What readers think of The Last Time They Met, plus links to write your own review.

It is a week since I read this book and it's ending keeps coming back to haunt me. Like everyone else I read the last page about 5 times. I have never been so affected by a book. The only thing for it is to read Shreve's other novels - I am totally hooked.

Brilliant love story, and although the first book by Anita that I have read, it will not be the last!

If you have not yet read "Last Time They Met", I suggest you read "the Weight of Water" first. The ending to Weight /Water was devastating, I cried for HOURS and had a haunting feeling inside for months after, every time I laid eyes on the book. I was almost as devastated at the ending of "Last time They Met" and cried for an hour after finishing it. But it you read Last Time THey Met FIRST, you will already know the 'shocking' conclusion to Weight of Water. If you read Weight of Water first, you will fully understand why Thomas felt his life was too unbearable at the end of Last Time They Met. Best two books of Anita Shreve's I've read so far!!!!

What a great book!!! This was the first book that I read by Shreve and at first I didn't like it. I really couldn't tell where this stroy was going. After I finished it, I couldn't stop thinking about it. After I had time to "digest" the story I thought it was wonderful. What a shocking ending, I never saw it coming. This book was so terrific that I have went on to read (and love) many more of Shreve's books.

A WORD OF ADVICE -- Don't give the story away in your reviews!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am in the middle of reading this book and was glancing through the reviews out of curiosity...THANKS FOR RUINING IT!!

VERY CONFUSING AND POORLY WRITTEN

My first Anita Shreve book was The Pilot's Wife and I really enjoyed it; It was well written and certainly engaging. I then went to the library looking for more, but I'm starting to think I may have better left well enough alone. From the reviews, I seem to be in the minority here, but I am addicted to the drama in her books, but always pay a price for it. The ending to Weight of Water was so unexpected and emotional that I swore off (unsuccessfully it seems) Anita Shreve altogether. I agree with the earlier post that it is best to read Last Time first. I read Weight/Water first and, upon discovering that this is a kind of sequel, had high hopes that something redeeming might come out of Thomas' life after all the horror of Water (no, unfortunately, I did not immediately recall the revelation from Water to solve the mystery of Last Time which might have at least kept my hopes of redemption lower).

Oh my!!!! Once again Anita Shreve has proved herself a master storyteller! Having read the Weight of Water, I should have known the conclusion, but merely ascribed what I knew to have happened to poetic license on the part of the author. The reverse chronology of the book coupled with its surprise ending left me with so many questions after the first reading. It took a second reading to see some of the foreshadowing and subtle hints that Shreve left her readers along the way . . . the fact that the dialogue was in italics when they were 52 and 26, but in quotes when they were just 17. The intensity of their relationship, her description of life in Africa, the weaving of a plot in reverse order and the startling conclusion . . . Even after the second reading, my head is still spinning! The Last Time They Met is one of the best books I've ever read!