you need to invest in comprehending much beyond the written word. That if you are a perceptive literary reader, you will have the time of your life with her works.
All this also means that when I read her stories, I am almost always left mouth agape after the first round. I return immediately to the start, and read the whole thing again searching for the clues I missed. Only after the second round do I see the cleverness of her hidden hints.
Am I complaining?
No way! I simply love the way she allows me to sink into the story with her vivid writing and yet challenges me with the journey her story takes. She always captures humans in their humanness than in their perfection. Thus she adds so much depth to a short story as even some novels cannot match.
This collection has three stories that have already been published elsewhere. Each story has an interplay between a man and a woman. (Cue: the tagline of the book!) Unlike what you would think though, the stories aren’t dominated by romance. But the juxtaposition of the pair in the stories leaves an aftermath on one of them, and that’s the character we hear from, though not necessarily after the life-changing event. The central character isn’t always likeable, but this is not a problem as they are sketched believably. The endings aren’t what you would call happy, but they are oh-so-perfect for the plot.
As always, I rated the stories individually. And the results weren’t a surprise. For anthologies, I usually review only those tales that impress me, but this time, as there are only three stories, and each of them is a winner, here’s a mini review on the trio:
1. So Late in the Day - 🌟🌟🌟🌟
First published in New Yorker magazine.
I had already read and reviewed this story in July 2022. But I reread it just to see if my opinion has changed. It hasn’t. Still a subtly impactful story. This provides a master class in writing for plot development as well as character development. Now, how many short stories can you say that about?
2. The Long and Painful Death - 🌟🌟🌟🌟
First published in her story collection titled ‘Walk the Blue Fields’.
This story took a while to get going. Initially, I wondered where the author was going with that detailed flow that almost bordered on ‘telling’. But I trusted her, and waited for her to explain the title to me. It’s only at the ending that the meandering plotline made sense and also made me laugh. Wannabe authors, you might find this story very “inspiring”! 😄
3. Antarctica - 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
First published in her story collection titled ‘Antarctica’.
It will be tough to talk about this story (a simple premise at the start, but soon,…) or the characters (so excellently sketched!) without spoiling it, so all I'll say is: Oh. My. God!
Four trivial complaints:
1. Why only three stories?
2. Why only republished works?
3. Why no author’s note?
4. Why such a boring cover?
Strongly recommended to all short story or literary fiction lovers. This collection is a gem not to be missed! Not for those readers who seek quick and easily entertaining stories.
4.3 stars, based on the average of my rating for each story.
My thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the DRC of “So Late in the Day: Stories of Women and Men”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Claire Keegan is one of my top favourite contemporary authors. She has a way of making me feel like a fool, most times.
Hmmm… Those two sentences don’t make much sense next to each other, do they? 👀
Let me elaborate.
I love Claire Keegan. She's among the few writers who believes in the intelligence of her readers and hence never goes overboard elaborating her content. She offers just enough for us to read and then trusts in our capacity to read between the lines and process the gaps. This means that her stories can never be rushed through. That what she says is much less than what she leaves unsaid. That you need to invest in comprehending much beyond the written word. That if you are a perceptive literary reader, you will have the time of your life with her works.
All this also means that when I read her stories, I am almost always left mouth agape after the first round. I return immediately to the start, and read the whole thing again searching for the clues I missed. Only after the second round do I see the cleverness of her hidden hints.
Am I complaining?
No way! I simply love the way she allows me to sink into the story with her vivid writing and yet challenges me with the journey her story takes. She always captures humans in their humanness than in their perfection. Thus she adds so much depth to a short story as even some novels cannot match.
This collection has three stories that have already been published elsewhere. Each story has an interplay between a man and a woman. (Cue: the tagline of the book!) Unlike what you would think though, the stories aren’t dominated by romance. But the juxtaposition of the pair in the stories leaves an aftermath on one of them, and that’s the character we hear from, though not necessarily after the life-changing event. The central character isn’t always likeable, but this is not a problem as they are sketched believably. The endings aren’t what you would call happy, but they are oh-so-perfect for the plot.
As always, I rated the stories individually. And the results weren’t a surprise. For anthologies, I usually review only those tales that impress me, but this time, as there are only three stories, and each of them is a winner, here’s a mini review on the trio:
1. So Late in the Day - 🌟🌟🌟🌟
First published in New Yorker magazine.
I had already read and reviewed this story in July 2022. But I reread it just to see if my opinion has changed. It hasn’t. Still a subtly impactful story. This provides a master class in writing for plot development as well as character development. Now, how many short stories can you say that about?
2. The Long and Painful Death - 🌟🌟🌟🌟
First published in her story collection titled ‘Walk the Blue Fields’.
This story took a while to get going. Initially, I wondered where the author was going with that detailed flow that almost bordered on ‘telling’. But I trusted her, and waited for her to explain the title to me. It’s only at the ending that the meandering plotline made sense and also made me laugh. Wannabe authors, you might find this story very “inspiring”! 😄
3. Antarctica - 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
First published in her story collection titled ‘Antarctica’.
It will be tough to talk about this story (a simple premise at the start, but soon,…) or the characters (so excellently sketched!) without spoiling it, so all I'll say is: Oh. My. God!
Four trivial complaints:
1. Why only three stories?
2. Why only republished works?
3. Why no author’s note?
4. Why such a boring cover?
Strongly recommended to all short story or literary fiction lovers. This collection is a gem not to be missed! Not for those readers who seek quick and easily entertaining stories.
4.3 stars, based on the average of my rating for each story.
My thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the DRC of “So Late in the Day: Stories of Women and Men”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter
September 5, 2023
From the first time I read a story by Claire Keegan, I knew I wanted to read more by her. She writes quiet, impactful and thought provoking stories that pull me in from the beginning, hold me through the end because I simply have to know what happens to her characters. She writes stories that have stayed with me.
I read the first and title story in this short collection as a stand alone published previously in the New Yorker . A character study of a man named Cathal, who made me angry, yet made me feel sorry for him at the same time. He’s a man I wouldn’t want to be married to. The middle story “The Long and Painful Death” is my favorite of the three. An introspective portrayal of a young woman writer coming into her own. Interesting to see how the process of her writing plays out. “Antarctica” is the final story of a woman wanting to escape a bit from her mundane life as a wife and mother. An ending I wasn’t expecting!
Claire Keegan is a master at writing character studies and it is pretty amazing how we can come to intimately know her characters in such short fiction. Besides this collection, I’ve read a couple of other stories and her novella Foster, which is my favorite. I also loved Small Things Like These. All are beautifully written.
I received a copy of this from Grove Press through NetGalley and Edelweiss.
I read the first and title story in this short collection as a stand alone published previously in the New Yorker . A character study of a man named Cathal, who made me angry, yet made me feel sorry for him at the same time. He’s a man I wouldn’t want to be married to. The middle story “The Long and Painful Death” is my favorite of the three. An introspective portrayal of a young woman writer coming into her own. Interesting to see how the process of her writing plays out. “Antarctica” is the final story of a woman wanting to escape a bit from her mundane life as a wife and mother. An ending I wasn’t expecting!
