Last Night at the Lobster- O'Nan (Book #13)

A beautifully written slim novel trailing the last night of work for Manny the manager of a Red Lobsters shutting its doors for good. The book is literally about this last night as Manny deals with a staff that is quitting by the hour (why stay when they are being laid off anyways), a love conflict he's struggling to resolve, and customers who range from mildly amusing to vile and nightmarish. I really enjoyed reading this book, an exploration of a character who is struggling to make it through the day, trying to be a good person, and figuring out his life. I like the subtlety of the book, how small details that give insight. An example: While Manny would never admit this since [Eddy] and him are friends, Eddie, being eager to please, is that much easier to boss around. This could have been written as a simple cliche, yet he said an age old saying of "teaching people how to treat you" but in a way that makes you pause and reflect just a bit. I liked it. Worth a read!