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Two years ago, Jenna went to a retreat in Malta organized by Tom Wade, the man behind SoulShrink. But she didn’t come home. She disappeared and the local authorities judged that she had committed suicide jumping from a cliff.
The story, which looked at people's aspirations and dreams and the need to take every day as it comes, to enjoy life to the full (as we don't know what is round the corner) was played out with great passion and skill. Latifah's comedy acting (loved the raised eyebrow and sideways glances) was relaxed and easily won over the sympathy of the audience. Great, also, to see Gerard Depardieu again as I haven't seen him for a while. The author has an easy writing style. The story is told in the third person, mainly from the perspectives of three ladies; Fran, Jenna and Kate, with the action switching from Jenna’s retreat and Fran’s retreat about three years later. Each chapter is clearly headed so that we are in no doubt which time period we are in and whose view we are seeing. C. L. Taylor uses a reflective technique so that key events are repeated from the different viewpoints, which is always useful. This is another book that I've read this year that's a very character-driven story. On paper it doesn't sound like a lot is going on but under the surface you do get a fair amount of interesting narration from Fran, Kate, and Jenna. Currently, we have our fair share of pointless actions films (absent of any plot and decent script) or films that are trying to take themselves too seriously or films that are too dark and downbeat or films which try to be funny but are not so it was a pleasure to go with my family recently to see Last Holiday.As the book developed I felt I fully understood the characters of those three central ladies and of Tom who is the key link to them all. There are several peripheral characters that we learn just a little about and which may cause some confusion; if in doubt jot down their names. Queen Latifah play Georgina Byrd, a New Orleans saleswoman who learns that she only has a few weeks to live, so she decides to use her remaining time to take a dream vacation to a European resort. Once there, she starts taking on all sorts of risks and challenges because she really has nothing to lose.
How nice it is to read a thriller from the POV of three women with their own distinctive voices, good character arcs, and not running around being overly emotional and silly. West Hampstead." Stella glances at the huge bag of books that Fran has left on her seat. "And that’s r I liked Fran and found her to be a realistic character- she was trying to investigate what happened to Jenna but is not a detective, thus she makes a lot of mistakes. There is also personal growth throughout the book, as she explores her relationship with Jenna and the rest of her family, as well as reflects on her current lifestyle. Some reviewers said there were plot lines left unresolved, but I actually think that was done purposely, allowing the reader to make their own decisions about the true motivations of some of the characters. The ending was tied up maybe a bit too cleanly, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Queen Latifah is a natural actress who radiates warmth and honesty in her portrayal of Georgia Byrd. Borrowing from "Nothing Sacred" and "Living it Up," the script emphasizes living life for all its worth and not being afraid to take chances. It’s got a good pace. We are told the story from Fran’s point of view in the present and Jenna is in the past at the time of her retreat stay. There’s some input too from Kate in both past and present. She is the organiser of the retreat and secret wife of Tom.Kragen's companions, disgusted by his insensitivity, embrace her and abandon him. Dejected and embarrassed, Kragen goes to an upper floor of the hotel and sits on the ledge, contemplating suicide. Georgia tries to dissuade this, suggesting if he were nicer and less driven by greed, he would be a happier person. The sessions led by Tom are ridiculous, he plays at being a psychologist while being an untrained lay person who just got out of prison. The tension grows, the action keeps moving and the final chapters fly by as the various threads are tied up. Some of the reveals were as anticipated whilst others totally surprised me. I was however left wondering about one or two actions by lesser characters which I could not quite understand.
For the most part this was an unpredictable read, but I did quess one of the major reveals but had no clue how the author was going to pull it off though. The primary motive and the resolve left me feeling a little bit underwhelmed and unconvinced. Even though it fell a little bit flat for me, I was satisfied and felt that it provided all the answers I needed.At the resort, she doesn't bat an eyelash about expenses. After all, she figures, she'd better pamper herself. Georgia realizes she must update her wardrobe as well and transforms herself into a beautiful creature. The party of Americans staying at the hotel include the senator from her home state of Louisiana and the rich man who owned the store where she worked in New Orleans. Georgia is an instant hit because she is herself all the time. She makes everyone at the hotel like her because they see in Georgia a genuine person.
One second ago, the grey-haired man had his right hand wrapped around a pole for balance and his left hand hanging loosely at his side. Now, that same left hand is gently stroking the bottom of the woman in front of him. By and large, this holiday was great and unforgettable thanks to my Spanish friend, Gaspar, who provided me with a Guidebook which makes my trip easy and coy. Now the blurb for Her Last Holiday is somewhat misleading. 'Determined to find out the truth, Fran books herself onto his upcoming retreat...' Fran did not book herself onto this retreat. Geraldine, her mother, was booked to go but had an accident and couldn't. She bullied Fran into going in her place. I think people who haven’t read much in this genre might still enjoy this, and feel free to make up your own mind, but I know I’m not alone on this one, with several of my reviewer friends panning it. I did however finish it because I wanted to know what happened and whether I was right about the mystery (I was), and I did like the ending. 2.5 rounded down for the present tense. Note: do not let this put you off from reading “Sleep” or “Strangers” by this author, both are fantastic reads.
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Fran’s not entirely sure she wants to know what that means so she doesn’t question her further. Instead, she asks Stella where she’s getting off and offers to accompany her to the nearest police station. Queen Latifah is a natural actress with a lot of charm. She is the basic reason for watching "Last Holiday" because she dominates it with her charming presence. LL Cool J is seen as Sean, her love interest, who doesn't have much to do in the movie. Timothy Hutton plays the mean spirited American millionaire who feels upstaged by a woman who he learns was his employee. Gerard Depardieu plays Didier, a chef that sees in Georgia a kindred spirit. Alicia Witt, Giancarlo Esposito, and Michael Nouri, appear in supporting roles. The detailed description of the mutilated bird on the patio and the ensuing throwing of stones at a passing cat was awful.
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