Claire Keegan is a master at writing character studies and it is pretty amazing how we can come to intimately know her characters in such short fiction. Besides this collection, I’ve read a couple of other stories and her novella Foster, which is my favorite. I also loved Small Things Like These. All are beautifully written.
I received a copy of this from Grove Press through NetGalley and Edelweiss.
December 11, 2023
So Late in the Day: Stories of Men and Women by Claire Keegan is the most recent collection of the author’s short stories comprising three of her previously published works. Even though I had already read two of the three short stories in the collection, I was more than happy to read them again. That’s the beauty of Claire Keegan’s work. Every reread provides something new to ponder upon.
In the first story So Late in the Day (4/5), we meet the protagonist, Cathal, in the course of his routine workday. The date is a significant one (which is revealed later), and throughout the day, his thoughts often drift to Sabine, the woman with whom he had been in a relationship. As he reflects on the relationship – the highs and the lows- he is compelled to assess how his attitude toward Sabine and women, in general, contributed to the end of their relationship.
In The Long and Painful Death (4.5/5), we meet a thirty-nine-year-old writer in residence at the seaside home of Heinrich Böll. When she meets a German professor who insists on visiting the property, her interactions with him ( though not entirely pleasant) just might inspire the direction of the story she is currently writing and much more.
The final story, Antarctica (4.5/5), revolves around a married woman who plans a weekend intending to experience what it would be like to sleep with another man. As the story progresses, we follow her as her brief tryst turns into a situation she had not expected.
“As a child, she had been told that hell was different for everyone, your own worst possible scenario.”
Revolving around themes of loneliness, regret, commitment, fidelity and self-perception, these stories will stay with you long after you have finished reading. Complex characters, sparse prose, minimal melodrama, sharp observations on the human condition and plenty of food for thought – what more could we ask for in a short story? I can’t wait to read more from this talented author!
Many thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This collection was published on November 14, 2023.
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
In the first story So Late in the Day (4/5), we meet the protagonist, Cathal, in the course of his routine workday. The date is a significant one (which is revealed later), and throughout the day, his thoughts often drift to Sabine, the woman with whom he had been in a relationship. As he reflects on the relationship – the highs and the lows- he is compelled to assess how his attitude toward Sabine and women, in general, contributed to the end of their relationship.
In The Long and Painful Death (4.5/5), we meet a thirty-nine-year-old writer in residence at the seaside home of Heinrich Böll. When she meets a German professor who insists on visiting the property, her interactions with him ( though not entirely pleasant) just might inspire the direction of the story she is currently writing and much more.
The final story, Antarctica (4.5/5), revolves around a married woman who plans a weekend intending to experience what it would be like to sleep with another man. As the story progresses, we follow her as her brief tryst turns into a situation she had not expected.
“As a child, she had been told that hell was different for everyone, your own worst possible scenario.”
Revolving around themes of loneliness, regret, commitment, fidelity and self-perception, these stories will stay with you long after you have finished reading. Complex characters, sparse prose, minimal melodrama, sharp observations on the human condition and plenty of food for thought – what more could we ask for in a short story? I can’t wait to read more from this talented author!
Many thanks to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this book. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. This collection was published on November 14, 2023.
Connect with me! ✏ Instagram ✏ My Blog ✏ The StoryGraph
July 19, 2022
I had mixed feelings about Cathal, the main character of this short story by Claire Keegan . At times I was angry with him and at times I felt sad for him . She takes us through what was supposed to have been a happy day for him, but turned out to be mundane while the flashbacks to his time with Sabine, a woman he was supposed to marry seemed a happier time . But were they really? Claire Keegan writes beautifully in this introspective study of a man most women may not want to marry, but might feel sorry for.
Here’s a link to the story thanks to my Goodreads friend Sujoya whose review led me to read it .
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
Here’s a link to the story thanks to my Goodreads friend Sujoya whose review led me to read it .
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
November 20, 2023
EXCERPT: She looked at the date on the paper, turned out the lights and lay back in the light of the fire. There she took deep breaths and slowly let many things pass through her mind. She thought of the men she had known and how they had proposed marriage and how she had said yes to all of them but hadn't married one. She felt great fortune, now, in not having married any of these men and a little wonder at ever having said she would.
ABOUT 'SO LATE IN THE DAY': A triptych of stories about love, lust, betrayal, misogyny, and the ever-intriguing interchanges between women and men.
In “So Late in the Day,” Cathal faces a long weekend as his mind agitates over a woman with whom he could have spent his life, had he behaved differently.
In “The Long and Painful Death,” a writer’s arrival at the seaside home of Heinrich Böll for a residency is disrupted by an academic who imposes his presence and opinions.
And in “Antarctica,” a married woman travels out of town to see what it’s like to sleep with another man and ends up in the grip of a possessive stranger.
Each story probes the dynamics that corrupt what could be between women and a lack of generosity, the weight of expectation, the looming threat of violence.
MY TOUGHTS: Claire Keegan portrays the complexities of human relationships with apparent ease. She notes the little moments that shape our memories and our desires. There are not many authors who can portray people so vividly in so few words and pages, but Claire Keegan does it beautifully. Her writing is thought provoking, and I found myself thinking about each story long after I had finished it.
Easily read in an hour, Keegan kept me entranced and satisfied.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#SoLateintheDay #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Claire Keegan didn’t read much as a child. In her home in southeast Ireland, where her family ran a sheep, pig and cattle farm, there were just a couple of books around the house — an illustrated edition of the Bible, and a cookbook, she recalls.
“I’m not sure that growing up without books was a bad thing, because I had to use my imagination,” she said. “Otherwise I might have just stuck my head in a book.”
As it turned out, Keegan made a career out of her imagination.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Grove Atlantic, Grove Press for providing a digital ARC of So Late in the Day: Stories of Men and Women by Claire Keegan for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
ABOUT 'SO LATE IN THE DAY': A triptych of stories about love, lust, betrayal, misogyny, and the ever-intriguing interchanges between women and men.
In “So Late in the Day,” Cathal faces a long weekend as his mind agitates over a woman with whom he could have spent his life, had he behaved differently.
In “The Long and Painful Death,” a writer’s arrival at the seaside home of Heinrich Böll for a residency is disrupted by an academic who imposes his presence and opinions.
And in “Antarctica,” a married woman travels out of town to see what it’s like to sleep with another man and ends up in the grip of a possessive stranger.
Each story probes the dynamics that corrupt what could be between women and a lack of generosity, the weight of expectation, the looming threat of violence.
MY TOUGHTS: Claire Keegan portrays the complexities of human relationships with apparent ease. She notes the little moments that shape our memories and our desires. There are not many authors who can portray people so vividly in so few words and pages, but Claire Keegan does it beautifully. Her writing is thought provoking, and I found myself thinking about each story long after I had finished it.
Easily read in an hour, Keegan kept me entranced and satisfied.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
#SoLateintheDay #NetGalley
THE AUTHOR: Claire Keegan didn’t read much as a child. In her home in southeast Ireland, where her family ran a sheep, pig and cattle farm, there were just a couple of books around the house — an illustrated edition of the Bible, and a cookbook, she recalls.
