Last Night at the Lobster

Lobster boat in Maine

I just finished reading Stewart O'Nan's novel Last Night at the Lobster. My immediate reaction: Argh! Why didn't I think of that?!

The premise for the book was simple: the restaurant manager describes what happens on the last day before his Red Lobster closes for good. Some of the staff don't show up. Some are angry that they're about to be out of work and he didn't recommend them for the new Olive Garden coming in. He worries about the staff stealing things since they have nothing to lose at this point. A snowstorm blows in and no one is sure how that will affect business, but they prepare for a normal night anyway.

That's it. That's pretty much the whole story. There wasn't much plot line, and not too many developed characters, and yet, something about this book worked. I was sorry when the novel ended. I felt like I'd been in the restaurant all day alongside Manny, the manager, looking out the window at the foreboding weather and going through the motions of his job for one last time.

I wish I'd written this book.