Book Review: The last time we spoke
An emotionally confronting story
What is it about South Africans who come to Australia and New Zealand, who become Aussies and Kiwis, students of our cultures and then hold the mirror up to us in their writing? For one thing, they win literary awards. For another, they inspire some Kiwi born writers like me. Until his death a few years ago, Australia had Peter Temple – a multi award winning crime writer, a rock star of the crime writing craft. In New Zealand, we have Fiona Sussman whose book, The last time we spoke, won the New Zealand Ngaio Marsh Crime Award. Both authors write stories that stay with readers long after they finish reading them.
Here’s the blurb for. The last time we spoke:
On the night that Carla Reid plans on celebrating her wedding anniversary with her husband Kevin and their grown son Jack, their New Zealand farmstead has never felt more like home. But when Ben Toroa and another aspiring gang member brutally force their way into the house with robbery and more on their minds, the night and the rest of both their lives take a radically different direction.
As Carla struggles to come to terms with the aftermath and bereavement of different kinds, and Ben faces the consequences in prison, their stories will be forever entwined.
Sussman’s story is not, at heart, a traditional whodunnit or crime thriller. While a violent crime sets up the story, this one is much more about the aftermath and consequences of crime and Carla Reid’s change in worldview: her road to accepting and coping with a world that is grossly imperfect in its complexity. How does Sussman dramatize this? Through the artful exploration of a restorative justice theme.
For fellow writers, Sussman presents a masterclass in demonstrating the use of simile and metaphor to enrich the reading experience. All the characters are well drawn and play a vital role in the story.
Putting on my editor’s hat, if I had one minor criticism, and it’s almost not worth mentioning, I felt the disillusioned and criminal Ben, a young man with little education, tended to use some words and phrases that would’ve been beyond him. But in saying that, I had to be invested in his character to notice!
I agree with the significant number of reviewers of this book that The last time we spoke is a well told story, exceptionally written.
After many years working in the justice system and the theatrical bearpit of courtrooms, it’s difficult to be surprised at human inhumanity towards other humans. Despite that, I found the book emotionally confronting. Sussman shows her capacity to hit many emotional chords. It is one of the things that makes this book unforgettable. Her love for her husband whose life can never be what it was and the impact of the crime on him and the family was incredibly moving. In the end, this book was uplifting and a testimonial to indominable spirit. This, I think, is why this story has stayed with me.
Listen to Fiona Sussman talk about her story here: https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/standing-room-only/audio/201805946/the-last-time-we-spoke-fiona-sussman