“I’m not sure that growing up without books was a bad thing, because I had to use my imagination,” she said. “Otherwise I might have just stuck my head in a book.”
As it turned out, Keegan made a career out of her imagination.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Grove Atlantic, Grove Press for providing a digital ARC of So Late in the Day: Stories of Men and Women by Claire Keegan for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
June 13, 2023
These three stories by Claire Keegan include three of her previously published short stories, but are now included in this collection of stories which aren’t technically connected, but are linked by themes of ’love, lust, betrayal, misogyny, and the ever-intriguing interchanges between women and men.’ I was so glad that this came out as a collection since I love the way that she writes, but had yet to read these any of these three stories.
Beginning with ’So Late in the Day’, followed by ’The Long and Painful Death’ this collection ends with ’Antarctica’
’So Late in the Day’ shares the story of Cathal, a man who is looking back over the years, remembering a woman that, perhaps, he might have had a life with if he had been another, better, man.
The second story ’The Long and Painful Death’ revolves around a woman, a writer who is currently at a writing residency, trying to work on her writing during these two weeks when a man who she doesn’t know appears at her door, clearly upset that she has been offered this residency instead of himself. He is dismissive of her as a writer, and a woman.
’Antarctica’ is the third and final story, a story which reminded me of a song my mother used to play far too often Dreams Of The Everyday Housewife’ by Glen Campbell - at least as it begins. A woman who is content in her marriage, but wants a taste of something less tame, just a break from their routine, and so she goes to the city to spend the weekend.
Pub Date: 14 Nov 2023
Many thanks for the ARC provided by Grove Atlantic, Grove Press
July 21, 2022
Oh my goodness… this Irishman named Cathal in this short story!!
He was so infuriating.,,
His thinking of how women should be in a relationship!
Well, Cathal.,, live your lonely life…
Kuddos to Sabine!
I did really like this story..
I’d probably like everything Claire Keegan writes.
Thank you Angela for the link to this short story!
You can read it here
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
He was so infuriating.,,
His thinking of how women should be in a relationship!
Well, Cathal.,, live your lonely life…
Kuddos to Sabine!
I did really like this story..
I’d probably like everything Claire Keegan writes.
Thank you Angela for the link to this short story!
You can read it here
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
June 18, 2024
Newton’s third law of motion says that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. And our choices can work in much the same way. Some consequences barely cause a ripple, while others are a baseball bat to the face. In this collection of three short stories, Keegan explores choices and consequences as only she can.
In the title yarn, 'So Late in the Day,' we meet Cathal. He is not a fresh-faced youth; in fact, he is nearing the top of the middle-aged hill when he meets Sabine — a vibrant woman of French heritage who has a zest for life. Cathal, being a practical man, decides it might be time for him to take a wife.
‘Why don’t we marry?’
‘Why don’t we?’ She’d let out a sound, a type of choked laughter. ‘What sort of way is this of asking? It seems like you are almost making an argument against it.’
Will Cathal abandon his curmudgeonly ways and meet Sabine halfway? As my Magic 8 Ball used to display quite often — ‘Outlook not so good.’
In ‘The Long and Painful Death,’ we follow a writer for one day. Her thirty-ninth birthday, as it turns out. She has taken up residence in the house of a famous (and long-dead) writer to work on her novel. But when an unexpected guest arrives, her planned writing day goes out the window.
Inviting the stranger for tea could be a gift or might prove to be something else entirely…
'Antarctica' wraps up the compilation, and this tale was as splendid as it was spine-chilling. Keegan’s cinematic writing style had my heart racing and I shall say no more. You must experience this one firsthand.
Another fabulous collection from Keegan. She is the darling of novelettes!
In the title yarn, 'So Late in the Day,' we meet Cathal. He is not a fresh-faced youth; in fact, he is nearing the top of the middle-aged hill when he meets Sabine — a vibrant woman of French heritage who has a zest for life. Cathal, being a practical man, decides it might be time for him to take a wife.
‘Why don’t we marry?’
‘Why don’t we?’ She’d let out a sound, a type of choked laughter. ‘What sort of way is this of asking? It seems like you are almost making an argument against it.’
Will Cathal abandon his curmudgeonly ways and meet Sabine halfway? As my Magic 8 Ball used to display quite often — ‘Outlook not so good.’
In ‘The Long and Painful Death,’ we follow a writer for one day. Her thirty-ninth birthday, as it turns out. She has taken up residence in the house of a famous (and long-dead) writer to work on her novel. But when an unexpected guest arrives, her planned writing day goes out the window.
Inviting the stranger for tea could be a gift or might prove to be something else entirely…
'Antarctica' wraps up the compilation, and this tale was as splendid as it was spine-chilling. Keegan’s cinematic writing style had my heart racing and I shall say no more. You must experience this one firsthand.
Another fabulous collection from Keegan. She is the darling of novelettes!
August 31, 2023
I really enjoyed Claire Keegan's
Small Things Like These
, so when I saw this collection of stories on NetGalley I had to give it a shot. And … meh. These stories weren't bad, but certainly none of them had the magic of the aforementioned novella.
I mean, don't get me wrong – Keegan is obviously a talented writer and her prose is lovely. And these stories really were fine, but I'll probably have forgotten all three within the month.
With that said, I think my favorite of the three was the title story, “So Late in the Day.” The flashback scenes with Cathal and Sabine were the best bits, and Cathal's cluelessness in these scenes was almost comical (in an exasperating sort of way).
“The Long and Painful Death” just made me want to take a solo vacation. A private retreat to a ocean view cottage sounds fantastic about right now. Otherwise, I guess I really didn't get it?
The final story, “Antarctica,” was probably my least favorite of the three. It was, however, the tale with the most unexpected subject matter and I absolutely did not see that ending coming.
Overall, this collection was decent but unmemorable. If you're a diehard fan of the author, though, you'll probably really enjoy these stories – the first two, at least, are very Keegan-ish.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Grove Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
I mean, don't get me wrong – Keegan is obviously a talented writer and her prose is lovely. And these stories really were fine, but I'll probably have forgotten all three within the month.
With that said, I think my favorite of the three was the title story, “So Late in the Day.” The flashback scenes with Cathal and Sabine were the best bits, and Cathal's cluelessness in these scenes was almost comical (in an exasperating sort of way).
“The Long and Painful Death” just made me want to take a solo vacation. A private retreat to a ocean view cottage sounds fantastic about right now. Otherwise, I guess I really didn't get it?
The final story, “Antarctica,” was probably my least favorite of the three. It was, however, the tale with the most unexpected subject matter and I absolutely did not see that ending coming.
Overall, this collection was decent but unmemorable. If you're a diehard fan of the author, though, you'll probably really enjoy these stories – the first two, at least, are very Keegan-ish.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Grove Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book to review.
March 1, 2025
how does she write with such profundity in such little pages. rtc
-
short yet powerful books >>> i've heard many good things about claire keegan on instagram and i was experiencing severe fomo so i decided to start this!
-
short yet powerful books >>> i've heard many good things about claire keegan on instagram and i was experiencing severe fomo so i decided to start this!
March 31, 2024
Título original «So Late in the Day: Stories of Women and Men» (2023)
«Não nos compreendemos uns aos outros»
Três contos: «A Uma Hora tão Tardia», «A Morte Lenta e Dolorosa, «Antártida» unidos por temas comuns: desenlace, interrupção de planos, decisões, solidão, decepção, rebeldia, necessidade de reconhecimento.
Foi a minha estreia com Claire Keegan: uma escrita eficaz sem rodriguinhos que disseca o comportamento das seis personagens ( três homens e três mulheres) numa dinâmica de tensão que esmiuça o poder dentro dos relacionamentos.
Num conto aborda-se o perigo do desconhecido: uma mulher com um casamento feliz decidiu descobrir o que seria dormir com outro homem antes de se tornar demasiado velha.
«Faz de conta que és a América» disse ela. «Eu sou o Colombo.»
«Tu», disse ele, «tens um fraquinho por exploradores.»
Noutro uma mulher de 39 anos instala-se na casa de Heinrich Böll que a sua família legara para servir de residência a escritores e os seus planos são perturbados por um alemão, professor jubilado de literatura; entretanto, lê atentamente um conto de Tchékhov sobre uma alegre e complexa heroína, que recusa a casar-se. [necessito ler esse conto, urgentemente]
O primeiro conto, «A Uma hora tão Tardia», foi talvez o meu preferido: aborda a misoginia que vi mais como tendência para o celibato e a dificuldade de ocupar um espaço comum.
Para ler nas entrelinhas o não-dito...o que sabemos...ao que devemos escapar... ao que não podemos aceitar...cedência... aprender a tomar decisões.
Que venha o próximo da autora....
«Não nos compreendemos uns aos outros»
Três contos: «A Uma Hora tão Tardia», «A Morte Lenta e Dolorosa, «Antártida» unidos por temas comuns: desenlace, interrupção de planos, decisões, solidão, decepção, rebeldia, necessidade de reconhecimento.
Foi a minha estreia com Claire Keegan: uma escrita eficaz sem rodriguinhos que disseca o comportamento das seis personagens ( três homens e três mulheres) numa dinâmica de tensão que esmiuça o poder dentro dos relacionamentos.
Num conto aborda-se o perigo do desconhecido: uma mulher com um casamento feliz decidiu descobrir o que seria dormir com outro homem antes de se tornar demasiado velha.
«Faz de conta que és a América» disse ela. «Eu sou o Colombo.»
«Tu», disse ele, «tens um fraquinho por exploradores.»
Noutro uma mulher de 39 anos instala-se na casa de Heinrich Böll que a sua família legara para servir de residência a escritores e os seus planos são perturbados por um alemão, professor jubilado de literatura; entretanto, lê atentamente um conto de Tchékhov sobre uma alegre e complexa heroína, que recusa a casar-se. [necessito ler esse conto, urgentemente]
O primeiro conto, «A Uma hora tão Tardia», foi talvez o meu preferido: aborda a misoginia que vi mais como tendência para o celibato e a dificuldade de ocupar um espaço comum.
Para ler nas entrelinhas o não-dito...o que sabemos...ao que devemos escapar... ao que não podemos aceitar...cedência... aprender a tomar decisões.
Que venha o próximo da autora....
November 19, 2023
claire keegan is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. her prose is simple and succint yet she has a talent of speaking directly to readers' hearts. although i do like small things like these better, these stories were so so beautifully written. i loved antarctica the most, although all of them were wonderful.
full review to come.
thank you grove press for the arc!
full review to come.
thank you grove press for the arc!
November 10, 2023
5★
SO LATE IN THE DAY (story one) (title story reviewed in October 2022)
“It had been an uneventful day, much the same as any other. Then, at the stop for Jack White’s Inn, a young woman came down the aisle and took the vacated seat across from him, wearing a familiar perfume. He sat breathing in her scent until it occurred to him that there must be thousands of women, if not hundreds of thousands, who smelled the same.”
What is it about a familiar smell that can completely transport us to another time or place? Cathal has just been hit with the memory of another woman who wore the same Chanel perfume.
Sabine had grown up in Normandy, and he had met her a couple of years earlier at a conference in Toulouse, where they discovered they both worked in Dublin. They formed a casual relationship which gradually became more serious.
”At some point, Sabine began spending most of her weekends in Arklow, and they started going to the farmers’ market together on Saturday mornings.
. . .
Almost everything she brought home she cooked with apparent light-handedness and ease, with what Cathal took to be love.”
Keegan notes those little moments in childhood that shape us as adults and shows the repercussions that they may have in future relationships.
As of today (Nov 2023), this story is still available from 'The New Yorker'.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
You can listen to her read it here:
https://www.wnyc.org/story/claire-kee...
THE LONG AND PAINFUL DEATH (story two)
It’s okay, no trigger or content warning necessary about a death, long, painful or otherwise.
In this story, a writer has been accepted by the family of late award-winning author, Heinrich Böll as the writer-in-residence for a two-week stay in Böll House. She has arrived at 3am with a few supplies and great intentions of diving into her work, looking out at the famous view from his study window when the day dawns.
Before she can get going in the morning, a German man has phoned her, asking for a tour of the house. Not now, she says. But he’s right outside and he’s insistent, almost demanding. Many people have applied for this residency, why does she deserve it?
She puts him off – after arguing and with some difficulty – until that evening, saying she has work to do. But first, a walk to the shore and then the exploration of an interesting area and pool at the bottom of the cliff.
“With care she stepped over the flat brown stones, followed the slippery path and came out into the cove of white sun. Debris had washed up from the high tide but all around her were deep layers of glistening, bleached stones. Never had she seen such beautiful stones, clanking like delft under her feet each time she moved. She wondered how long they had lain there and what type of stone it was but what did it matter? They were here, now, as she was.”
She even bakes a cake. How she chooses to “work” and spend her residency is up to her, not some annoying random man who wants her to feel guilty. Looking back on her life and how she has arrived at this point is enlightening, and what eventually inspires her is clever and satisfying.
ANTARCTICA (story three)
This was an unexpected tale from Keegan, but after I finished, I could see the recurring theme of the stories.
First, here’s a bit about this one.
“Every time the happily married woman went away, she wondered how it would feel to sleep with another man.”
I imagined this would be the lament of one of those wives, slaving away in the kitchen and dreaming of a better life, but this woman actually takes off for a weekend on her own, before she gets too old, she says.
“She had left a dish of macaroni and cheese out for the kids, brought her husband’s suits back from the cleaners. She’d told him she was going shopping for Christmas. He’d no reason not to trust her.”
She does indeed shop on the Saturday morning, buying the appropriate gifts, and then she’s free.
“She dressed up in the afternoon, put on a short plum-colored dress, high heels, her darkest lipstick, and walked back into town. A jukebox song, ‘The Ballad of Lucy Jordan,’ lured her into a pub, a converted prison with barred windows and a low, beamed ceiling. Fruit machines blinked in one corner, and just as she sat on the bar stool, a little battalion of coins fell into a chute.
‘Hello,’ the fellow next to her said. ‘Haven’t seen you before.’ He had a red complexion, a gold chain inside an open-necked Hawaiian shirt, mud- colored hair, and his glass was almost empty.
‘What’s that you’re drinking?’ she asked.”
And… she’s off! On her way to an exciting weekend, and it is. He’s an admiring suitor and he cooks. Of course it’s not all going to be happy families, but you knew that, right?
Keegan is so good at picking just the right details to indicate the untold parts of the story. I think that’s probably the secret to a good short story or novella. Everything doesn’t have to be spelled out – just enough that we have a good idea of where someone is coming from, who they are now, and what their dreams might be. Of course, some indication of where they’re headed is welcome, too.
Interestingly, in the second story, ‘The Long and Painful Death’, there’s a scene where the writer-in-residence remembers a past affair with a separated man who wanted her to move in.
“Once, when they were getting ready to go out, she had put her hair up, pinned it loosely and had chosen a long, velvet dress. She was thinner then, and in her twenties. ‘I like you like this,’ the man had said that night, but she’d known it wasn’t true; he preferred her in a short skirt with high heels, with her hair loose, and her lips painted red.”
So it’s short skirts, heels, and bright red lipstick for those two. In the first story, we know the woman who cooks so lovingly for Cathal was neatly dressed as a professional at the conference where they met. He was intrigued by her blouse with tiny buttons up the back.
In each of these stories, somebody gets their just rewards, although in one case, I thought it was a little extreme. Still, I love the way Keegan’s mind works.
Although my review is long, this is a very short book. The stories combined are only about 17,000 words, but Keegan doesn’t need a big novel to make a big impact.
Thanks to #NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for a preview copy of #SoLateintheDay.
SO LATE IN THE DAY (story one) (title story reviewed in October 2022)
“It had been an uneventful day, much the same as any other. Then, at the stop for Jack White’s Inn, a young woman came down the aisle and took the vacated seat across from him, wearing a familiar perfume. He sat breathing in her scent until it occurred to him that there must be thousands of women, if not hundreds of thousands, who smelled the same.”
What is it about a familiar smell that can completely transport us to another time or place? Cathal has just been hit with the memory of another woman who wore the same Chanel perfume.
Sabine had grown up in Normandy, and he had met her a couple of years earlier at a conference in Toulouse, where they discovered they both worked in Dublin. They formed a casual relationship which gradually became more serious.
”At some point, Sabine began spending most of her weekends in Arklow, and they started going to the farmers’ market together on Saturday mornings.
. . .
Almost everything she brought home she cooked with apparent light-handedness and ease, with what Cathal took to be love.”
Keegan notes those little moments in childhood that shape us as adults and shows the repercussions that they may have in future relationships.
As of today (Nov 2023), this story is still available from 'The New Yorker'.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
You can listen to her read it here:
https://www.wnyc.org/story/claire-kee...
THE LONG AND PAINFUL DEATH (story two)
It’s okay, no trigger or content warning necessary about a death, long, painful or otherwise.
In this story, a writer has been accepted by the family of late award-winning author, Heinrich Böll as the writer-in-residence for a two-week stay in Böll House. She has arrived at 3am with a few supplies and great intentions of diving into her work, looking out at the famous view from his study window when the day dawns.
Before she can get going in the morning, a German man has phoned her, asking for a tour of the house. Not now, she says. But he’s right outside and he’s insistent, almost demanding. Many people have applied for this residency, why does she deserve it?
She puts him off – after arguing and with some difficulty – until that evening, saying she has work to do. But first, a walk to the shore and then the exploration of an interesting area and pool at the bottom of the cliff.
“With care she stepped over the flat brown stones, followed the slippery path and came out into the cove of white sun. Debris had washed up from the high tide but all around her were deep layers of glistening, bleached stones. Never had she seen such beautiful stones, clanking like delft under her feet each time she moved. She wondered how long they had lain there and what type of stone it was but what did it matter? They were here, now, as she was.”
She even bakes a cake. How she chooses to “work” and spend her residency is up to her, not some annoying random man who wants her to feel guilty. Looking back on her life and how she has arrived at this point is enlightening, and what eventually inspires her is clever and satisfying.
ANTARCTICA (story three)
This was an unexpected tale from Keegan, but after I finished, I could see the recurring theme of the stories.
First, here’s a bit about this one.
“Every time the happily married woman went away, she wondered how it would feel to sleep with another man.”
I imagined this would be the lament of one of those wives, slaving away in the kitchen and dreaming of a better life, but this woman actually takes off for a weekend on her own, before she gets too old, she says.
“She had left a dish of macaroni and cheese out for the kids, brought her husband’s suits back from the cleaners. She’d told him she was going shopping for Christmas. He’d no reason not to trust her.”
She does indeed shop on the Saturday morning, buying the appropriate gifts, and then she’s free.
“She dressed up in the afternoon, put on a short plum-colored dress, high heels, her darkest lipstick, and walked back into town. A jukebox song, ‘The Ballad of Lucy Jordan,’ lured her into a pub, a converted prison with barred windows and a low, beamed ceiling. Fruit machines blinked in one corner, and just as she sat on the bar stool, a little battalion of coins fell into a chute.
‘Hello,’ the fellow next to her said. ‘Haven’t seen you before.’ He had a red complexion, a gold chain inside an open-necked Hawaiian shirt, mud- colored hair, and his glass was almost empty.
‘What’s that you’re drinking?’ she asked.”
And… she’s off! On her way to an exciting weekend, and it is. He’s an admiring suitor and he cooks. Of course it’s not all going to be happy families, but you knew that, right?
Keegan is so good at picking just the right details to indicate the untold parts of the story. I think that’s probably the secret to a good short story or novella. Everything doesn’t have to be spelled out – just enough that we have a good idea of where someone is coming from, who they are now, and what their dreams might be. Of course, some indication of where they’re headed is welcome, too.
Interestingly, in the second story, ‘The Long and Painful Death’, there’s a scene where the writer-in-residence remembers a past affair with a separated man who wanted her to move in.
“Once, when they were getting ready to go out, she had put her hair up, pinned it loosely and had chosen a long, velvet dress. She was thinner then, and in her twenties. ‘I like you like this,’ the man had said that night, but she’d known it wasn’t true; he preferred her in a short skirt with high heels, with her hair loose, and her lips painted red.”
So it’s short skirts, heels, and bright red lipstick for those two. In the first story, we know the woman who cooks so lovingly for Cathal was neatly dressed as a professional at the conference where they met. He was intrigued by her blouse with tiny buttons up the back.
In each of these stories, somebody gets their just rewards, although in one case, I thought it was a little extreme. Still, I love the way Keegan’s mind works.
Although my review is long, this is a very short book. The stories combined are only about 17,000 words, but Keegan doesn’t need a big novel to make a big impact.
Thanks to #NetGalley and Grove Atlantic for a preview copy of #SoLateintheDay.
November 11, 2023
Publication Date: 14th Nov 2023
4 Stars
One Liner: Beautiful!
Claire Keegan could be the only author whose vague and open-ended short stories are my favorite. I love how she writes, be it the setting, emotions, or the inherent intricacies of human nature – good, bad, and ugly. Almost every detail is significant, even when it seems inconsequential.
The writing is poetic, beautiful, and immersive. She knows how to weave magic even with unlikeable characters. The stories are layered and have much to offer to readers. It’s up to us to take what we want and how much we want.
So Late in the Day – 4 Stars
Cathal seems to be having a routine day at the office. However, we see that it is far from an everyday occurrence. As Cathal thinks about the past, Sabine enters, bringing affection, warmth, and love, all of which are missing from his present day. So what happened and why?
The entire story comes from the man’s perspective, providing insight into his upbringing, his flaws, patterns, parallels, and what they did to him. Of course, knowing the author, I knew this wouldn’t have a resolution. But it ends on the right note, confirming what the reader has already guessed. We also see what is likely to happen based on Cathal’s responses to his thoughts or the lack of them.
The story deals with themes like family, relationships, marriage, toxic cycles, love, compromise, priorities, expectations, etc. The subtle and distant tone perfectly presents the characters, leaving the rest for the reader to decide.
The Long and Painful Death – 4 Stars
An unnamed woman, a 39-year-old writer, gets to stay at a popular writing residency for two weeks. She has plans, which have to be adjusted when a German professor wants to see the residence before he leaves. This visit by him ignites a tiny spark, leading to a long and painful death (of a character) but with great satisfaction.
The story is dreamy, languid, and meanders aimlessly, just like the woman. However, none of it goes to waste. She may be a random explorer with half-written ideas for her book, but there’s more to her than hope. Deep inside is her determination, one that runs in parallel to the heroine of a book she’s reading. And when the right trigger flips the switch, she knows to make the most of it.
NGL, I could be missing something deeper (or maybe not). There is loneliness, yearning, determination, judgment, resentment, and much more.
Antarctica – 4 Stars
Bored with her routine life, a married woman and mother of two wonders how it would be to sleep with another man. That December, she decides to find out before it’s too late. Her trip to the city begins well. She even meets a man interested in her. However, she realizes that everything comes at a price, and this one may not leave her with anything.
The story begins with speculation, which soon becomes action. There’s excitement, danger, recklessness, and a sense of freedom. However, the unspoken unease lingers in the background. It becomes more powerful, but not until it is too late to act or react.
The setting suits the theme, Christmasy yet uncomfortable and threatening. The ending is more definite in this story, though it is still open and left to the reader’s interpretation.
To summarize, So Late in the Day is a collection of three short stories dealing with several themes but with a central thread of loneliness, one that you feel so late in the day, left alone with nothing but uncomfortable thoughts for company.
Thank you, NetGalley and Grove Press, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #SoLateintheDay
***
P.S.: Why do they create such boring covers for her books?
4 Stars
One Liner: Beautiful!
Claire Keegan could be the only author whose vague and open-ended short stories are my favorite. I love how she writes, be it the setting, emotions, or the inherent intricacies of human nature – good, bad, and ugly. Almost every detail is significant, even when it seems inconsequential.
The writing is poetic, beautiful, and immersive. She knows how to weave magic even with unlikeable characters. The stories are layered and have much to offer to readers. It’s up to us to take what we want and how much we want.
So Late in the Day – 4 Stars
Cathal seems to be having a routine day at the office. However, we see that it is far from an everyday occurrence. As Cathal thinks about the past, Sabine enters, bringing affection, warmth, and love, all of which are missing from his present day. So what happened and why?
The entire story comes from the man’s perspective, providing insight into his upbringing, his flaws, patterns, parallels, and what they did to him. Of course, knowing the author, I knew this wouldn’t have a resolution. But it ends on the right note, confirming what the reader has already guessed. We also see what is likely to happen based on Cathal’s responses to his thoughts or the lack of them.
The story deals with themes like family, relationships, marriage, toxic cycles, love, compromise, priorities, expectations, etc. The subtle and distant tone perfectly presents the characters, leaving the rest for the reader to decide.
The Long and Painful Death – 4 Stars
An unnamed woman, a 39-year-old writer, gets to stay at a popular writing residency for two weeks. She has plans, which have to be adjusted when a German professor wants to see the residence before he leaves. This visit by him ignites a tiny spark, leading to a long and painful death (of a character) but with great satisfaction.
The story is dreamy, languid, and meanders aimlessly, just like the woman. However, none of it goes to waste. She may be a random explorer with half-written ideas for her book, but there’s more to her than hope. Deep inside is her determination, one that runs in parallel to the heroine of a book she’s reading. And when the right trigger flips the switch, she knows to make the most of it.
NGL, I could be missing something deeper (or maybe not). There is loneliness, yearning, determination, judgment, resentment, and much more.
Antarctica – 4 Stars
Bored with her routine life, a married woman and mother of two wonders how it would be to sleep with another man. That December, she decides to find out before it’s too late. Her trip to the city begins well. She even meets a man interested in her. However, she realizes that everything comes at a price, and this one may not leave her with anything.
The story begins with speculation, which soon becomes action. There’s excitement, danger, recklessness, and a sense of freedom. However, the unspoken unease lingers in the background. It becomes more powerful, but not until it is too late to act or react.
The setting suits the theme, Christmasy yet uncomfortable and threatening. The ending is more definite in this story, though it is still open and left to the reader’s interpretation.
To summarize, So Late in the Day is a collection of three short stories dealing with several themes but with a central thread of loneliness, one that you feel so late in the day, left alone with nothing but uncomfortable thoughts for company.
Thank you, NetGalley and Grove Press, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
#NetGalley #SoLateintheDay
***
P.S.: Why do they create such boring covers for her books?
January 13, 2025
“Well, it’s an exploration of misogyny. (The working title was “Misogyny.”) Maybe I needed to think about misogyny, Irish style, from a man’s point of view. I also like writing stories in which the adult protagonists are culpable in the trouble they endure. Maybe I wanted to explore why misogyny no longer works for men in our changing society.”
~~ Claire Keegan in The New Yorker
I’ve said it here before, I think Claire Keegan is genius.
That being said, I had to catch my breath at the end of this one. Or rather, I had to put the book down so I could start breathing again.
The exploration of misogyny that Keegan talks about doesn’t only apply to “So Late In The Day”, the title story, but to the other two in the collection as well. It was repellent, suffocating, disheartening and bleak as hell. It takes a thick skin to endure stories woven around a constant, subterranean push of hatred against women, covert or apparent.
The misogyny at work in these stories felt like the rip current they warn you about. You cannot swim against it, you need to let it carry you. If you cannot escape from the riptide, just tread water or float. The dangerous current will eventually end and release you from its grip.
I can push “Foster” and “Small Things Like These” into people’s hands until I am blue in the face, but I cannot say that I will recommend this one with the same fervor and giddy enthusiasm. The language is always stunning, dusted with details and seemingly innocuous moments that are brimming with meaning. Claire Keegan can write. I will read anything she publishes.
And yet. In the end, I desperately wanted to be released from these stories’ grip. My skin just wasn’t thick enough.
~~ Claire Keegan in The New Yorker
I’ve said it here before, I think Claire Keegan is genius.
That being said, I had to catch my breath at the end of this one. Or rather, I had to put the book down so I could start breathing again.
The exploration of misogyny that Keegan talks about doesn’t only apply to “So Late In The Day”, the title story, but to the other two in the collection as well. It was repellent, suffocating, disheartening and bleak as hell. It takes a thick skin to endure stories woven around a constant, subterranean push of hatred against women, covert or apparent.
The misogyny at work in these stories felt like the rip current they warn you about. You cannot swim against it, you need to let it carry you. If you cannot escape from the riptide, just tread water or float. The dangerous current will eventually end and release you from its grip.
I can push “Foster” and “Small Things Like These” into people’s hands until I am blue in the face, but I cannot say that I will recommend this one with the same fervor and giddy enthusiasm. The language is always stunning, dusted with details and seemingly innocuous moments that are brimming with meaning. Claire Keegan can write. I will read anything she publishes.
And yet. In the end, I desperately wanted to be released from these stories’ grip. My skin just wasn’t thick enough.
October 17, 2022
5★
"It had been an uneventful day, much the same as any other. Then, at the stop for Jack White’s Inn, a young woman came down the aisle and took the vacated seat across from him, wearing a familiar perfume. He sat breathing in her scent until it occurred to him that there must be thousands of women, if not hundreds of thousands, who smelled the same."
What is it about a familiar smell that can completely transport us to another time or place? Cathal has just been hit with the memory of another woman who wore the same Chanel perfume.
Sabine had grown up in Normandy, and he had met her a couple of years earlier at a conference in Toulouse, where they discovered they both worked in Dublin. They formed a casual relationship which gradually became more serious.
"At some point, Sabine began spending most of her weekends in Arklow, and they started going to the farmers’ market together on Saturday mornings.
. . .
Almost everything she brought home she cooked with apparent light-handedness and ease, with what Cathal took to be love."
Keegan notes those little moments in childhood that shape us as adults and shows the repercussions that they may have in future relationships.
This is a great little story available from 'The New Yorker'.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
You can listen to her read it here:
https://www.wnyc.org/story/claire-kee...
"It had been an uneventful day, much the same as any other. Then, at the stop for Jack White’s Inn, a young woman came down the aisle and took the vacated seat across from him, wearing a familiar perfume. He sat breathing in her scent until it occurred to him that there must be thousands of women, if not hundreds of thousands, who smelled the same."
What is it about a familiar smell that can completely transport us to another time or place? Cathal has just been hit with the memory of another woman who wore the same Chanel perfume.
Sabine had grown up in Normandy, and he had met her a couple of years earlier at a conference in Toulouse, where they discovered they both worked in Dublin. They formed a casual relationship which gradually became more serious.
"At some point, Sabine began spending most of her weekends in Arklow, and they started going to the farmers’ market together on Saturday mornings.
. . .
Almost everything she brought home she cooked with apparent light-handedness and ease, with what Cathal took to be love."
Keegan notes those little moments in childhood that shape us as adults and shows the repercussions that they may have in future relationships.
This is a great little story available from 'The New Yorker'.
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
You can listen to her read it here:
https://www.wnyc.org/story/claire-kee...
February 6, 2024
The Way I See You
Recently Claire Keegan has topped my revered author list. “Small Things Like These” is maybe the best thing I have read in years and I found her novella, “Foster,” later made into the poignant film, “The Quiet Girl,” to be a moving and powerful work. Her writings, concise and potent, reverberate long after being read.
Her latest collection consists of two short stories and one novella, taken from different times in her career. The first one, “So Late in the Day,” brings us an Irishman man so sexist and self-centered that he unwittingly chases away his fiancé on the eve of their marriage. We do get some insight into him– but any chance for sympathy is obliterated by his stubbornly misogynistic predisposition.
.
In “The Long and Painful Death,” we find a woman who has been awarded a stay at a prestigious historic residence for writers. A German professor intrudes on her time only to “educate her” that many other more worthy applicants could be in her place, people who would take the opportunity seriously. After tossing him out, she turns his jealousy around and channels it into her writing.
Finally, “Antarctica '' tells the story of a “happily married woman” who always wondered how it would be to sleep with another man. She feels time running out, this is something she needs to do while she is young enough. A bad match is made and she must contend with the consequences of tangling with an obsessive partner.
This trio of stories center on individuals pushed into loneliness by the vacuum of failed relationships. The men here are artifacts of obsolete biases, while the women, particularly in the first two stories, are strong enough to reject the expectations placed on them and leave behind the antiquated notions of what is acceptable.
Claire Keegan is a superb writer. Her works, while compressed and to the point, never leave things shorthanded. The three stories in this collection may be open-ended… but they are not incomplete. Highly recommended, as is everything I have read of hers.
Thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
Recently Claire Keegan has topped my revered author list. “Small Things Like These” is maybe the best thing I have read in years and I found her novella, “Foster,” later made into the poignant film, “The Quiet Girl,” to be a moving and powerful work. Her writings, concise and potent, reverberate long after being read.
Her latest collection consists of two short stories and one novella, taken from different times in her career. The first one, “So Late in the Day,” brings us an Irishman man so sexist and self-centered that he unwittingly chases away his fiancé on the eve of their marriage. We do get some insight into him– but any chance for sympathy is obliterated by his stubbornly misogynistic predisposition.
.
In “The Long and Painful Death,” we find a woman who has been awarded a stay at a prestigious historic residence for writers. A German professor intrudes on her time only to “educate her” that many other more worthy applicants could be in her place, people who would take the opportunity seriously. After tossing him out, she turns his jealousy around and channels it into her writing.
Finally, “Antarctica '' tells the story of a “happily married woman” who always wondered how it would be to sleep with another man. She feels time running out, this is something she needs to do while she is young enough. A bad match is made and she must contend with the consequences of tangling with an obsessive partner.
This trio of stories center on individuals pushed into loneliness by the vacuum of failed relationships. The men here are artifacts of obsolete biases, while the women, particularly in the first two stories, are strong enough to reject the expectations placed on them and leave behind the antiquated notions of what is acceptable.
Claire Keegan is a superb writer. Her works, while compressed and to the point, never leave things shorthanded. The three stories in this collection may be open-ended… but they are not incomplete. Highly recommended, as is everything I have read of hers.
Thank you to Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 19, 2022
It was a glorious summer’s day, balmy and beautiful. Cathal was at work and the day felt much too long for him. It was not supposed to be just another ordinary day for him and we soon learn why. Cathal was hard to like and I felt little sympathy for him even though he had received very devastating news that had come too late.
I love how Claire Keegan provided a contrast between the promise of a gorgeous day and the shadow of Cathal’s dashed hopes. Written in Keegan’s lush and lyrical prose, this short story was published in the New Yorker in February 2022.
Thank you, Bianca and Angela, for sharing this story. It can be read here:
So Late In The Day
I love how Claire Keegan provided a contrast between the promise of a gorgeous day and the shadow of Cathal’s dashed hopes. Written in Keegan’s lush and lyrical prose, this short story was published in the New Yorker in February 2022.
Thank you, Bianca and Angela, for sharing this story. It can be read here:
So Late In The Day
August 13, 2023
[Thank you to Grove Atlantic for the early review copy via Netgalley. All thoughts & opinions are my own.]
I’ve read the two latest hits from Claire Keegan, the Booker Prize nominated Small Things Like These and the recently re-published novella Foster. I enjoyed them both very much, but this is definitely my favorite of her works I’ve read thus far.
Keegan clearly excels in the short form. This upcoming collection of 3 of her previously published short stories (“So Late in the Day”, “The Long and Painful Death”, and “Antarctica”) takes a look at the complexity of relationships between men and women. Each character in these stories is wanting: companionship, independence, or maybe brief human connection. And Keegan masterfully subverts these characters’ expectations with masterful attention to detail.
Her every word feels deliberate, but not overwrought. Keegan’s ability to write succinctly about a characters emotional state or their physical surroundings is a pleasure to witness. She also captures Irish dialect and dialogue with such naturalness.
I loved these stories. I would definitely read them again. And I think fans of Keegan’s work will find a lot to enjoy in this brief but powerful collection. I only wish it had included more stories!
I’ve read the two latest hits from Claire Keegan, the Booker Prize nominated Small Things Like These and the recently re-published novella Foster. I enjoyed them both very much, but this is definitely my favorite of her works I’ve read thus far.
Keegan clearly excels in the short form. This upcoming collection of 3 of her previously published short stories (“So Late in the Day”, “The Long and Painful Death”, and “Antarctica”) takes a look at the complexity of relationships between men and women. Each character in these stories is wanting: companionship, independence, or maybe brief human connection. And Keegan masterfully subverts these characters’ expectations with masterful attention to detail.
Her every word feels deliberate, but not overwrought. Keegan’s ability to write succinctly about a characters emotional state or their physical surroundings is a pleasure to witness. She also captures Irish dialect and dialogue with such naturalness.
I loved these stories. I would definitely read them again. And I think fans of Keegan’s work will find a lot to enjoy in this brief but powerful collection. I only wish it had included more stories!
August 22, 2025
I may be in the minority here though I was not a fan of this short story collection by Claire Keegan. The one strength of this collection is that I think Keegan does a great job of displaying the gendered, sexist violence women face in day-to-day life, ranging from emotional slights to physical and sexual abuse.
Unfortunately I found the characters in these three stories quite vague and unsatisfying. When I think about one of my favorite short story writers, Jhumpa Lahiri, I recall how rich and full of detail Lahiri’s protagonists and stories feel. But Keegan’s characters came across as almost anonymous and nondescript. I also though the last story could be read in a way that was slut-shaming or negative toward women (or people generally) who defy heteronormativity in marriages/relationships. Anyway, while my opinion may differ from many, I wouldn’t recommend this book.
Unfortunately I found the characters in these three stories quite vague and unsatisfying. When I think about one of my favorite short story writers, Jhumpa Lahiri, I recall how rich and full of detail Lahiri’s protagonists and stories feel. But Keegan’s characters came across as almost anonymous and nondescript. I also though the last story could be read in a way that was slut-shaming or negative toward women (or people generally) who defy heteronormativity in marriages/relationships. Anyway, while my opinion may differ from many, I wouldn’t recommend this book.
July 23, 2023
I was going to start this review by pointing put that this is not a new Claire Keegan, merely stories that have been published elsewhere put into a new volume. All that is true however because I only started taking The New Yorker this year I had not read the title story. I'd read the other two but didn't recall The Long and Painful Death and Antarctica is most assuredly one of my favourite ever short stories. Add to that the fact that reading any Claire Keegan prose is always an utterly joyful experience (no matter how sad or creepy the story gets). Never a word that doesn't need to be there, never a clumsy phrase or a wander off point. She truly is a master of her craft.
I loved all these stories and despite So Late in the Day leaving me open mouthed, Antarctica remains my favourite. Beautiful. Highly recommended whether you've read these stories before or not.
Thanks to Netgalley and Grove Press for the advance review copy.
I loved all these stories and despite So Late in the Day leaving me open mouthed, Antarctica remains my favourite. Beautiful. Highly recommended whether you've read these stories before or not.
Thanks to Netgalley and Grove Press for the advance review copy.
August 23, 2022
So Late in the Day is about a man, Cathal and a bit about his day, in the office, on the bus, at home. He ponders about his last relationship - one that was supposed to be a "serious one".
Cathal is an average guy. What I got out of this story is how low the bar is for men and how incredibly clueless some men are.
Thanks to Angela for bringing this story to my attention. You can read it here: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
Cathal is an average guy. What I got out of this story is how low the bar is for men and how incredibly clueless some men are.
Thanks to Angela for bringing this story to my attention. You can read it here: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
March 10, 2024
It has been a joy to read the three stories from Claire Keegan included in So Late in the Day, a new collection which will certainly serve as a wonderful introduction for short story readers new to her. All have been in print before, most recently the titled story in The New Yorker in 2022. The Long and Painful Death is from my personal favorite collection, Walk the Blue Fields, while Antarctica is from the earlier collection of the same name. While it was a joy for me to read them because of her skill, that’s not to say that the lives of her characters are similarly joyful.
Each story reveals Keegan’s eye for both natural and human life, how she opens them up for her readers, putting all of her descriptions into often perfect language. Each story delves into an aspect of relationships between men and women, individuals and their own self knowledge, how we survive (hopefully) the decisions we make. Her people have very human flaws, varying insight, and you will think about them after each story ends because each is so real.
I found this an enjoyable return to the two stories I’d read previously and very much enjoyed reading her latest story, So Late in the Day, the ultimately sad story of Cathal’s Friday July 29th. Sad in many ways. An Irish story.
This would be a nice introduction to Keegan’s work or even a “pick-me-up” for a reader like me who enjoys a refresher. Recommended along with all of Keegan’s work.
Thank you to Grove Press/Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for a copy of this book.
Each story reveals Keegan’s eye for both natural and human life, how she opens them up for her readers, putting all of her descriptions into often perfect language. Each story delves into an aspect of relationships between men and women, individuals and their own self knowledge, how we survive (hopefully) the decisions we make. Her people have very human flaws, varying insight, and you will think about them after each story ends because each is so real.
I found this an enjoyable return to the two stories I’d read previously and very much enjoyed reading her latest story, So Late in the Day, the ultimately sad story of Cathal’s Friday July 29th. Sad in many ways. An Irish story.
This would be a nice introduction to Keegan’s work or even a “pick-me-up” for a reader like me who enjoys a refresher. Recommended along with all of Keegan’s work.
Thank you to Grove Press/Grove Atlantic and NetGalley for a copy of this book.
September 7, 2025
Três contos belíssimos. Diria que o mestre Tchékhov reencarnou nesta escritora irlandesa.
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